Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-08-11
The RESERVOIR BURST.
Four Lives Lost in the Rush OF
Water.
rhe Brave Efforts to Save Them Ofno
AVall.

Avail.
The great reservoir on the eastern prone
made al Portland. Ne. burst sunday, and the
water rushed out to the ocean, sweeping bt--
lore II the homes Of two families and Drown
rug four persons.
The dead are Mrs. Carrie Connolly, VIII" II
Dennis Connolly. aged 4Y; Mis- Mamie Con
molly. aged 10: Miss Aggie Connolly, aged
IL james Mu~ely, aged 2l
Some four yrar- ago it was found neceS-a-
~ tu Increase the water supply pt Portland
b provide against any possible failure Of wa
ter in the ease Of another great fire. = D.
reservoir 1T the western end Of the city, with
a capacity Of 1000. 900 gallons waa consld-
cred Inadequate and the Portland water com
pany built a second one on the eastern prom
euade at great cost 1t had n capacity OF 10
600 600 gallons and was considered very safe.
II WIS constructed under the direction and
according to the plans Of J. Herbert Shedd.
Of Providence. The walls were IS feet high.
- feet thick ut the base and ten feet thick al
the top. There was an inside wall OF gran
ite, bricks. cement and puddle clay, and an
overflow pipe led out into the ocean nearly
mile away.
The descent from the reservoir to the ocean
Is somewhat abrupt. and from the first II WAS
believed that If there ever was "a break II
would b. on the ocean side. No danger.
however was apprehended. Below the re-
ervoir and in line with the ocean were two
houses. one owned hy Dennis Connolly AMI
the other occupied by Michael J. Lappin.
Barns were close by each OF the houses, and
the Lappin house was little nearer to the
reservoir than the other.
When Edward Wallace left his house tD eJ
to Fish point. h. noticed a small stream trick
ling out He had hardly more than given 1t
glance when it grew until it was as large a.
his arm. He rushed to the Lappin hous''.
shouting. The reservoir has burst. Run for
your lvtS. Mr.. Lappin and his family
rushed ont and escaped.
John Connolly ON hearing the alarm, went
to the barn and let out the horse, suppo-ing
th-rr would be ample time for all to eseap-.
He threw open the door and a. the horse
rame out tho water began to spurt out Of the
fast crumbling sides of the reservoir. His
c~raI+ was rut OF in an instant, and he ran
into the tarn and climbed 10 the haylOtt.
In the meantime the family Of Mr.. LAppin
including his adopted son, James M"S@ley.
were out Of reach II the water. and Mr.. Con-
molly and her daughters had rushed out Of
the hou~'. IN their night clothes George
Morgan. who saw them at that moment, SAYS
there WAS then quite "A stream running in front
Of tie house, but nothing they might not have
PASSED in safety. They hestated, went back
aud shut the door. The act was fatal, and
there was no hope Of their escape moment
later.
The sides Of the great reservoir were now
ruImbling. and water outpnured in scores of
places. Then the mighty mass Of 10000. 900
gallons fairly lifted itself up, smote the walls
aSunder, opened space A. feet wide and IS
feet high. aud then rolled out in one trench
douswave and swept before all that stood in
it, path
The Lappin barn was about 10 feet out Of
it, reach. and the l. escaped. The main
part ui the house was hurled before it, the
upper part being deposited 60 feet away.
Connolly's barn wa, topped over He made
his way through the broken roof and, lifted
on the very crest Of tie mighty wave. he
-prang 10 the ground just beyond the swift
moving body ot water. The Connolly house
WAS rent asunder. Not timber escaped
Crushed, torn out Of shape, forced apart, the
condition OF what had been home when
those who trst reached theresaw 1t will never
be- forgotten.
The great wave, spreading out somewhat.
rolled down the hill, struck Promenade
street. which vanished before it and Was gone.
only deeply water-worn channel remain
ing.
Then forcing its way down the bank it
rolled at last into the ocean, almost taking
tn" great iron bridge Of the Grand Trunk
with II. The structure bent before it but did
net give way.
Ii is estimated that from the time Wallace
gave the alarm not over ten minutes elapsed
before ther- was a scene Of ruin behind and
the water had mingled with the ocean.
Lappin with all who could be gathered.
hurried to the wre'kage Of the Connolly
house and began a sear'h for the missing.
The water company and the street depart
ment sent gangs OF workers, and hundreds IT
others rendered assistance.
The news Of the disaster spread rapidly,
aud ~pon the hill was black with people.
All through the day the crowd never
seemed to grow smaller The places Of those
who went away were taken by Others and the
excitement spread through the city. Coroner
Francis l.. Littl-tield was called, and impan-
elled the following jury: Arthur NJ. Sawyer
foreman, Chas Paine, Hugh F. McDonOugh
Edward VI. Tr5Lsker, Geo. 0. Goss and Mar
tin HAYNES.
1t is impossible to fix, with any degree
Of eNartne-, the total loss Hon. George P.
Wrstcott Of the water company is inclined
to estimate II at Sj0.0C0. Portland will be
for some time exposed to a possible fire
with an inadequate water supply.