The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-04
GOVERNOR TENER
GOES To AUSTIN
ConferS With State Health
Commissioner in Regard
to Breaking Dam
INQUEST ON DISASTER
TO BE HELD FRIDAY
1hirty-TWo Bodies Recover :
ed and Eighty-TWo Per-
sons Still Reported
As Missing

AUSTIN, PA, Oct. 3.--While the
work Of tearing away the mountains
OF wreckage piled up by Saturday s
food progressed under improved
weather conditions to-day, the au-
thorites of the State and county
made preparations to probe into the
responsibility for the weakness Of the
paper mill dam. Thirty-two bodies
have now been recovered and eighty
two persons are reported missing.
Governor John X. Tener arrived
on a special train tonight. and i'm
mediately went into consultation with
DIR. Samuel g. Dixon, the State health
commissioner, who Is in command OF
the situation. The Governor will re-
will begin on Friday. 1t will be con-
Quoted by Justice Of Peace Olmstead.
OF Coudersport. the county seat
District Attorney Nelson. who is
also In town, will assist in the in
>estigation.
Condition of Dam.
TT is true that / have heard re-
ports that the dam was inspected by
State inspectors" said Mr.. Nelson to-
night. but 1 have not been able to
learn whether or not these reports
burg will show what the State In
spectors knew Of the conditions Of the
dam before the disaster"
Workmen to-day found the man
gled body of former District Attorney
Arthur Ellsworth in the debris COW
ering the site OF the Starkweather
building. Ellsworth was in his office
when the food wrecked the building
When the body was found one Of the
district attorneys hands sclutched the
knob Of the dor IA thugh he had been
on the point OF rushing out.
Scene at Morgue.
There was a touching scene at the
morgue to-day when the body OF Mrs,
Michael Collins, sister of Senator
Baldwin. was identified by her sister.
The body had been at the morgue for
two days Mrs. Collins might have
remained among the unidentified so
sadly were her remains dishgured had
1t not been for an engagement ring
upon ose Of her fingers
Mrs. Collins died striving to save
her blind mother and crippled father.
Portions OF the remains of three
victims were taken to-day tom the
ruins OF the plant OF the Standard
Wood Company. which caught fire
after tho food had passed down the
canyon.
Louis Richie. haggard, worn and
grlef-strtcken, to-day told OF a race
with the Hood in which he was beaten.
Story OF Richie
Five minutes before the dam
broke he said. II left my home to
60 to the election polling place to
vote. IT was q walk OF about three
quarters OF a mile. While inside the
polling place the alarm was given and
ran out. 1t would have been easy
TO reach the hill west of the postoffice.
put 1 thought OF my wife out there
alone In the house and feared that
no ono had warned her. As ran up
turner avenue overlook my daugh-
ter. Edora. She, too. had heard that
the dam was breaking and WAS hurry
lag to warn her mother. told her to
get TO the hiiis'de as quickly as she
GOULD 1t took only a moment tc
get her started in the right direction
but when fastened on the water was
already coming down tho valley I ran
as l never ran before. But when ]
was fifty yards from my house the
food struck 1t and carried It away. ]
then turned toward the hillside. How
l ever got there I don't know. The
l ever got there I don't know. The
water seemed about to roll over ms
every step Of the way"