Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-02-27
FRIGHTFUL FLOOD.
Bursting Of q Dam and Outbreak
Of an Immense Reservoir.
Forty or More Lives Thought to BE Lost
The Disaster Thought 10 Be
Due to Criminal Mean

PRESCOTT, A. T., Feb. 24.-The fine
large storage dam built across the
| Hasayampa river by the Walnut Grove
Water Storage Company two years ago
at cost of $500, 900 gave way Saturday
morning under the pressure of a heavy
flood and swept every thing before it
Forty persons are known to have lost
| their lives
As the town of Wickenburg, thirty
miles below the dam, was ON the same
stream fears were entertained for the
safety of that town, but as there is no
telegraph communication no certain
news can be obtained at present
The service dam of the company, 10
Gated fifteen miles below the reservoirs
and fifteen miles of f1ume, just ap-
preaching completion were also swept
away, although the company had spent
over $500, 900 on the enterprise of storing
water. The hydraulic mining machine
had arrived, and they had expected to
commence operations next week.
The dam which held the water back
was ITO feet long at it's base and forty
at the top. 1t was ITO feet thick at the
base and ten feet at the top, forming a
lake three miles in length by three
fourths of mile wide and ITO feet deep.
Lieutenant Brodie, in charge of the
work, was absent at Phoenix superin-
tending the shipment of machinery to
the works and was saved.
Those known to have been drowned
are j. Haines, wife and four children,
H. Boon and daughters, John Silby,
Joseph Reynolds, Mrs. Mccarthy and NJ.
Hands McMiller.
Arthur Allen, formerly in the enter
prise, and John Mcdonald, owner of the
Blue Lick mine, have just returned
from the Doxoris divide, fourteen miles
south of the town, from where a view of
the dam could be had. The wash of the
water could be plainly seen with their
powerful glasses high up on the side of
the cliff, while the break in the stone
work of the dam was also plainly seen.
The break in the dam is sloped to the
eastward, leaving the impression that
the main break was on the east side.
There can be no estimate yet of the
loss of life or property, but the latter
will reach into millions, while the loss
of life will without doubt be great as
many of the families live near the stream
in the narrow canyons.
The confirmation of the news of the
loss of the big dam has heightened the
excitement and more definite news is
anxiously awaited, but the wires are
now all down near Prescott Junction.
The courier who brought kilograms for
the owners of the Walnut Grove dam
notifying them of their loss left imme-
diately after daylight yesterday morn
ing. He could give butlittle particulars
missing, five bodies having been re-
covered when he left. The distance
to the storage dam from Prescott by the
shortest route is forty miles, while the
service dam, where the employees were
located, is fifteen miles further down
the stream.
Immediately on receipt of the news
here Adjutant-General O'Neil started
for the scene of the disaster with two
surgeons to care for the sufferers and su-
perintend the burying of the dead. A
of the JOurnal-Miner, a
local paper, accompanied the party, and
will send a special courier with particu-
lars, but it will take twenty-four hours
or longer to make the round trip. Satur-
days courier came from the lower |
dam, and as the road does not come by
the upper dam it was only surmised
that it had given away on account of
the immense quantity of water.
THE BUILDERS TO BLAME.
SAN Francisco, Feb. 24.-Luther |
Wagner yesterday gave some details of
the construction of the great storage |
dam across Hasayampa river which |
show that this disaster, like that at !
Johnstown, was, according to him, due |
to carelessness and meanness of the New
York corporation that built it.
Wagner was called in to report on the |
lam about a year and half ago. 1t |
was to have been faced with stone four |
teen feet thick at the base and four feet |
1t the top and filled with loose rock and |
made water tight with wooden sheath
ing. 1t was about half done when
Wagner inspected it and he found |
mat JQ0 stone ndO De0n Qll6Q IN
,arelessly and was high in the
center, making the structure unstable.
The junction of sheathing and bed rock
vas intended to be secured by thick
ayers of Portland cement, but this
work was not we'll done because of the
,ost of getting cement to the works.
Thus dangerous crevice was formed at
he base of the dam and the leakage
vas heavy, being Ia inches with seven
eet of water il the dam. The lumber
lsed was also full of knotholes.
Wagner ordered the discharge of the
contractors and engineers, as he regard
ID them as worthless, but this was not
-one. The company, however, acting
N his advice, cut large wasteway and
the weak places. Wagner
warned them the dam would be unsafe
nless some of the work was gone over
nd rectified, but they would not listen
o him.
Mr.. GladstOne's Condition.
LONDON, Feb. 23.-Mr. Gladstone, who
suffering from an attack of catarrh, is