The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-04-25
TERRIFIC TEXAS FLOODS.
The Johnstown Disaster Practically
Repeated at Austin.
uFE AND PROPERTY DESTROYED.

breaking Of the Great Dam at Anstit
Leaves the City Without Water o'
IJpht-Great Havoc In The State-Fast
sectlons We're Under Water and Heavy
Damage Done-Many Lives Are Lost
AUSTIN, Texas Especial. The great dan
across the Colorado Rlver, near this city
which was constructed seven years ago at
| cost OF an even million dollars, has been
went away by an unprecedented food In
hat river The break caused an instant
Use of fully ltty feet In the river below
hs dam. This torrent Of water swept
iown upon the broad valley below with all
Ia force, leaving death and destruction In
ia wake. The great volume OF water
yhfch came down the river undermined
Fhe power house at the dam and tt fes
hto the river. carrying with IL
seoo 600 worth Of machinery. More thar
sfty lives were lost including those In Aus
In. The total loss In property Is placed al
$4,000, 900.
The poVer house OF the municipal water,
.,ectric light, and power plant, situated
Immediately below the dam, was Hooded
Instantly and eight persons. men and boys,
we're caught In the power room, and oil eS'
iept one were drowned like rats In trap.
those who were drowned In the power
loom were John Dai5, Walter Blossom
Frank Pinget, Thomas kirkpatrick, aud
Fold Dan, "coiored, all employees, and three
bovs who we're watching the food from the
bower house windows. family OF sil
Negroes living In the valley south OF the
Alfy are known to have been drowned.
The situation in the city is most serious
-rhe wreckage OF the plant means that IL
Eli take several week to obtain even q
TEMPORARY water. and light system. IL II
ian be4made possible even then. lnthe
meantime the city will be in a bad sanitary
condition. Ali the hotels, private resi-
aepces, stores and the like are Without wa
ter, and there ts no fire protection,
It is below Austin for distance OF 2oe
miles that the greatest havoc has been
brought by the Colorado River food. Re-
ports received here show that the wall o
Rater came down upon the homes OF hun.
ireds OF families without warning. Almost
avery wagon road bridge across the river
between here and Columbus, distance ol
probably $50 miles by the course OF the
river, was destroyed.
This accumulation Of drift added to the
destructive force Of the food, and Few rest
ienc6S and other puliQtnRS tHhEWoIo IL it'
bath are standing. Many ofsthe bridges
were erected after the destructive floods ol
last year, and tho losses 'toi the severa
,ounttes, from this source alone will be very
heavy. af& -.
Reports from thes nefghboring country
are to the effect that everything Is under
water. In Williamson County, north Of
here, railroad bridges and trackage have
been,laid waste and ull trains have stopped
running. Hundreds OF head OF cattle have
been drowned and miles OF fencing tori
down and washed away. Iu Bastror
County and In theSsouthern portion OF this
county similar conditions prevail, every
thing being under water, and much loss o!
property Is reported.
As rule the Texas rivers are now fall
Ing and there Is not much danger OF gen.
eral food. The crops have been damaged
over wide area, but there is' stlil time fol
for farmers to replant II they con get the
seed. The railroads have lost many small
bridges, and it will be a few days before
traffic resumes its normal condition.
Smithvllle reports tremendous rains have
fallen throug hout that section. It is estt
mated that 5000 acres OF growing crops IL
the bottom lands within five miles OF towr
have been inundated By from ten to ffteei
feet. The loss will reach s5O,O00. The stoct
has been drowned. Other sections repori
the entire destruction OF al crops.