Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-05

hold In this primitive way the ruins
aero forced apart. often TO fall again
into the tangle and make the work all the
more difficult
Tho dam Of debris which formed at
AustIn saved the western part of Costello.
I, .tayed the onrush or the current tenn
nor.rilv during which the alarm spread
down the valley and the residents Of
Cos,ello had time to fee to the hills
,rbo eaatern side Of the village, was en-
,,rel,. DESTROYED rendering about 400 people
homeless OF the three lives believed
lost only one body. that OF an unidentified
woman. had been recovered at late
hour this afternoon.
rho work Of clearing up the debris
10 under the direction OF Senator A. r.
baldwin. who lost his father, mother,
wife and home In the flood, and was
himself painfully hurt In escaping
Prothonatry f. j. Wandell is also lead
ing in the work. During the night the
food supplies were scarce and the res
cuers many of them unused to such
heavy work. toled without so much as
asking for anything to eat. Several
Of them collapsed to-day and had to
Dc R1NO1l Hlt'ilN at 49, ''N'''
Governor bix telephonod from Al
bany this morning that the state of
New York was prepared to send any
thing the sufferers might need as soon
as Pennsylvania would make known
what would he acceptable.
There was no lack Of willing hands.
Country women from miles around
drove to tho scene and between COM
forting Austin women who had lost
husbands and children and getting
luncheons for the survivors were busy
ALI day and into the night. Mean
while men fought their way through
woods and brush for a mile or moro
to get pure water for coffee and farm
ers drove in with large supplies II
milk
In order to be fed ono had to be
vouched for as a resident of the flood
stricken town or a commissioned flood
worker. Guards were placed at the
door of an old wooden building which
st GOD outside the path Of the flood.
where the workers ana survivors were
fed. and saw that the rule was en-
forced.
Later in the day. after the supply
trains had arrived, three loaves Of
bread two cans of tomatoes and a two
pound can Of roast beef was Issued as
a days ration to the head Of each sur
viving household
Two morgues were established this
afternoon. one IL In the high school
building and is for the reception Of
all bodies taken from tho east side Of
4. bo OIL Ic in n old
ODD Fellows building for the bodies
taken from the west side.
Following the arrival of a special
train with officials representing state
Commissioner Of Health Dixon, meet
Ing OF the sanitary officers, physicians.
surgeons ana nurses was held at which
an executive organization was formed.
County Health Inspector nr r. II.
4 shCroft Of Coudersport was placed in
charge. A relief committee was form
cd with Attorney W. s Dubois OF
Coudersport as chairman a finance
committee with NJ VI. Metcalf of Aus
, tin in charge, and supply committee
with former Representative w.
Sweetland Of Coudersport as chairman,
John f. stone was given entire charge
CT distribution Of provisions and cloth
ing.
one Of the most pathetic in the long list
Of tragedies IL the case Of James Leeman.
a night worker, who asleep at his
home and did not hear the alarm When
the rush Of water swallowed UP his little
home he was tossed out upon a pile of
floating debris and eventually foated 10
landing mile and half below the
| l..
his way back only to find that his wife
and four children had persisted In the
waters. Leeman went violently insane
His rawlings were pItiful. Several men
We're required to hold him.
W. D. Robertson, another night worker
watchman at he Bayless mills, was asleep
on the third story Of the Starkweathel
building when aroused by the roar OF the
flood, He stepped ont on n balcony.
Houses were tossing about like corks, "
he said Il was trttnsnxed with horror
unable to make a move to save myself
The entire building Iurched forward and
4 collapsed. fell two stories with the
building and found myself protected by
bridge which had formed by wedged
timbers | made GOOD my escape l have
three little kiddles in Erie. Thank Goo
they were not here" Robertson was bad
/ ly injured.
Frank Robinson. a one-armed ste
/ nographer. was also on the third story OF
, the Starkweather building when the fooI
came. He said lie heard the fire whistles
! but paid no attention to 1t and the frs
thing he knew the floor gave way beneath
him and the whole building lur,hed across
the street He was hurled through a win
dow and landed on top OF some debris OF
: -L.l q IL. 10 fnt