Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-04-13

Austin. Tex, Especial. AS the result OF
n food that has never been paralleled In THIS
country except by the Johnstown disaster,
Austin, the capital city OF Texas, lost 81 400
600 worth of mE,Seipal property. Inc lower
portion OF the kNwas inundated, fully lVo
houses along the river have been swept away
and 10 lives are Known te have been LOST,
and messages from up and down the river
report the drowning of 80 persons in all.
The flood Is one without parallel In the
history Of the State exceeding In point OF
danger and In sectional losses the great
Brazoz Bottom food of last spring.
1t began raining on the watersheds OF the
Colorado River as far north as the Conchs
River, some 1875 miles north of here. on wed
nesday night, and never ceased until Satur-
day morning. From midnight until day
light so terrific was the downpour that
creeks were transformed into surginS tor
rents. and rivers were swollen to width OF
a miip. 1t is estimated that within an hour
four incbes Of rain fell In this Immediate
vicinity BY daylight 1t became evident that
the situation was serious. The river began
rising three feet an hour, and by 10 O'Clock
it bad increased to four feet.
The situation at the citys power station,
above the city, became serious from very
first.
The immense dam spinning the river ,2oV
feet long and so feet high, with the power
house and three-quarters OF million OF
dollars worth of machinery located along
side was threatened from the very first. The
water rose so rapidly that the power-house
would be inundated within a short time.
The surging torrent bore on its crest tons
and tons OF trees houses and debris by the
wagon load. All this immense mass was
piled upon the dam, very rapidly forming
solid mass 20 feet high and 1000 feet thick,
over which the water surged and fretted De-
fore taking its 60-foot plunge.
SO terrific was the strain that 1t was EVIL
dent that the dam must give way.
At Ills exactly the crash came, ana
slice of granite feet thick, 20 feet in depth
and 500 feet long rolled out of the middle OF
the dam and into tho river below as though
1t had been priced out with crowbar. This
released the immense quantity OF debr's,
trees and houses and the vast volume OF
water. and within thrice 1t was believing
Oh its way down the river, carrying DEAN
and destruction In it's wake.
Just below the dam were located eight
families of poor people, numbering some
five and six apiece, who capped and fshed
for their living. All of these disappeared
with the breaking OF the dam and have not
been heard Of since.
Eight men standing On the edge OF the
river when the dam broke were caught anc
swept into the torrent but were rescued a
quarter OF a mile down the river more dead
than alive. In addition to this list there
were eight of the employees caught in the
power-house and drowned like so many rats
in hole.
Reports from be ow, along the river valley
is that the waters have engulfed everything,
and houses, live stock and human lives have
been forfeited. No accurate reports can be
had, rs the excitement is so intense that nc
names can be secured. 1t Is feared, how.
ever, that hundreds Of lives have been lost