Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-09
IMMENSE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DOM
AND CROPS MUST BE RE-
PLANTED.
TREMENDOUS RAINS REPORTED
IN THE COUNTRY SURROUNDING
SMITHFIELD, WITH HEAVY Loss.
Live stock Drowned, But No Death
of People Reported-The Loss at
Austin Ii Nearly Two Million Doll
lars-The Water supply Plant II .
Complete Wreck.

5cASldA Aoou. Inc CLOpS nave De0n
damaged over wide area, but there
list i'll time for farmers TO re-pians IL
| they can get the seed. Corn has been
planted over once and will have to be
planted the third time. The farmers,
as rule, have not planted much cot
ton because the heavy rains have kept
them out OF the fields. The railroads
have lost many small bridges, and it
| will be a week before traffic resumes
| it's normal condition.
Smithfeld reports tremendous rains
have fallen throughout that section.
the main food being in the Colorado.
A break in the Great Austin is report
ed there this evening. This river is on
3S-foot rise at p. m. and rising one
foot an hour. 1t Is estimated that over
five thousand acres Of growing crops
in the bottom lands within five miles
| of town have been inundated by from
| 10 to Is feet. The loss will reach over
| $4,000. The stock has been drowned.
| No deaths have ben reported in that
section so far from drowning. Cam
| eron reports the food in Little River
now equals that of last July. The
water works and power house have
| been overfowed. People were warned
and no loss OF life is reported.
Brushby, San Gabriel and Little riv-
ers are all overtiowed causing the en-
| tire destruction of all crops. The riv-
ers are still rising.
| Reports from other points are OF
damage to crops. but no loss of life.
| AUSTIN, Texas, April S.-FNlly 3o,-
600 people gathered to-day at the dam
and power house stationed north of
this city to witness the ruins of the
plant, which cost this city one and
three-quarter millions of dollars, few
years ago. The waters Of the Colo
RADIO river were still plunglng and
foaming 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 current that great bould-
crs were carried half mile from the
dam, being rolled over and over by the
turbulent tide.
The power house which succumbed
2 o'clock this morning, lies 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 SER
ious. The wreckage of the plant means
that it will take several weeks to Sc
cure even a 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, private residences, stores and
the like are without water and there
is no fire protection. Churches were
unable to hold services tonight for
want OF light and all the public meet
ings were abandoned. The daily news
papers are handicapped in their publ
cations, being deprived or their electric
power.
The river Is falling tonight.
Reports from the neighboring coun-
try are to the effect that everything
is under water. In Williamson coun-
~, north OF here, railroad bridges and
trackage have been laid waste and all
trains have stopped running. Hun
dreds of head OF cattle have been
drowned, and miles Of fencing torn
down. and washed away. In Bastrop
county and in the southern portion Of
this county, similar conditions prevail.
everything being under water and
much loss Of property Is reported.
The country tributary to the Cola
RADIO river all the way down lts cou4sa
Is being inundated, and while 1t Is be-
| leved the worst is over. the loss as
estimated tonight, viii exceed some
three million dollars, counting Austin
as the largest loser. The list Of drown
ed, according TO reports up TO tonight,
is limited TO those reported In the AS
ISOLATED Press dispatches last night,
all Of whom lost their lives here when
fha darn hroko
a mass meeting Of citizens has been
called for tomorrow in order that some
steps may be taken TO relieve the sit
uaton.
There were no trains operated on the
International G. Great Northern, as
much Of It's tracks and quite a num-
Der Of bridges were washed away dur
ing last night The Missouri. Kansas
& Texas Railroad is also heavy SUI
ferer from hike cause.
Reports from several sections Of
| Central and Southern Texas ars TO the
Il