The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1890-02-27
THE ARIZONA DISASTER.

Fearful Results of the bursting OF the
Hassayampa Dam at walnut Grove
Graphic Description of the Disaster b,
Sheriff ONcill- Enormous Loss OF Life
and Destruction of Property.
PRESCOTT, Ariz., Feb 25.-A messen-
ger arrived here late last night from the
scene Of the recent disaster at tho Wal
nut Grove dam with list of the lost as
fan as known, comprising thirty-cight
names, and partial list of the surviv-
ors. Sheriff O'Neill in letter by this
messenger writes as follows:
RoUARK's RANCH, Monday, Feb. n.
The scene of dcsolation along lIassnynmpu
below the sites OF the dams is complete.
A tornado could not have made such n com
pletc wreck. For miles waters turned FREQ
by the breaking of the dams have filled the
bed of the creek with bodies, and with enor-
nous powders, trees, and every other kind
of debris.
When all the casualties are nscertaincd,
the entire loss will probably be between
fifty and sixty lives. The bodies thus far
discovered number about a dozen, many OF
which were found twenty and thirty miles
from the place where the food overlook
them all. The remains arc more or less
mutilatcd, while in several cases only fra9-
ments have been recovered, as the force of
the Hood was so terrific that many bodies
have doubtless been buried in the sand,
others torn to pieces and others carried far
south.
The impetus of the stream of water when
turned loose can hardly be appreciated
without going over the ground covered by
It, Those who saw it say that 1t came down
In almost II perpendicular wall, ninety or
one hundred feet high and apparently
crushed down instead of sweeping away
every thing before it. Immense bowlders
were thrown around asa child might toss II
ball. Enormous trees were broken in two
or torn into shrcds. Iron bars were twisted
ont of shape, and an ordinary Hat iron was
picked up and carried five miles ana then
imbcddcd in the walls of the canyon eighty
feet above the present level OF the stream.
A large safe, bclongingtp t. Robert Brow, con
tanning in the ncghborhood of SOW was
swept away. and no trace has hCCn found of
it. Whatever the water struck went down.
None of the victims were wounded, all were
drowned.
The flood struck the lower dam ut 1850 p.
! III. Five minutes later the headquarters.
| five miles below, were swept away. several
| persons were ut both points watching, but
| notwithstanding this prccauton tn" num-
Der OF men drowned ut the first point was
| over thirty, and those who escaped did 20
| with only what they had ON their backs,
many only in their nj ght clothes. Early ON
| the evening Of the 2ist Il courier William
| Akard, was sent from the upper to the
| lower dam to warn the residents ut the
| latter point that the former structure
| was In danger of breaking hut owing to the
storm and darkness he could not keep ahca'
of the flood and lost his life in trying to cross
the IIassaynmpU within view Of the surviV
ors of the camp he had tried to save. Charles
Thompson, IL courier, who arrived this after
noon from below WickCn burg, and who lost
his ranch above the lower dam, reports tha
nine bodies have been discovered ut Wickcn
| burg and three above in addition to thos'
already discovered. The old historic Bril
ranch with all other ranches along the riN ci
| lnu hmm nnt ir..lN. SANnlt nMIIN ~