The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-10-02
CARLOAD or COFfInS TODAY
SHIPPED TO VALLEY OF 6LO0M
Not q Body Found Intact--In
hahItants Had But Slight
Warning
(By Associated. Press.l

Austin, Pa, Oct. "A carload ol
cOffins arriving today impressed on
the survivors the grimness OF the
flood tragedy AS fast as victims
were taken from the debris they are
placed in temporary morgue for
Identification The state health de-
partment and the sanitary engineers
neagizineI the terrible consequences
Il the early estimates of dead are
accurate are on the ground. 1t is
feared none of the bodies will be ne
covered intact, as splintered word
was thrust thromh and through the
debris by the force of the water.
The aspect OF Austin and Costello
and the surrounding valley form a
picture of desclation.
Trusted investigators now say the
list Of dead will not be over200.
There is a possibility that 4 may
I not be over l50.
AnIy Ghost ,of Town.
Austin, Pa. Oct 2.-The curtain of
ght which was rung down on the
istin flood scarcely before its vic
ms all had been claimed and it's
ryving spectators fully realized
Vater and fire had enacted in the
Hatural amphitheater Of the Allie
ghenny mountains here was lifted by
dawn, revealing a ghastly scene OF
death and devastation.
Austin, Itself, busy mill town OF
1000 persons Saturday, many enjoy
ing the genial autumn day as half
holiday, was only a ghost of a town
Sunday. Torn to pieces by water
and eaten by fire the wet and char
red remains OF its buildings believed
to hold the remains Of 800 or more
persons, were strewn along the val
ley edge, piled in rows where the
Main street business section was,
or swept in scattered masses far
down the rapine
Spectators, many Of whom barely
escaped being victims Of the disas
tel, and hundreds OF physicians from
surround ng towns, looked down
from the steep hillsides on Austin I
and Costello through veil Of fog
Sunday morning to see the wreck |
age here of some 400 houses, a score
of business blocks, three churches
and several large lumber mills: and I
three miles further down at Costello
the ruins OF more than fifty build
ings. The flood did not spend its
force until it raced for more than ten
miles from the reservoir. Wharton,
a little further on, suffered some
what but Is practically intact The
loss OF life at Costello where the res
idens had more warning, Is believed
TO be but three
Br0nlrfV in,
mated as upwards OF Sc, 100000
Loss Of Life Uncertain.
Estimates OF the loss of life in the
Hood that overwhelmed the town OF
Austin Saturday dim nished Sunday
when an army OF volunteer rescu-
rs worked its way into the masses
" wreckage.
The 500 men who ha dtoiled all
lay in a heavy rainstorm abandon
ID their task with the coming of
night Sunday. Although they had
moved large heaps OF debris, fought
ire and worked without food seek
ng to remove bodies less than
core had been found
The first alarm Oh the dam break
ng was ven by Bell telephone
meman who saw the advance of the
water from the top of pole. He
nve open a long distance wire and
lotified Galeton with his test set
md then fled to the hills. barely es-
aping with his life F.
In scores of instances people were
lrowned in their homes without
moving what had caused the flood.
The escape of more than two score
Who survived the first onslaught OF
he flood was cut off by a long wire
ence which ran along the creek.
.Ahen the flood had passed, rescu-
ne parties found the bodies eaty ht y
II the wires and terribly torn.