The sun., 1891-01-23
IN DANGER FROM A BIG DAM
THE TOP OF THE HOUs4r0yIC STRUC-
TURF PARTIALLY SWEPT AWAY.

Frishtened at the Prospect OF Loss OF
Life and Property-An Unusuaiiy Heavy
storm In New England and Up the Hud.
soA-Many Bridges and Small Dams De.
stroyed-Dxellingsa and Stores Flooded
Ice Harvesting Stopped = Numerous
washouts on Railroad Tracks.
ASsoN1A. Conn. Jan. 22.-At 7:45 this even.
ing the big Housatonic dam began to weaken
from the heavy rains. and at O'Clock the two
towns OF Birmingham and Shelton wero In an
uproar.
The east gate house Of tho dam fell with q
crash. and ten minutes later over 100 feet OF
the top OF the dam gave away. An immen 50
mass Of water rushed into the river below. At
II o'clock the chances were that no moro
would escape. but II abe river does not 60
down tho whole 400 feet will bs washed away.
The dam Is tho second largest In New Eng
land. 1t supplies power for forty factories
and thus furnishes employment for lvs thou
sand people,
The flood is the most disastrous known in
the Housatonio valley. The Derby and Nau-
getnok Railroad tracks are covered. and trains
are stalled on each side OF the water No trat-
fc can pass over It for the next twenty-four
hours.
Tho loss by stoppaae OF factories and to dam
PouaHKEEpsIE. Jan. 22.-All tho streams
hereabouts are rising rapidly. On tho New
York and Massachusetts Railroad bridge
east OF Pine Plains has been swept away, and
another ut Mc1ntyre has been moved and can.
not be crossed tonight. The inward bound
passenger train cannot get through, therefore.
On the Central New England and Western
road corner Of the large iron truss bridge at
Hibernia has been moved. and passengers and
baggage have to be transferred. There
is also washout on the Rhine
beck branch OF the Central New Eng
land and Western road. and trains cannot
pass. At Pleasant Valley on the New York ana
Massachusetts Railroad. the village is flooded
with the overflow from Wanpin""''s Creek.
and people are moving tut the second stories
OF their houses. The watC- is four feet deep
from the station to Armstrong; Hotel. ard
telegraph operator Miller Is hemmed In for the
night At the station. The water is still rising.
The first floor OF the cotton mill In the village
Is flooded and the big covered bridge over
tho highway Is in danger. The railroad
track Is covered with nearly foot Of
water. At Milibrook. on tho Newburgh
Duchess and Connecticut Railroad water and
ice is going over the dam In q great volume
and the highway is covered with running
water three feet deep. A wagon shop has been
stopped by backwater. At Montrose on the
Hudson River Railroad. the track for five hum
dred feet was completely submerged this after
noon. and north Of Tivoli the track was also
under water Double guards have been sta
toned at all points in fear OF slides and Hoods
This morning during the fog q passenger
train on the NewburGh. Dutchess and Connec-
ticut crashed into the rear OF a New York and
New England freight train, smashing several
cars. The engine OF the passenger train wns
wrecked and several freight cars destroyed,
No one was hurt
The storm was also severe along tho Harlem
line. There is washout near Amenia. aud q
wrecking train with gang Of mon have gone
there. The water in tho Hudson rose TO an
unusual height. and leo harvesting was en-
tirely Suspended for the day. 1t Is thought the
clear weather to- night with west wind will put
u stop to further damage.
RoSDoUT. jan 22.-The heavy rains of last
night and to-day caused sad havoc to ice
harvesting on tho Hudson and its tributaries.
Supcrintendonts o! the Knickerbocker and
other companies nre despondent mt the pres
eat outlook. They regret not having put on
an extra large force OF mon while the harvest
was at its height week or two ago.
II. There arc crave fears tonight that there
ago at Eddyville. the ,tidewater terminus OF
the Delaware and Hudson Canal. The unper
tSere huge huge Ice e d1m rom f tweaty IT. I" thirty
feet high and attempts are being made TO re-
IVA %sssA1cs $ s usu e. u. Jan. %. Heavy froshets
washed away the bridges in this section to-
| day, and two ladies and a tenn vera swept
| WILKEsDAElE Jan. Z2.-One third of Ibis city
| is now under water, and traffi. Is comrletely
suburbYn street railway. The gorge in tho
Sus9uehHnna now extends from Tunkhapnock
70 Nantic9ke. thirty, miles. ana il is
to back UP and flood the valley from end 10
end, It was rumored here today that tho
Iunkhannock bridge had been swept down by
~ !. K. ohxt 5"n 2sr w i feHrc 1n that
Wih1 the j" @ nSst % Tef hoSrs f% FIFE
Ice g"rIHe erst Of tf,I plNre and ne.p. E
damage: The Water in sim RiSsr s N has Risen Risen
parts q me city cellars arc 1looasd and streets
business is practically SUSPENDED. 1t is re;
VssaspSss n Sss1 sI Sa4~ss iFt fond.
ice ars fling the rivers and the water Is rlSin G
RAPIDLY. Nearly tllty merchants are suffering
obliged to stop their power on account OF high
male the Park ver rise M at G an Sa
poln: than il is remembered 10 have ever al
One small bridge few miles up the river Ia
gone. and another large one ID threatened.
Parts OF bushnell Park are flooded. anu the
| water stands to the depth OF nearly two ieet in
the basement OF the large manufacturing
ATTLEBopo. Mass.. Jan. 22.-The worst gale
here at noon and has, caused considerable
tho Norton Jewelry Company at Charley.
| nearly completed was blown to the around
| about q o'clock. causing q loss OF $1,000. There
10 fear that the ice on the Norton reservoir
| may break up and tho big dam may give way.
This would cause q loss OF thousands 3f dollars.
six feet and many houses and barns and collars
to Mopson Is two feet under water and pack cd
road to Springfield is under water. aud tho
floating Ice has cut on telephone poles aud
| dropped them across the highway.
| THREE RIVERS. VI. Jan. 22-lt is feared that
the bridge OF the New London Northern Rail
road may be carried away. Two miles east ol
| the village the tracks of the Boston and Albany
Railroad are eighteen inches under water.
Many cellars In this place are flooded, and ths
water Is five feet deep In the basement Of the
Union passenger station. Roads are badly
washed, and the dam al tho reservoir Of ths
PalmeG Water Company came near being
1, II q IL