Omaha daily bee., 1914-01-16
GREAT EXCITEMENT PREVAILS
Efforts Are Being Made to Prevent
Any Loss of Life.
FIRST BREAK ON WEDNESDAY
Railroad Bridge at Schell, w. Va,
Holding Debris in Check.
employees FLEE TO THE HILLS
Breast of Dam IL a Thousand Feet
Long aud Had Three BilIiOn
Gallons OF water Be-
hind IL.

CUMBERLAND. Nd, Jan. 15.-Informas
ton was received at the offices of the
Western Maryland railroad at noon today
that the whole of the stony river dam
Of tho West Virginia Pulp and Paper
company near Dobbin, w. Va, had given
way. The employees OF the companys
mill at Lake. w. Va, in the path Of tho
flood. fled TO the hills. So far as known
there has been no loss of life.
At Harrison, w. Va, forty-seven miles
west OF here, the water rose to a height
OF thirty-five feet. 1t tore down the
Western Maryland railroad bridge, washed
out railway tracks and highway bridges
and caused general havoc. No report of
any loss OF life has been received here.
water sweeps Down.
PIEDMONT, w. Va. Jan. IA wall
of water fifteen feet high is sweeping
down the north branch OF tho Potomac
river. following the bursting OF the dam
of the West Virginia Pulp and Paper
company at Dobbln, w. Va, shortly be-
fore noon. According TO reports received
here Inhabitants OF the valley are fleeing
to the hills and the greatest anxiety is
felt for the safety of the entire district.
No loss OF life has been reported.
An operator employed by the Western
Maryland railroad at Schell, w. Va, fif-
teen miles below the dam site, sent a
message to the company's office at Cum
berland, Nd, stating that the water was
at least twenty feet high and was carry
ing everything before It.. I'm going.
Goodby."
The dam was l,075 feet wide at the
breast, backing water up for three and a
half miles and holding 5000, 1900 gallons
Of water. The dam is ninety feet high
on the outside. slxty-five feet on the in
side and built on a concrete foundation
sixty feet deep.
The dam was first noticed to be
cracked by a watchman last night. and
this morning a large portion of the struc-
ture gave way. At go this forenoon 4
second ana larger break occurred, not
wthstanding efforts by employees to re-
lease the immense volume of water
through slulceways. The second break
made big gaps on both sides of the dam.
The Western Maryland railroad bridge
at Schell, w. Va, 1t is believed, will be
responsible for the debris clogging there
and holding the water in check for "a
time until the force of the flood carries
Iit away.
Piedmont. Western Port and Luke Nd.
known as the "tri-Towns," are threatened
with destruction.
The high water is expected TO reach
here late this afternoon and every prep
aration has been made to guard against
loss of life. Much excitement prevails
here.
Doubt Truth of RumOr.
NEW YORK. Jan. 15.-officials OF the
West Virginia Pulp and Paper company
here gave little credence to the report
that their dam near Dobbin, w. Va, was
in danger. The company received word
today from their plant at Piedmont, w.
Va, fifty miles north of the dam, that
rumors were current there that the dam
had broken yesterday. but were not
borne out. on the contrary, II was said
the water in the river at that point was
very low
The country below the dam, 1t was
said here. is practically uninhabited for
fifty miles, except for small settlement
at a railroad station twenty-five miles
distant.