The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-02
1esses e How Waters Wrought Death and Desoaon in Town Of Austin


School building and is for the recep-
ton OF all bodies taken from the east
side of the valley. The other Is in
the old Odd-Fellows building for the
bodies taken from the wreckuge on
the west side OF the town
OrgaEizntion Formed.
Following the arrival OF special
train with officials representing state
Commissioner of Health Dixon. a.
meeting Of the sanitary officers. ply
| slcians. surgeons and nurses was held
at which all executive organization
WAS formed County Health Inspector
Dr. Il. III. Ashcraft. of Coudersport.
, was placed in charge. \ relief COM
mittee was formed, with Attorney w
;. Dubois. of Coudersport. a. chair
! man; a finance committee, with NJ. NJ
Metcalf. of Austin. in charge. and i
, supply committee. with former Repre-
! sentative w. *. Swottlani. OF couders-
port. as chairman. John f. Stone was
given entire charge of distribution of
provision and clothing.
The State officials here include CHER
Sanitary Engineer f. II. Snow. Chief
Medical Inspector Poyer. DIR. Thomas
A. styles and assistants They found
! that the local organization was en-
| urely able TO cope with the situation.
After outlining the work they re-
turned late tonight. The State proba-
| bly, Will send 200 men to continue the
recovery OF bodies tomorrow.
Luther ID. Seibert, aided by the au
thorities. has begun q census of the
living and dead. He hopes to com
plete his census by Tomorrow
Insane From Grief.
One of the most pathetic in the long
list of tragedies is the case OF James
,..l,.
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 pile of floating de-
bris and eventually iioated 10 Il land
ing, mile and half oelow the VII
lagc. Wounded and bruised. he made
his way back. only to lind that his
wife and four children had perisheu
in the waters. Leoman went violently
insane.
w. d. Robertson. another night
worker. Waterman at the Bayless
mills. was asleep In the third story of
the Starkweather building when
| aroused BY the roar of the flood. He
stepped out on a balcony commanding
view of the onrushing waters.
Houses were tossing about like
corks," he said. Il was transhxed with
horror. unable to make a move to save
myself. The entire building lurched
forward and then collapsed. al fell
two stories with the building. and
found myself protected by a bridge
which had formed BY wedged tmbers.
! made good my escape. l have three
little Riddles in Erie. Thank God they
were not here"
Robertson was badly injured.
Frank Robinson. a one-armed stenoS-
rapher, was also on the third story of
the Starkweather building. The first
thing he knew was when the floor
gave way beneath him and the whole
building fairly lurched across the
street He was hurled through win
| dow and landed on top OF some debris,
on which he noated to safety.
Owes Life to His Baby.
| Thomas Lawler. bartender at the
! Commercial Hotel. says he owes his
| life To his attempt to save his baby
| daughter. He told his story to-day
| as he lay on cot at the hospital with
| both legs broken.
| II was upstairs in my home on Rail-
road Street." he said. playing with
my eight-months- old daughter. My
wife and little boy were downstairs
Without warning the roof caved in
| over my head, and then with the risin &
water il hoated away. Instinctively
myself boating along with tn wreck
| of the house l held her above my head.
caught hold of the side of my house
| and pushed the baby On IT and held on
tight. All around me was a sea OF
| slabs. 1t was all over in three or four
minutes. but 1t seemed years. The
| part OF the house / was clinglng to
was rammed with terrific impact into
the hill. where i scrambled ashore with
hnt LOO n
self to the hospital with the baby ]
don't know. but l did"
LAWYERS wife and baby were drown
Robert Cransie claims to have ac-
| complished a miraculous escape. 81
was about 100 feet below the dam
when II gave way" he said. IL saw
the wall of water rushing down upon
me. and. although It poured over me
at least thirty feet high. it threw me
flat on the ground. Somehow / came
bobbing up to the top Of the twisting,
! surGlinG mass and grabbed the
| branches of tree as it shot past me-
/ was rescued while clingins to II
! last nigh
Employees OF the Bayless Pulp and
| Paper Mill had as thrilling experience
as any. There were $50 hands at work
| yesterday when the flood came. Fifty
on the first floor. It is thought that
all but FIVE OF these escaped A dozen
were injured
Caught In Machinery.
NJ. y. Devereaux. who was employ ed
in the grinding room. grasped the
shafting above him when he saw the
wall of the mill cave in. The whirring
countershaft caused him to lose his
grip. and he sank in the waters rush
ing under him. He was again tossed
UP and caught in the tangled machin
cry in whose vice-llke grip he was
rescued after calling for two hours for
help. He was taken to the hospital
with both legs broken.
Mary Blaitz an employe in the count
ing room. told the reporters in the
hospital to-day how 1t feels to have
leg amputated with an axe.
Il was busy at my books" she said,
when suddenly there lurched through
the wall one of the big pulp grinding