The sun., 1900-04-09
FLOOD BURSTS A dam.
More Than q Score of Lives Lost at
Austin, Tex. ---s
BIG WAVE SWEEPS VALLEY.
Warnings Seat by Telegraph Wher-
ever Possible, but Loss Of Life
Is Grent-Dnmaae Amounts
to Millions of Dollars.

| hustin, Apfu S.-Ine great dam mere
across the Colorado river, which was con-
structed seven years ago ut a cost of ST.
100000, was swept away by an unprece-
| dented food 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,
situated Immediately below the dam, were
| flooded 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 a crowd OF
| probably 500 persons near the east end
| of the structure watching the flood, ten
feet high, pour off over the crest Sud-
| denly and without warning O break oc-
Cured near the center of the dam, and a
stretch of the masonry work about SOC
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
point of land extended about 200 feet into
the river. There were on this point at
the time the break occurred several per-
sons, including woman and TIVE chill
dren, some photographers and party Of
university students, Before these could
gain position Of safety the water struck
the projection. covering It Instantly The
women aHd TIVE childreH, Gve nen, names
| Jfaknsua, and ere university student aRa
/ IL c. -.
tave been swept away. by the tsTreat
and dfsuned. Ssne Of the stheFs were
caught In the stsean, but nsHssea to es
cape the asi, curreat and gain the shsre
sffss desHerate struggle. Tho ksaies Of
seven of those drswAea in the power
house were recovered In the afternssl.
Awstia Gets the AIsrna.
The spectators Of the wreck Of the dam
were panic stricken and pewerless to req
der any aid to the unfortunate victims
Almost the instant the dam gave way
Henry Robell, laboring man, who was
on the spot watching the flood of water.
mounted his horse and rode ut 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
before witnessed in Austin. Several hun
dred persons were Mt the foot of the wag-
on road bridge across the Colorado river
at the foot Of Congress avenue when the
cry reached them that the dam had
broken. 4 minute later and before many
of the panic stricken spectators could
take to fight solid wall of water 10
feet high swept down the valley and
struck the bridge with terrible 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 in width.
Scores of residences and barns and hun
drods Of head Of live stock were caught
in the torrent and washed away. Many
men, women and children abandoned
their homes when thcy heard the roar of
the water coming down upon them and
saved their lives by flight. There are
many rcpoi+s of deaths from drowning
ill along the lowlands, but so far few of
them have been confirmed.
Il The valley of the Colorado river south
of Austin for Il distance of 800 miles is
thickly settled by prosperous farmers and
thousands of negro families. There are
also many towns and villages along the
river. The terrible flood struck many of
these settlements without warning, and
it is feared that the casualty list will he
large when complete reports are received.
Warning Sent by Telegraph.
Within a few minutes after the dam
gave way telcgraphic warning was sent
to all towns within reach of the Western
Union lines that the flood was coming,
but there was no way of reaching the
country people, and it is among them
that the deaths from drowning and de-
!. struction of property will be heaviest.
There were many heroic incidents of es-
cape and rescue.
The greatest damage to residence prop.
erty was along the south bank of the riv-
er in the suburbs of South Austin. This
, is a thickly populated suburb, but most
of the better grade residences are on the
heights above the high mark reached by
the flood. In the bottoms were probably
100 residences and store buildings which
were caught in the deluge and destroyed.
, The destroyed dam is about four miles
: west of the city, and the river 6ews al
most directly east from that point, pass
/ ing through the city and separating Aus
, tin proper from the suburb of South Aus
/ tin.
) The disaster was preceded by big floods
I ia all the tributary streams throughout
, this region. These smaller overfows
e washed away a number Of residences and
{ destroyed thousands Of acres Of growing
[ crops. Hundreds Of thousands Of acres
of rich valley land already planted in cot
ton, corn and other products are in the
path Of the Colorado rivers unprecedent-
ed overflow, and the damage from that
} source alone will amount to a vast sum.
In addition to this loss hundreds Of poor
: people in this city and along the lower
r course of the river are made homeless.
f Scores of families are camped on the hili-
= sides around Austin,
!, John %. Sargent Set Free.
! CHEYENNE, wy, April S.-John d. Sar>