The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1911-10-06
HUNDREDS DROWN
WHEN DAM BURSTS
TOWN LOCATED IN VALLEY De.
TWEEN TWO HIGH HILLS AT
MERCY OF FLOOD.
Great Wall Of Water Which swep,
Everything In Front Of II Fol.
lowed by Fire Which Roasted
Victims Pinned Underneath
Wreekage.

Austin. Pa-Nearly 200 men, wo.
men and children. more than fourth
e the total population, were drowned
and countless numbers were injured
when the mammoth dam OF the
Baylcss Pulp and Paper company
burst with a roar surprising that OF
/ Niagara and poured It's more than
half "a million gallons OF water down
upon this town late Saturday after
noon
Located in valley between two
high hills that extend east and west
for miles. Austin was at the mercy OF
the flood, which swept nearly all oil
the buildings away. pillng them NJ
at the mouth OF narrow gully east
OF town.
There. as elsewhere in Auatin. fire
quickly added It's terror. roasting
alive the victims who remained In the
debris.
In the valley below Austin are the
| villages OF Costello and Wharton
/ After laying the larger towns In
ruins tho food swept on to them
| Caught In the NAV Of the rushing
waters they too. succumbcd. but
/ warned by a modern Paul Revere
who dashed ahead OF the flood over
rocky roads In motor car. the IN.
hahitnnts had time TO escape.
Tho nggt alarm OF tho dam break.
Ing was given by Bell telephone
lIncman who saw the advance OF the
walcr from tie top of pole. lie
tore open long distance wire and
notified Gnlct1n with his test set
and then fed TO the hills. barely cs
Gaping with his life.
Nearly all the mon were at worl,
at work and the women and chill.
drcn We're at home alone. They had
heard tho warning sent out w tAa
telephone Girl, at least some OF the
people say the fire bell rang. and
they thought II was FIRE.
Some OF them dashed to the bust
ness section and were caught in the
water. Those not drowned were
crushed In the crumbling buildings
and others were caught In the flames.
Little children playing in yards at
home were caught up by the water
and tossed about on the food like
playthIngs. Cattle ana horses were
swept on and even the sidewalks
were torn up, And over and above
II all were the shrieks Of the hun.
dreds OF people who could not cs.
cape
Property loss will exceed $4,000. 900,
and II Is the general opinion that
tho town never will be rebuilt. Two
Of the large plants will no. be rcon.
structcd and a majority Of the bust.
ness men OF the place nave been
ruined financially.
The cause OF the break in the
mill dam Is matter which the dis. /
trict attorney OF the county viii in.
vostlgatc. The Hnyloss dam was ey.
amincd by experts more than q year
ago. and recommendation were made |
looking TO It's safety. The district al. |
torney has secured the names OF ok.
pcrts who submitted the report. and
viii summon them to TESTIFY at an
Inquest to begin this week.
The town OF Austin was built I'm
the SinnImahonning valley. In the |
last census the enumcrators gave its
population as 800, More than 90
per cent Of these were native born.
\ fair percentage had been drawn TO
the settlement by the work In the
baylcss Pulp and Paper mill.
Many stories OF miraculous escapes
are being told Tommy Lawlor, Is
one who barely escaped alive. Search.
crs were looking about the ruins
when they heard baby cry. There
they found the Infant still clasped
In the arms Of his father, who, though |
unconscious and buried In mud to
his shoulders. held the child above
him. When released MIR lawlors leg
was found TO be broken. Both he
and the baby are AT a hospital. Mrs.
lAwlor ana a daughter persisted.
William Robinson. who has but
one arm had the strlngcst escape
OF oA He was stanulng ~ an omen
window on the second floor OF the
Commercial house when the wafer hit
the hotel So terrific was the IMPACT
that the air, driven out OF every
opening In the building. blow Rob.
inson across the street to the roof OF