The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-09
STILL DROWNING.
Number Of Flood Victims in
Texas Growing.
Water Continues to Rise in
Many Localities.
A BLOW TO AUSTIN.
Texas Capital Is Without Light
or Water
Owing to the Breaking Of the
Big Dam.
POWER HOUSE RUINED.
Plant Costing SI,75O,OOO De-
strOyed.
Surrounding Country Is All
Under Water.


Dallas. Tex. April s.-Reports re-
ceived at Dallas today from the south /
ern and southwestern Texas flood sec /
tious show concIusively that more than
fifty lives have been lost, including
those at Austin. Many of the lOcali-
ties where lives were probably lost are
isolated from railroads and telegraph
lines. Most OF them are in the Colorado
valley south of Austin and Bastrop-
AT noon it was reported from La
Grange that the river is still rising and
menacing more country districts. The
stream is now four feet higher than
during the great flood Of last year.
Bastrop is entirely surrounded by
water and cut off. The property dam
age is enormous. The wires in the
southern section are in a. worse condi-
tion than yesterday. All the wires
along the Missouri. Kansas & Texas
railway south Of Temple were lost to-
day
Railroad traffic Of the southern half
Of the state is practically abandoned.
and all outlets to California are gone
because Of the big washouts on the
western divisions Of the Texas and Pa
cifc.
Z. H. r. Green. son Of Mrs Hetty
Green, and president Of the Tarpon club
Of the coast, has received kilograms
from Rockport of heavy damages to
club property on st. Joseph island. BY
severe storm IN Matagorda Bay,
along NIatagorda peninsula, and Mata-
gOrda island a number Of small yes
ssls were wrecked and some lives are
believed to have been lost
rise, and is nearly a mile wide here.
Much property has been lost in the
valley. but no casualties have been re-
ported.
WATER RISING RAPIDLY.
Austin. Tex. April s.-Reports today
from Bastrop, Fayette and Wharton
counties, on the Colorado river below
here. are to the effect that the full
force Of the food is Just being felt
there The water is rising so rapidly
that the people are compelled to de-
sert their homes with all possible speed
to protect their lives.
Reports have been received from
Bastrop that twelve people were
drowned there during the night
In Wharton and Fayette counties the
situation is even more grave. and it is
expected that tOday's food in this sec
tion viii not only pile up an immense
property loss, but the list or lives lost
VIII be considerable.
Austin. Tex. April s.-Fully 10000
people gathered at the dam and power
house stationed north Of this city yes
terday to witness the ruins of the plant
which cost this city s175O. coo a few
years ago. The waters of the Colorado
river u-ara still r,frr~--7r,e-
around the wreck. eating away the big
pile Of granite which once formed the
dam, as though it was nothing more
than chalk rock. So fierce was the cur
rent that great boulders were carried
half mile from the dam. being rolled
over and over by the turbulent tide.
The power house. which succumbed to
the terrific wash Of the water q ,
O'Clock yesterday morning. lies a mass
of wreckage on the edge of the river. all
the valuable machinery 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 is most seri-
Gus. The wreckage of the plant means
that it will take several weeks to secure
temporary water and light system. If
it can be made possible even then. In
the meantime. the city will be in bad
sanitary condition All the hotels. prI-
vate residences. stores and the like are
without water. and there is no fire pro
lection Churches were unable to hold
services last night for want of light.
and al public meetings were abandon
ed The daily newspapers are handf-
capped in their publications, being de-
prived Of their electric power.
The river is falling.
Reports from the ueighborfng countrv
are to the effect that everything is un-
der water In Williamson county. north
OF here, railroad bridges and trackara
have been laid waste.and all trains have
stopped running Hundreds of cattle
have been drowned and miles of fencing
torn down, and washed away In Ba-
strop county and in the southern por-
tion 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 be-
ing inundated, and while it is believed
the worst is over. the loss, it is estima.
ted win exceed $4,000 600. counting Aus
tin as the largest loser Fortunately. tn,
list - drowned has not been increased