Norwich bulletin., 1912-05-29
Break in Canal
 Wall at AnsOni'
CITY FLOODED AND seoooof
 DAMAGE DONE
DEPTH OF FIVE FEET
Water Reached to Dangerous Height In Streets and Floods Stores and CeIlars-Brass Go. Loses Heavily.

OSllaTS 6IdSe w G~eSa i'S~FhJs Ansonia, Conn, May 2s.-DsnraRe es- timated at close to S200 900 was caused late this afternoon when the business section of this town was flooded with a vast body of water that had under mined the large retaining wall of the canal of the Ansonia Land and Water company. Fortunately. no lives were lost, although many persons had nar- row escapes. Water stood In the streets five feet deep, cellars were flooded and conditions were growing constantly more alarming until work men were able to close the gates lead ing into the canal, mile from the scene of the break. Almost needless Co say, the townspeople were panic stricken, and there were anxious mo- ments until the water had receded af- ter the gates had been closed.
 Walls 40 Feet Above Ground.
 The canal enters the town at the northern end and runs parallel to Main street and through the principal busi- ness section. The walls stand 70 or more feet above the level of the ground. At the point where the under mining occurred the body of water was SO or more feet in width. The canal is used to force water for manufacturing purposes. Close to the high wall is located the large factory of the An sonia Brass and Copper company. which suffered much damage.
 Break Discovered at 3.3o.
 It was at s.sO o'clock. and work was humming at the factory of the brass company. Suddenly came the cry from Thomas McMahon, who had happened to look out of a window to see a stream trickling under the wall: My Godl The dam has burst!" Instantly all was excitement. The employees realized in moment the Import of the messaga In another moment the water cams tumbling under the wall in a great volume.
 No Time for Goats and Hats.
 There was no time to stop and get coats, hats or personal belongnEs. Bs- fore they could fee, the water was ankle deep on the first floor. And the wall of water had increased fnom two feet in height to five and was surEinE through the streets with an om1nous roar.
 Trucks Float Through Store Wirdows.
 In the mill yard waro. a number of empty trucks, and these were lifted | bodily upon the crest uf the wave and swept across the Btreet into the win dows of stores. A large iron gate was swept from the fence and it was car ried smashingly into the barroom Of | the Ansonia hotel Near the hotel is a Subway" barber shop, which hIled SO rapidly with water that two customers, | Gustave Lautz and Thomas OBrien. who were in the chairs, had barely l time to reach the street in safety.
 Alderman Saves Children.
 John Mead, president of the board | of aldermen, by his presence of mind. | probably saved a score of children in | the Italian section from being drown | ed. He was driving along Ferry street | when he heard the rush of water and saw the flood coming down the street The street was thick with playing children. Whipping up his horse he drove through the crowd and yelled to the youngsters to go on to the porcheS. A few moments later five feet of water was surging through the street.
 Explosions at Brass Factory.
 In the meantime employees of ths brass factory had reached points of safety, and there was a sound of two | explosions. Two large metal refinery | furnaces in the cellar had exploded If workmen had been in the vicinity it would have meant certain death.
 Large stores on Main street had their first floors odswept and there was panic among the salesgirls and cus- toners. Four feet of water flooded the large department store of R. o. Walsh & company, and when the wa4er later receded there WAS a coating of mud several inches thick over all in it's path.
 Store Clerks Carried Out.
 The water swept into the store of NJ. A. Crossman with such, suddenness that four young lady clerks had no chance to gain safety, and John Hib- bert carried them out Of the store to places where there was no danger.
 For distance of a quarter of mile all cellars were flooded. If workmen had not acted promptly in closing the gates tho damage would have been in- estimahly greater. with the possibility of the loss of life. As it was. there was a stretch of mile or more from the gates te the break. and, to the terrePized residents, 1t seemed as if The water would never stop coming, In a l had run itself dry and then the mud covered everything.
 Machinery cIossed With Mud.
 on Main street the trolley trasks weFe two feet under gravel and mud and it was same time before tFaffic could be resumed, But it was in the factory ef the brass company that the mast damage was dene, 1she eREihes | are covered with Haud and il will baz- sibly he a IaeRth befare they can be used again, The machinery reIls are cracked and mud cLegged and more than 3ee,a90 pounds of finished metal that was in readiness to ship is mere or less ruined. Officials of the ean- Paay would make no estimate of stbe lass tonight, but admitted tbat'i it would be heavy;
 Wall f5 Feet Thick.
 Estimates as to the lass vaHy fr,aH between $190,09e to S2e0, ,oe0, but k is believed that the latter figure is the nearer eerreet.
 Officials of the ApseRia Land and Water cenpaRy were at less tonight to explain the break. At the point where the break occurred the wall is 3e feet above the graund and about E feet thick The val Is 8 feet under grnand, making Its total height B; feet
 May 5s 6us to Sandy Bottom,
 The wall is apparently uat injured except at the hAse, where the watel broke through h Is believed th(t the eounda ton qf the gal was yEe1 sandSs bottoEp, W4liG6 might have caused the 'dndefIninfng.
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