Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-04-09
DAM BURST
More Than Score of Lives Lost at
Austin, Tex.
BIG WAVE SWEEPS VALLEY,
warnings Sent by Telegraph Whcr-
ever Possible, but Loss of Life
Is Grent-DnnaSe Amounts
to Millions of Dollars.

Austin, April 9.-The great dam here
across the Colorado river, which was con-
St'nctrd seven years ago ut Il cost of 81,
ooo,OCO was swept away by an unprece-
denied flood in that river The break
caused an instant rise of fully 80 feet in
the river below the dam. This torrent of
water swept down upon the broad valley
below, leaving death and destruction in
ITS wake. The power house. municipal wa
ter plant, electric light and power plant,
nluatrd Immediately below the dam, were
Wooded instantly, and eight persons, men
and boys, were caught in the power room,
and all except one were drowned as if in
trap.
At the time the masonry work of the
dam gave way there was crowd of
probably 800 persons near the east end
of the structure watching the food, ten
feet high, pour off over the crest. Sud
denly and without warning break oc-
CURED near the center of the dam, and a
stretch of the masonry work about 800
feet long swung around. The great bank
of water in Lake Mcdonald formed by
the dam Instantly leaped into this wide
opening. and with roar that was heard
for several miles the flood tore down into
the valley below.
A few hundred yards below the dam n
point of land extended about 200 feet into
the river. There were on this point at
the time the break occurred several per-
sous, including woman and two chill
dren. some photographers and party Of
university students. Before these could
gain Il position of safety the water struck
the projection, covering it instantly. The
women and two children, five men, names
unknown. and one university student and
another unidentified man are known to
have been swept away by the torrent
and drowned. Some of the others were
caught in the stream. hut managed to es-
cape the main current and gain the shore
after Il desperate struggle. The bodies of
seven of those drowned in the power
house were recovered in the afternoon.
Austin Gets the Alarm.
The spectators Of the wreck of the dam
were panic stricken and powerlcss to rem
der any aid to the unfortunate victims.
Almost the instant the dam gave way
Henry Robcll. n laboring man, who was
on the spot watching the food of water,
mounted his horse and rode mt the fast
est speed toward the city. giving the
alarm that the dam had given way. ! The
people along the route took up the cry.
and the news Of the catastrophe was
known in the city probably three minutes
before the flood reached the lower part of
the town.
Such scenes of excitement were never
10 :. 10, Sovop,l b,,r
dred persons were at the foot of the wag-
on road bridge across the Colorado river
at the foot of Congress avenue when tho
cry reached them that the dam had
broken. y minute later and before many
Of the panic stricken spectators could
take to flight a solid wall of water 90
feet high swept down the valley and
struck the bridge with terrlple force'
The bridge did not give way under the
powerful blow on the south side OF the
river. The flood spread itself over the
valley for Il distance one mile III width.
scores OF residences ana barns ana nun
dretis of head of 1--we stock were caught
in the torrent and washed away. Many
men. women and children abandoned
their homes when they heard the roar of
the water coming down upon them and
saved their lives by flight. There are
many reports of deaths from drowning
all along the lowlands, but so far few of
them have been confirmed.
The valley of the Colorado river south
Of Austin for distance OF 800 miles is
thcliIy settled by prosperous farmers and
thousands of negro families. There are
also many towns and villages along the
river. Inc lefflple loou strucK many VI
these settlements without warning, and
it is feared that the casualty list will be
large when complete reports are received.
Warning Sent by Telegraph.
Within n few minutes after the dam
gave way tclecraphic warning was sent
TO all towns within reach of the Western
Tn;on lines that the flood was coming.
but there was no way of reaching the
country poople, and it is among them
tbat the DEATHS from drowning and de-
structon of nroperty will be heaviest.
Tberc wcre MANY heroic incidents of es-
cane and r6scuc.
I