River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-04-12
THE TEXAS FLOODS.
Heavy Rains Cause Many Deaths and
Much Damage 10 Property
Austin Dam Swept Away.

Austin, Tex, April 9.-The great
Austin dam gave way at noon Sat
urday before abe floods of the Colo
RADIO river, spreading disaster in the
lowlands of the city and points below
here on the river. Forty or more per-
sons are known to have persisted.
while a score or more are unaccounted
for. The dam and power house just
below, both of which were wrecked,
were constructed seven years ago at
a cost of 81, 400, 900. Great damage has
been done to crops and property
throughout the flooded section, which
extends practically from Waco to San
Antonio.
The heavy rains OF the last few days
had caused a violent rise of the river,
the flood bringing with it a vast guam
tity of wreckage. This mass bore too
heavily on the dam, breaking it, and
letting loose a reservoir of water 80
miles long, half a mile wide and so
feet deep. Eight workmen in the light
and power plant, just below the dam,
were the first to be drowned.
Reports from the neighboring coua-
try are to the effect that everything is
under water. In Williamson county,
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 prevail,
everything being under water, and
much loss of property is reported.
The country tributary to the Colorado
river all the way down its course is
being inundated, and. while it is be-
lieved the worst is over, the loss as
estimated will exceed 49, 100000, count
ing Austin as the largest loser.
Waco, Tex, April o~.-Reports of loss
of life and damage caused by floods
due to the incessant rains during the
last three days continue to come
from all directions, and indications
point to a repetition of the disasters
of last year. Both telegraphic and
telephone service all over the state is
Frustrated, and details from the food
ed districts are meager All streams,
notably the Brazos and Colorado rit-
ers, are overlooking the lowlands and
rising rapidly. Cotton and corn crops
in some sections are submerged and
will have to be replanted. Railway
traffic is practically suspended on all
railroads running into this city, owing
to washouts along the lines.
Houston, Tex, April 9.-As a rule
the Texas rivers are now falling and
there is not much danger of a general
flood. The crops have been damaged
over a 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 rail-
roads have lost many small bridges,
and it will be a week before traffic re-
sumes its normal condition.
Dallas, Tex, April 10.-Reports re-
ceived at Dallas Monday from the
southern and southwestern Texas
flood sections show conclusively that
more than so lives have been lost, in
Guiding those at Austin. The names
of at least one-half of the victims are
not obtainable because of the isolation
of the localities from railroad and
wire lines.