The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-09
FLOOD DAMAGE
Loss IN TEXAS ESTIMATED AT OVER
THREE MILLION DOLLARS.
Only Eight People Drowned. but Hun
dreds of Cattle Engulfed by
Swollen Rivers.
AUSTIN IN A SAD PLIGHT
CITY is WITHOUT WATER, LIGHT
AND FIRE PROTECTION.
Churches Unable to Hold Services,
Public Meetings Abandoned and
Newspapers Handicapped.
POWER HOUSE SWEPT AWAY
COST THE CITY ONE MILLION AND
THREE QUARTER DOLLARS.
Such Rush of Water When the
Dam Broke that Great BOwlders
Were Carried Half a Mile.
Churches Unable to Hold Services,
Public Meetings Abandoned md
Newspapers Handicapped.
POWER HOUSE SWEPT AWAY
COST THE CITY ONE MILLION AND
THREE QUARTER DOLLARS.
Such Rush of Water When the
Dam Broke that Great BOwIders
Were Carried Half a Mile.

AUSTIN, Tex, April s. - Fully thirty
thousand people gathered at the dam and
power house stationed north of this city
TO witness the ruins of the plant which
cost the city sl.275.OoO a few years ago.
The waters of the Colorado river were still
plunging and foaming around the wreck.
eating away the big pile of granite which
once formed the dam as though il was
nothing more than chalk rock. So fierce
was the current that great powders were
carried half mile from the dam. being
rolled over and over by the turbulent
water.
The power house. which succumbed to
the terrific wash of the water at o'clock
this morning, lies a mass of wreckage on
the edge of the river, all the valuable ma
chinery either having been thrown into
the river or badly damaged by the falling
timbers of the power house. The wreck
of the plant is complete. The situation
in the city tonight is most serious. The
wreckage of the plant means that Ii will
take several weeks to secure even tenn
porary water and light system, if 1t can
be made possible even then. In the mean
time the city will be in bad sanitary con-
dition. All the hotels, private residences
stores and the like are without water, and
there is no fire projections Churches were
unable to hold services tonight for want
of light, and all public meetings were
abandoned The daily newspapers are ham
dicapped in their publications, being de-
prived of their electric power The river
is falling tonight.
Reports from the neighboring country
water. In Williamson county, north of
here. railroad bridges and trackage have
been laid waste and all trains have stopped
running. Hundreds Of head of cattle have
been drowned and miles of fencing torn
down and washed away. In Bastrop coun-
ty and in the southern portion of this coun-
ty similar conditions prevail everything
being under water and much loss of prop
erty is reported.
The country tributary to the Colorado
river all the way down it's course is be-
ing inundated and while 1t is believed the
worst is over. the loss. as estimated to-
night, will exceed some $3,0o0OOo. counting
Austin the largest loser.
Fortunately the list of drowned, accord
ing to reports up tonight, is limited 10
those reported i'm dispatches last night. as
IL seems the only drownings reported were
here, when the dam broke and caught the
victims unawares.
A mass meeting of the citizens has been
called for tomorrow i'm order that some
steps be taken to relieve the situation.
No trains operated on the International
Great Northern Railroad, as much of
its track and quite a number of bridges
were washed away during last night. The
Missouri. Kansas & Texas Railroad is also
heavy sufferer from like cause.
Reports from several sections of central
and southern Texas to the effect that
large acreage Is under water and much
damage has been suffered in property and
live stock.