Humphreys Dam Breaks
On Friday May 28th, 1909 at about 2PM the dam on the East prong of the Wicomico River in Salisbury, Maryland broke.  The following article, published in the Salisbury Advertiser on Saturday, May 29, 1909 discribes the catastrophe.
            Text of Article
Humphreys Dam Breaks - Emptying Lake Humphreys, Many Persons View The Unusual Spectacle.
The bridge crossing Humprhey's Dam broke about 2PM, Friday and swept away with it a considrable portion of the surrounding dam.  Lake Humphreys was completely emptied.  The lake was quite full and a regular torrent of water and mud swept into the river carrying some of the samller boats with it.  The Idle Wilde, owned by Capt. Wildy was thrown into another boat on the other side of the river, slightly damaging it and then swept down the river.  A negro was in charge and the only person on board.  The bridges along the river stood the shock of the rushing water without heavy damage.  A large number of people gathered to see the rushing water and the police wer occupied keeping the crowd back into what they considered the safety zone.
It was feared for a while that the heavy stone foundation surrounding the broken bridge would be undermined causing a cave in that would catch some of the people who persisted in going as near the break as possible.  A force of men were put to work at once on the Gas Mains which were broken.

February 1998, web page author George E. Richardson, III