St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-07
A RESERVOIR BURSTS.
TWENTY MILLION GALLONS OF WATER
LET LOOSE.
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.

Four Persons Crushed in Their
House by the Swift-FIowing
FlOOd-A Family Which Hesi-
tated Paid the Penalty With
Life-The Hero Of the Day Is
Drowned.
PORTLAND, Me-, Aug. 6.-The great
reservoir of the Portland Water COM
pany, on the eastern promenade, burst
this morning, letting loose its 2O.OOO,0OO
gallons OF water in the space of about
fifteen minutes. The immense mass of
water thus suddenly loosed dashed with
mighty power upon the two houses oc
cupied by the families of Michael Lap
pin and Dennis NJ. Conley. The build
ings were crushed as if they
had been made of cardboard, and
four persons lost their lives, Mrs. Den
mis- NJ. COnley, Miss Agnes Conley, Miss
Mamie COnley and James Mosely.
Under the walls of the reservoir were
two small houses, each with a small
stable attached. The one next to the
reservoir stood bat a foot from the
reservoir fence, and the high walls
of clay and dirt lOomed fifty feet
or more above the grassy bank, seeming
like the side of a small mountain.
Michael Lappin lives in this house with
his family, consisting of his wife, FIVE
children and an adopted child. Four of
his children are very young, while the
fifth is full grown. In the next house
lived Dennis NJ. Conley, his wife and
two daughters. Agnes and Mamie, and
his son John and his wife. The elder
COnley was
Away From Home by Night.
being night watchman at the Office of
the American Express company. The
other members of his household were
at home. Fred Hutchins lives at %
Villa street, near the reservoir. Mr..
Hutchins' household consisted yester-
day morning of himself, his wife, who is
sick, his sister, Miss Edna Hutchins,
and his wife's mother, Mrs. A.
NJ. Jones, of Lewiston. Mrs. Hutehins
was quite sick Saturday night. and Miss
Edna and Mrs. Jones were up about
5:30 this morning to make some coffee
and attend to the invalid. Very
soon after arising they went out
for short walk, the morning
being beautiful. They went down
Walnut street, and, as they passed
by the reservoir, Mrs. Hutchins heard
Kissing noise, and saw a stream of
water hubbllng quite forcibly from the
ground at the foot of the reservoir wall.
What is that; a spring?' said she to
Mrs. Jones. "a spring? that reservoir
Is bursting" cried the older woman, as
she saw it. and Immediately she ran
With All Her speed
to the Lappin house, aroused the in
mates and then aroused the COnleys.
This done, Mrs. Jones began arousing
neighbors Oh the other side of Walnut
street and in less exposed localities.
1t was probably about a quarter
to 6 when Mrs. Jones warned
the Lappins. The stream at that
time was, only about as large as a mans
arm. but almost the next instant 1t was
the size of mans body. The men,
bers of the Lappin family evacuated
their home with fortunate celerity. In
less than five minutes Mr.. Lappin, his
wife, the four babies, the older Lappin
boy and James Mosely had rushed out
of the house with such clothes OIL
as they could get in their haste. They
took refuge on the other side of Walnut
street, where few neighborS were al
ready arriving. The Couley family was
not so fortunate. They were warned IN
time, and it seems that Mrs. Conley was
up and dressed when
The Warming Came.
The other members of the family got
up at once, and. supposing that they
would surely get out, James COniey
started for the barn TO rescue his horse.
The younger Mrs. COnley did get out in
her night dress, hastily folding a wrap
per about her as she went
She Weut across the road
and fell fainting there. The
elder Mrs. Conley, with her two daugh-
ters, Agnes and Mamie, appeared next
at the door. They were holding each
other by their arms and seemed TO be
about to come across the street, while
there was yet time, but for some reason
they did not go. The water was already
dashing against the dOorsill. and
perhaps this terrified them, or
perhaps they thought the house
would be the safest places
The reason will never be known. for
the group of horror-stricken neighbors
saw them draw back and close the
door. Young James Mosely, Mr.. Lap
pins adopted son, comprehended that
the COnleys were lost unless they could
be gotten out of the house at once. He
dashed asross the street, through the
increasing water, and went into the
doomed house. He was never seen