The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-10-05
FLOOD TOLL MAY
NOT EXCEED 100
Loss Of Life at Austin Pa,
Was Overestimated.
RICH COMPANY IS BLAMED
Civil Engineer Who Designed Dam
Declares He Warned Corporation
of Its Unsafe Condition In
January, 1910.


Austin, Pa, Oct "a census taken
II the remaining inhabitants OF the
village OF Austin, which was wiped out
by the collapse OF the dam built and
operated by the paper and pulp mill OF
the "Hemlock trust" indicates that
the total loss Of life will not exceed
100.
This poll was conducted by the
Pennsylvania state board OF health.
All of the residents except those in
two blocks of the village had been
accounted for in the living. dead or
missing lists The morgue contained
rs bodies when the searchers stopped
work for the night. There was also
the severed head of an unknown wo-
man, which had been picked up from
the debris in the river bed at Costello,
three miles away from AUSTIN
Fail to Locate 80 Austinites.
or the dead, three had been identi-
fled. The unknown include one man,
one baby girl and the woman whose
has not been unearthed from the
ruins. The census takers, who are ex-
perts but recently employed by the
United States government, failed to To-
cate Sc of the former inhabitants OF
Austin. Later eight of this total were
found among the dead. The others are
missing.
1t is admitted that this may not be
a conclusive figure upon which to
base the total death list. However,
owing to the fact that the disaster took
place on Saturday afternoon, many
farmers were marketing in the village
stores. Both hotels had transient
guests and the death roll now num-
bers three from the village OF Co.'S
tello
While officials here ere not as yet
able to express a public opinion, 1t is
a toregone conclusion that they will
place the blame for the flood which
caused the loss of 200 lives and the
wiping out of S5,000,000 worth OF prop
erty on the owners Of the dam. the
Day ieSS dpcl UP
Failed TO Heed Warning.
The civil engineer who designed the
dam has issued a statement In which
he declares that he recommended GER
tain changes and Strengthening addi-
tons to be made after the first scare
OF January, 1910. Edward Wegmaun,
consulting engineer of the Engineering
News and universally regarded as one
OF the great American engineers. also
joined the designer, T. Chalkley Hat
ton, in the recommendations, and
through the technical paper declared
the dam was unsafe and needed
prompt attention.
The Bayless Paper and Pulp firm
is millionaire corporation, controlled
by the Bayless brothers OF Bingham
ton, themselves millionaires many
times over. When it is realized that
for the pitiful sum of $4,000 the lives
and the city might have been saved
the rage of the survivors against the
owners Of the dam can be appreciated.
Visitors Pour Into Town.
The excellent military rule has re-
stored a semblance of order to the
work of clearing out the tive-mile rub
hish heap that marked the once beau
tiful section of the Sinnemah oning
valley and sight-seers arrived by thou
sands Trains brought visitors from
far away points like Buffalo, Harris
burg Philadelphia and Washington.
And the great influx of visitors to a
barren spot without facilities for SAM
tation, drinking water or food added
q great burden to the state health au-
thorities. DR.. f. G. Dixson, state
commissioner of health, summoned
the heads of the state department and
the militia for a council of action In
mediately afterwards bulletins were
posted warning everyone against the
use of the water which flows through
the valley and rises from myriads OF
mountain springs for drinking pur-
poses.
Vandals Are Arrested.
Eight men who pleaded they were
souvenir hunters, but whom the au-
thorities branded as vandals, were
placed under arrest by guards OF the
state constabulary. They were &C.
cused by witnesses OF footing the val
uables OF private homes. The men
are confined In the public schoolhouse
under guard. These arrests and the
increasing total of visitors led the
military and police authorities to
place the entire tract under strict mil.
itary patrol Mt shutdown. so tightly
were the lines drawn that owners OF
property were ordered away from their
ruined possessions. When the situa-
tion was explained to them they quick.
ly ncquiesced and left the scene. Later