The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-02-26
Additional Details OF the Disaster
Attending the Breaking Of the
Walnut Grove Dam.
A Solid Body of Water Eighty
Feet High Which Swept
All Before It.
The Loss of Life VIII Reach at Least Fifty
Scenes ON the spot rs Described
Ey the sheriff.

PRESCOTT. AriI., Feb. 2j.-The worst fears
of tho Walnut Grove disaster are more than
realized. although the particulars camo in
slowly and are still mougcr. Two pros.
pectors arrived last night from the upper
dam. They state that they oampod above
the dam on Friday night. About o'clock
Saturday morning the dam broke. the wator
running down the narrow and steep canon
in n solid body eighty feet high. One man
WAS rescued from the top of tree. They
sny that not even n remnant OF tho dam ex-
lists. The immense body of water, one and
"a half miles square and sixty feet
deep, was emptied in an hour.
They had talked with many from the
smaller dam, fifteen miles below, who
said that up to saturday evening twenty
five bodies had been recovered, but could
give no additional names. The survivors
were in great destitution, having neither
provisions nor clothing, and coarso grain
sacks were being used in lieu of clothing.
The camp of worknon engaged in building
the fumc has not been heard from at all.
and II is feared that all nre lost. No news
has yet been received here from Wicken-
burg or from the settlements from below
the dam. More detailed particulars are
looked for now every moment.
A messenger bringing further details of
the Walnut Grove disaster arrived this
morning. Sheriff O'Neil, who went 20 tho
scene of the disaster, writes as follows:
Tho scene OF desolntion along the llassa-
yampa below the site of the dam is COM
plcte. For miles the waters turned free by
the breaking of dams have filled the bed
of the creek with bodies and
with enormous boulders, trees, and
every other kind of debris. Tho following
is nn impartial list of the drowned: Hannah
Mccarthy, Joe Reynolds, miner, George
Ebbetts, laborer Alexander McMillin,
coachman for VsnBuren, Eli Wheeler.
laborer, one Mexican, name unknown, q.
j.. Cook, lahorer, n. l.. White. laborer,
John Silsbee. Charles King blhck-
smith, Patrick Hay, lahorer, Patrick Bar
~. lahorcr, Charles Brnoken, laborer,
! William Flanagan, laboror, Frederick Pal
mer, laborcr, Casper Foster, lnborer l.. l..
Haynes, laborer and eight Cinnamon. BE-
sides these mentioned somo twelve or iif-
teen miners who were placer mining be-
tween tho upper and lower osm, with a
number of rnnchcs along the ream are
missing, and when all the casualties are
Hscertaincd tho entire loss OF life
will probably DO between fifty
and sixty. A number Of bodies
have been recovered, many Of which
were found twenty and thirty miles from
| the place where the flood overlook them.
All the remains nre moro or lcsa mutilated,
while In several cases only fragments have
been recovered. Many bodies bRyc doubt
loss been buried in the mnd. othors torn 10
pieces and others taken far south.
/ The impetus Of the stream Of water when
turned loose can hardly be appreciated
without going over the ground covered by
! Il. Those who saw II say IL came down al
most IN q perpendicular wall, ninety ur n
hundred feet high. and apparently crushed
down instead OF swceping away everything
before n. The grcnt body ot water, one nud
u half miles square aud sixty feet deep.
was empticd in an hour. Immense boulders
Weighing tons were thrown around, enor-
moua trees were broken in two or torn into
shTcds. \ Hat iron WAS picked up nnd
carried five miles and then embedded in
the walls of the canyon eighty feet above
the present level OF the stream. 4 large
safe containing seven Thousand dollnrs was
swept away and 40 trnce has been found of
il. The flood struck the lower dam
nt 1850 n. m., and five minutes later the
headquarters, five miles below, were swept
away. Several persons were AT both points
watching. but Notwithstanding this the
number drowned Mt the first point vefo over
Unity hhu luuSt Wuo tAcdpNu ulu No WIN
only what they had ON their backs, many in
only their night clothes. The survivors are
in great destiiution, having neither pro-
visions nor clothing. Many are using
coarse grain sacks In lieu Of clothing.
Friday night n courier WIS sent from the
upper 20 the lower dam TO warn the resi-
dents that tho former structure was in dan
ger Of breaking, but owing TO the storm the
messenger lost his life in trying 10 cross
the llnssaynmpn. within view OF tho snryiv-
ors of the camp. He had tried 10 save
ChRs. Thompson. The courier who arrived
this afternoon from below Wickenhurg, re-
ports name bodies have been discovered at
MickonbuTg. and three in addition 10 those
already discovered. The old historic Brill
ranch, with all other ranches along tho
riyor have been entirely swept AWAY.