Daily Kennebec journal., 1893-08-08

PperIAsp. Ne. Aug. Z-Foe the second
risne in the history Il ths city ons Il the
yreas reservoirs II The Eastern promenade
burst yesterday. hut this time resulting in
the death n ssur per>ons and the loss Of AZ
least s5a,aO 10 the Portland Water com
pany
When the reservoir was built the conn
pany ailowe,l two houses and stables 70
remain in line with the water pipe. at the
point where she brrak woaid come II Al
Ill One af these houses was occupied BY
Michael j. Lsppin; the other was owned
by Dennis coniey. who purchased Il froD
the water company.
At $50 O'Clock yesterday . number Of
men living in the vicinity of the reservoir
| were sstir, intending to go down the bay
| on fishing trip One man. Edward Wal
lace. Was passing the reservoir going down
Walnut street, when he heard the sound
of Running water, and noticed that little
| stream was
Coming Out Of the side
| Of the great reservoir. When he first saw
| it he could have covered the break with
| his hand, but even while he halted for the
| moment it grew larger, and be saw that
what he had 10 do must 10 done quickly
The special work before him WAS to save
those in lire with the break. At that point
| there is deep descent through what Was
! this morning a portion Of the well laid out
| grassy slopes, the public grounds on the
eastern promenade TO the ocean at the
| junction of the Grand Trunk and the Port
| land and Rochester roads, Those directly
| in line were the Conley aud I.sppin houses
Wallace first reached the Lappin house
| The family was still in bed when aroused
| by Wallace, who shouted. Run for your
| lives; the reservoir has burst" The call
| was instantly obeyed. and in a moment
the entire family had
| Reached u Point of Safety.
| Dennis Coniey WAS still at his work. but
| his wife their married son and his wife
| and young married daughters were In the
house
| George Morgan by this time had joined
Wallace, and the two pounded at the door
Of the Conley house. john Corley looket
out and said: as there fire. He was
| told that the reservoir bad burst and in AL
| instant was down stairs. Rushing to tue
| barn, be released his horse, and then
| turned e. 90 tn the house, but his path
was blocked by an impossible barrier. The
| water was even then rushing like sluice-
way between the house and barn.
| By this time Mrs Dennis Conley, her
| two daughters and Mrs. John Conley had
| reached the door Mrs. John Couley,
without an instant's hesitation, plunged
Into aud through the water to the high
| ground Mrs. Dennis Conley and her
daughter hesitated and then turned back.
1t is believed they returned to dress.
Every second was precious TO them, and
tuat slight hesitation
Cost Them Their Lives.
| by this time the great reservoir contain
ing 0,0oo go gallons of water was tremb
| ling as if shaken by an earthquake. The
break was constantly growing larger, and
for many feet each side the big granite
lined structure showed unmistakable
signs Of disinterration-
| A wonderful act OF heroism was now
performed by James Moseley, member of
| He left his place of absolute security and,
through to the rear door of the Conley
house. Finding it fastened he made his
way to the front door and rushed in.
1
Mrs. Conley was seen to open the door
and then to shut it. 1t would have been
too late for escape, for even as she closed
| the door the r servoir gave way, vast
body OF water shot up in the air and then
fell almost perpendiculariy down upon the
main portion OF the Lsppin house, tear
ng it of and hurting it against
he Conley stable, then swinging off,
striking against the Conley house and
breaking it in two, the lower part
Literally Finding AnnihiIa,ion
IN the wild rush of waters. The upper
section was hurled nearly 50 feet to Que
side and dropped on the outer edge of the
tremendous current.
That incident saved the life Of John
lConley Forced by the rising water to III
hay loft he was held a prisoner until the
stable was struck and shattered by the sec
tion OF the Lappin house.
II saw his head" said George Morgan,
come up through he root. and ! never *
3ected to see him again, but he shot ont,
and when the wave passed | saw he was
safe."
Somebody pulled the fire alarm box
FALLING out a portion of the department
fhe police were notified, and within few
1 bIt st''ct
svery man who could be found to the
scene Of the disaster The Portland
Water company added its working ana re
palr crews, and WITHIN 30 minutes more
-hah ~" iheh were actiVeiy AT WORK
Searching For the Bodies.
The ground was so completely covered
with deIrs that but little progress wa
made until the larger portion of the track
| If the water 30 Promenade street had beer
Uncovered, All this time volunteer search
inu parties with picks and shoyeIs haC
been going from the site where the house,
aad stood to the ocean looking for filled il.
places.
After hour, Of persistent work on tn,
oart of hundreds the bod ,es were found
! "A soon AS they were recovered corone,
fittletieId was notified. The victims must
ave felt the certainty of their lmpendiur
l ate, for they lay, mother and daughters,