Birmingham state herald., 1897-07-15
DEATH, DISASTER AND RUIN
In the Path Cut by Mighty
 Rushing Waters WITHOUT A WARNING NOTE Two Large Reservoirs Give Way, Loosng Great Volumes of Water-Repetition of
 ]ohnstown in Small Way

Poug'hkeepsie, N. Y, July 14-The two large reservoirs in the Fishkill moun- tains, which supplied water to the towns of Mateawan and Fishkill, burst their walls at o'clock this morning and the wai,er that was released swept through the Duchess valley causing ruin and death. Five bodies have been taken from the wreckage left in the wake of the food and there arg known to be two and probably three more lying bene9yh rhe piled up debris, which is all that remains of the three houses that were swept away by the mighty torrents. The names of those whose bodies have been recovered as officially given out by Coroner H. B. Devier of Matteawan tonight, as far as known, are:
 MRS. JAMES COWBOY, aged 33, wife of the engineer in Timmyns' brick yard. Her body was badly bruised by contact with trees and wreckage, and was coy- cred with mud.
 MRS MARY FERRY, aged SS years, widow. Her body was in the worst con dition of all the victims, being covered with mud and bruises.
 WILIIrAM FERRY, aged g, son of Mrs. Ferry. The body was in good condition, except for bruises about the head
 JOHN ZIUCKA, Hungarian, 2S years of age.
 FIIILAAfEUA DDLUKA, an Italian, 26 years of age. The body was not mItil- aIted.
 The missing are:
 JOHN CONROY, aged years, son of Engineer Conroy.
 JULIA CONROY, aged years, daugh- ter of Engireer Conroy.
 An unknown Hungarian, whose brother declares he was drowned
 Yam Burne & Timmyns' brick yards, on the Hudson. just below Duchess Junc- tion, are a mile distant from the site of the lower reservoir. Without warning, the flood reached them through the ravine ard made terrible havoc. Buildings wsre torn in pieces and their occupants carried away in rhe raging flood. The reservoir is of oval shape, about 800 feet long, 300 feet wide, and about 30 to B feet in depth. It is used as am auxiliary supply to the regular water works system of IMatteawan and Fishkill landing, the main source of which is distant about four miles. The lafges. reservoir is a consid- eraIble lake near North MaEtea wan. It has massive maSorlry supports and Is in- tact. "A second reservoir situated a short distance down the mountain is also in- tact. Thes5 two have direct connec- tinn wf.h Duchess Junction, though all Three feed into the same pipe.
 Superintendent Van Etten, of the New York Central, said that the accidsnt to the CentraPs track at Fishkill Landing, caused by the bursting of the Beacon Mountain reservoirs, involved the washing out of 1.200 feet of the track
 The body of Mrs. f erry was recovered this afternoon, dug from mud and debris ten feet deep. Thirty men worked all day in the rain.
 Mrs. Conroy. who was lost, before her marriage lived at Johnstown, Pa., where the great flood occurred some years ago. She was rescued from that flood by James Conroy, who afterwards married her.
 There are three of the Timmys brick yards, two of them being damaged. One owned by Van Burne is a total loss, the water sweeping full force over it. Brick making plants, wagons, carts, etc. were swept across the rairoad track into the river. At the northern yard was sixty arches of green brick, 50,000 in each arch. The water softened tSese and let the whole down in mass of clay. twelve arch kiln was burning. The flood put out the fire, especially ruining the brick. The Montreal express arrived at the scene about three minutes after the ex- citement, and was flagged through the efforts of Mr. M F. Healy, an employe of Timmyns.
 The Timmyns company had capacity of "A 000, ,000 brick a year and employed 200 men. Hammond S Freedman who operated a smaller yard adjoining his suffered damage to the extent of S25, 900. The disaster does not affect the water supply of Fizhkill or Duchess Junction, which will get an ample supply from the ot thar reServoirS