Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1900-04-11
A RAGING FLOOD IN TEXAS
LARGE NUMBER OF LIVES LOST.
The Raging River IL Far Beyond Its
BaMks-Ths Mig Dam in the Color
ado River Has Gone Out-A Train
Wrecked.

Austin, Texas, April s.-This city Sat.
urday night was in pitch darkness, with
a raging river one mile wide and swollen
far beyond its banks, roaring and surging
through the lower part of town, having
spread destruction and death in its wake.
In addition to the vast loss to property
interests, it is calculated that between 80
and 40 lives have been sacrificed, and the
reports coming in from the tributary coun-
try do not tend to improve matters. The
flood is not unlike the disastrous Johns
town floor some years ago, in that a rag
ing river, already swollen far beyond its
capacity, bore too heavily upon an i'm
mense dam spanning the river, breaking
1t and letting loose reservoir Of water
80 miles long, half mile wide and 80 feet
deep, to aid in carrying destruction down
the valleys OF the Colorado river.
The great dam in the Colorado river
gave way at noon from the enormous pres
sure of water and debris, and with roar
and crash swept the valley below the city,
wrecking the immense light and power
plant and drowning eight workmen. Fol
lowing is a list of known dead, including
those killed in the power house: Frank
Kincet, Frank Kinney, Walter Flower,
Walter johnson, Alfred johnson, Frank
Fitzgerald, Walter Blossman, Joseph New
man, Dick Morris (colored), John Process,
Charles Burchard, six negroes.
Great Wall Gave Way.
The crisis came shortly after IL o'clock,
then suddenly, with report like the roar
of the ocean. the great wedge, 25 feet
high, 500 feet wide and about eight feet
thick, rolled out Of the center section OF
the dam, down the face of the 6O-foot
fall, deep into the river below. This left
hanging gap in the very middle of the
dam, through which the debris and water
fercely poured, while the flood already
raging was threatening everything in its
path.
Whites and Blacks Missing.
A crowd Of white people. numbering
about ~, living just below the dam in
tChtos htiC btCh ~ bhCh hAbitatiohp luoh
before the dam broke, and have not been
accounted for since. 1t is generally be-
lieved that all Of them were swept away.
One man, in attempting TO cross the
roadway leading to the bridge across the
river just as the big wave rolled down,
was caught, and as he and his horse and
buggy went down with the torrent and
were heard of no more.
A family Of six negroes living in the
valley south Of the city are known to
have been drowned.
Heavy Property Loss.
II is estimated that more than 100
houses have been destroyed, and the loss
to property will be great, the light and
power plant costing 81 $4,000. The break
ing OF the dam engulfed the old water
company's plant below the city, and it is
tonight lying Is feet under water, while
the city is in darkness and without water.
Wreck ON a Railroad.
In addition to the losses here, the In
ternational 4 Great Northern and the
Austin & Northwestern railroads, both
entering this city, have suffered severely,
the first named having a serious wreck
by reason Of the floods. The southbound
Cannon Ball train from st. Louis on the
International & Great Northern was
wrecked at Mcneil, nine miles above here,
as a result Of a washout. The engine
and cars plunged into culvert, demolish-
ing the engine, the mail car, baggage car,
two day coaches and one sleeper. The
cars left the track and rolled over on their
sides in four feet Of water, but fortunately
no lives were lost, nor were any Of the
passengers badly hurt.
Big Power House Went Out.
Austin, Texas, April 9.-The increased
volume Of water which came down the
river undermined the power house at the
dam and it fell into the river, carrying
with it 100000 worth Of machinery.
All Streams Are Overlooking.
Waco, Texas, April 9.-Reports Of loss
Of life and damage caused by floods due
to the incessant rains during the past
three days continue to pour in from all
directions, indicating a repetition Of the
disasters of last year. All streams, in
cluding the Brazos and Colorado, are over.
flowing the lowlands and rising rapidly.
The crops of cotton and corn are nearly
submerged, and will have to be replanted.
Bryan at sam FrauciscO.