The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-10-02
DAM WAS $50 FEET LONG.
Was $40 Feet Wide 2: Base and 40
Feet High.

Feet High.
Austin, Pa, Oct. 2.@The dam was
built two years ago. 1t was $50 feet
long, spanning the little valley form
ed by Freeman Run and rising to the
height of 49 feet. 1t was of concrete,
constructed after the most approved
plans of modern engineering
The basin behind it had never been
filed with water until last week and
Saturday it was noticed that water
was running over the top of the struc-
ture. Many persons went out of the
town, a mile and a half away, to see
the unusual sight, and it was while
they were Watchings the overlooking
water that the first break occurred.
Property Loss Six Millions.
The property loss Will exceed &c.
600, 900 and it is the general opinion
that the town never will be rebuilt
Two of the large plants will not be
reconstructed, and a majority of the
business men of the place have been
ruined financially.
State officials in charge of the situa-
ton, after a hasty canvass of the
population, expressed the belief that
not more than 100 are dead. Only IS
bodies had been recovered at q late
hour last night.
The 500 men who had toiled all day
in a heavy rain storm abandoned the
task with the coming of darkness
Although they had moved mighty
heaps of debris, fought fire and work
ed on without food seeking to remove
bodies of the dead, less than a score
had been found.
A battalion of state police then sur
rounded the town and no person with
out a pass was permitted to enter.
further down Sinnemahoning grew
more encouraging as the day adj
At Costello, while there was
a heavy financial loss, it was stated
hot
dead. Beyond that point no fatalities
had been reported
The survivors will not suffer from
hunger or lack of medical aid, as the
supplies and medical assistance rush
ed to the scene seem ample.
E. F. BicknelI, national director of
the Red Cross. arrived Sunday, bring
ing with him $15. 900 in cash for the
aid of flood victims. Of the
eight injured in the hospitals, none is
hurt fatally.
The homeless all have been provided
with shelter. On the outskirts of Aus
tin are a number of houses that were
vacated BY workers in the Goodyear
mill when the plant was dismantled-
These houses have been filled with the
hom eless. The residents of Heating
Summit have taken in the others, sew
sral hundrt1 in number.
Many evidences of the treuendcus
power of the flood were seen by the
workers in the town. Engines weigh
ng tons had been rolled along the
ground an immense steel hopper was
carried a half mile and thrown
through the side of a house, and steel
freight cars were bent double
The greatest danger was done by the |
piles of cut lumber swept before the
Hood This acted as a great battering |
-am which swept buildings from their |
foundations and unquestionably caused |
he deaths of scores who otherwise
night have escaped after surviving the
irst rush of the water.
Investigation into the cause of the |
breaking of the dam will begin at once, |
according to officials in charge of the |
york of rescue. That there had been !
constant danger of the catastrophe, |
lue to the instability of the structure, |
vas known to many residents Of the |
own, and a thorough investigation is |
demanded by survivors,