The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-04-09


Alfred johnson.
Frank fitzgerald.
Walter Blossom.
Joseph Newman.
Dick Morris, (oolorsd).
John Proess.
Charles BarOhsrd.
six negroes.
Last "Wednesday night It began to rain
very hard at this place. this storm extend
ing north OF here along thu water she'd Of
the Colorado river. The precipitation
continued until this morning, the down
fall sggregating six inches. All this vast
quantity of water along the water SHEDS
If the Colorado river rapidly swellsd the
current until at O'Clock this morning
the river, which bad heen steadily rising
since last evening, was a raging torrent,
having risen 20 feet within 10 hours.
After daylight this morning, 10 became
evident that the situation was serious.
The river began to-'rise so rapidly that
It wassevident that the Immense dam ana
all the power houses and contents, cost
ing one and half million dollaFs, were
In imminent danger. 10 add to the ter
ror Of the situation, small frame houses,
trees and debris of various descriptions
In varying quantities. began descending
the river and piling up against the up
per face of the dam. This weight was
augmented every moment until BY 10
o'clock there was q mass OF debris lodged
against the dam which threatened the
safety OF the structure. In addition mil
lions OF gallons of water, muddy, from Its
long journey, was whiriing and plung-
ing to the 60-foot fall, and 1t was evil
cent that no wall could Withstand the
Immense pressure. The orisis came
shortly after IL O'Clock who suddenly,
with = report Ike the roar OF the ocean.
great wedge 25 feet nigh, 500 feet wide
and about eight feet thick, rolled out OF
the centre section Of the dam, down the
face of the 6O-foot depth into the river
below. This left ayawninR gap in the
very middle Of the dam, through which
the debris aud water fleroely poured,
while the flood, already raging. was
threatening everything In Its path,
this sudden breaking Of the dam but
serving to add to the horror Of the oatas-
tEophe. The released water poured into
the power house catching eight employees
ct work there, drowning all Of them In
stantly.
The breaking of the dam caused wild
exciteIaeRt In tina city. The telegraph
companies at once wirad to places below
here &c look out for the great wave, and
runners were dispst 5hen on horses to nc
tify those living in the valleys bslow
the city. The tslegrAphio messages served
as timely waning to many, but the
rushing waters outstripped the horse
men and many honses were picked up
and swept away before the occupants
could get together their valusbles. With
In short time, all the valleys to the
south and went of Austin were filled to
overlooking with water and the southern
part of the city tributary to the river
WAS Inundated Large crowds collected
on the river banks and several persons
were swept into the river when the dam
broke. numbering about 80, living just
below the dam In tents, were seen at their
habitatiens jrst before the dam broke
and have not been accounted for since.
1t is generally believed that all OF them
were swept away. One man, attempt
ing TO cross the roadway leading to the
bridge across the river just as the big
wave rolled down, was caught and he and
his horse and buggy went down with the
torrent and were heard Of no more.
A fsmilyOf negroes living In the valley
south of thu Oily. are known to nave been
Il. T. a. 10.
100 houses have been Gettroyed and the
loss to property will be great. The light
and power plant alone COST one aud half
million dollars. The breaking OF the
Gam engulfed the old water oompany's
plant below the city and 1t IL tonight ~
ing 10 fest under water, while the city
Is In darkness ana without watsr.
Reports from points below here are to
the effect that the food has bean most
disastrous and that the breaking of tine
dam has occasioned msny thousand dol
lars worth Of loss to property. The sur
face of the river throughout the day has
been dotted by small houses or frag-
ments OF houses and drowned animals,
along with trees and debris, all Of which
bear testimony to the ravages OF the
ilo1d IN the mountainous region above
usiin.
In addition to the losses here, the Inter
national and Great Northern railroad
ard the Austin and Northwestern rail-
road, both entering this city, have
suffered greatly, the.hrst named haYing;a
serious wreck by reason OF the floods
this morning.
The south-bound cannon hall train
from st. Louis, on the international
end Great Northern, due ct a. m., was
wrecked at Mcneil, niEe miles above
here, as a result OF the washout The
engines and cars plunged through into
oulveTt, deInolishiug the engine, the
mail car, baggage car, two day coaches
and one sleeper. The cars left the track
and rolled over on their sides in four