The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-04-13
FLOODS IN TEXAS.
Crowds View the Ruins of the
Power House Near Austin.
BRIDGES DESTROYED, CATTLE LOST.
Many People Reported Drowned and tho
Crops Damaged over Wide Aroma
Passenger Train Wrecked on the
International A. Great Southern.

Austin, Tex, april Gully 10000
people gathered at the dam and
power house stationed north of this
city to witness he ruins of the plant
which cost this city $1,750,000 few
years ago. The waters of the Colo
RADIO river were still plunging and
foaming around the wreck, eating
away the big pile of granite which
once formed the dam, as though it
was nothing more than chalk rock.
SO fierce was the current that great
powders were carried half a mile
from the dam, being rolled over and
over by the turbulent tide. The power
house, which succunbed to the ter
rifle wash of the water at two o'clock
yesterday morning, lies mass of
wreckage on the edge of the river, all
the valuable machinery either hav-
ing been thrown into the river or
badly damaged by the falling timbers
of the power house. The wreck of the
plant is complete. The situation in
the city last night was most serious.
The wreckage of the plant means
that 1t will take several weeks to Sc
cure even temporary water and
light system, If il can be made posi-
bic even then. In the meantime the
city will be in bad sanitary condition.
All the hotels, private residences,
stores and the like are without water
Churches were unable to hold services
last night for want of light and all
public meetings were abandoned.
Reports from the neighboring eoun-
try are to the effect that everything
is under water. In Williamson coun-
ty, north of here, railroad bridges
and trackage have been laid waste and
all trains have stopped running. Hun
dreds of head of cattle have been
drowned and miles of fencing torn
down and washed away. In Bastrop
county and in the southern portion
of this county similar conditions pre-
vail, everything being water, and
much loss of property is reported.
The country tributary to the Colo
RADIO river all the way down its course
is being inundated, and while it is
believed the worst is over, the loss
is estimated to exceed some $3,000,-
900, counting Austin as the largest
according to reports up to last night,
is limited to those reported in the AS
ISOLATED press dispatches Saturday
night-about 32-as il seems the only
drownings reported were here, when
the dam broke and caught the victims
unawares.
Reports from several sections of
central and southern Texas are to tho
effect that a large acreage is under
water and much damage has been
suffered in property and live stock.
Tho Rivers Reported Falling.
Houston, Tex, April GAS a rule
the Texas rivers are now falling and
there is not much danger of general
food. The crops have been damaged
over wide area but there is still
time for farmers to replant if they
can get the seed. Corn has been
planted over once and will have to
be planted the third time. The farm
ers, as a rule, have not planted much
cotton because the heavy rains have
kept them out of the fields. The
railroads have lost many small
bridges and it win be week before
traffic resumes its normal condition.
Smithville reports tremendous rains
have fallen throughout that section,
the main food in the Colorado from
the break i'm the great Austin dam
reached here yesterday evening. The
river was on 3s foot rise at seven
p. M, and rising one foot an hour,
ii is estimated that over 5000 acres of
growing crops in the bottom lands
within five miles of town have been
inundated by from ten to Is feet
The loss will reach over $50, 700. Much
stock has been drowned. No deaths
have been reported in that section so
far from drowning.
Cameron reports the food in Lit
tie river now equals that of last
July. The waterworks and power
house have been overfowed. People
were warned and no loss of life is
reported.
Brushy, San Gabriel and Little riv-
ers are still overAowed, causing the
entire destruction of crops. The riv-
ers are still rising.
Reports from points on other rivers
are OF damages TO crops but no loss
of life.
Passenger Train Wrecked.
Laredo, Tex, April 9.-The north
bound passenger train, which left here
over the international & Great North
ern railway yesterday morning, was
wrecked by the spreading of the rails
near Twohig about noon. The entire
train except the engine went into
the ditch. Mail Agent Sebright was
seriously injured and several Others
seriously hurt. Further details have
not been received here. The Rio
Grande has come to a stand
at 20 feet without damage to the
bridges here, but the waterworks ma
chinery is submerged and crops along
the river have been DESTROYED.