New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-03
AUST|N'S DEATH LIST
MAY NOT EXCEED 100
State Health Commissioners
Census, Almost Complete,
Shows IS Missing.
DISASTER INQUIRY DELAYED
Relief Work Being Pushed, but
Many More Men Are Needed
to Remove Hundreds of
Tons of Debris.

IRON star Correspondent Of The Tribune
Austin. Penn. oct. Or. s. G. Dixon,
STATE Commissioner Of Health. after a
rs-sonal examination Of the scenes of
,,s disaster In this little town. estimated
,o.day that the number killed in Sat
urdays food would not exceed one hun
dred.
The Health Commissioners force al
most completed a careful census of the
towns inhabitants to-day. in which they
we're assisted by ]. J. Kelly and o. T.
Cochrane. the two census takers who
covered Austin in the last United States
census With two blocks populated
largely by Lithuanian operatives Of the
psper mill 20 so over TO complete the
lob. this force found that eighty-six
persons are missing.
Twenty-four bodies have been identi-
fed. and there are two bodies in the
uorgue. but unidentified rs yet. Yes
terday's reports Of sixty bodies recov-
cred were found to-day 10 be a mistake
caused by the shifting Of the bodies
from three different halls in which they
had been kept up 10 that time TO the
town morgue-
Estimate May Grow Larger
The estimate Of not more than one
hundred killed was made by Dr. Dixon
after he had examined the huge piles Of
debris which cover the business section
Of the town. though he admitted that
not until the wreckage was entirely re-
moved would it be possible TO count all
the dead. In other words, the commits
soner's estimate is likely TO be increased
rather than diminished during the next
few DAYS. but no one believes now that
the death list Will run above 100.
President Taft's message Of sympathy
addressed 10 the Mayor Of Austin was
received here to-day.
Opinions Of the townsfolk as 10 the re-
sponsibility for the breaking Of the dam
vary ON the point of holding either the
state OF the Bayless Pulp and Paper
Company 10 account Merchants and
property owners make no secret of the
fac, that they do not expect any action
IN the way Of prosecution or even OF
investigation from the local authorities
because. they say, the Bayless Pulp and
Paper Company dominated the town, po-
uticaUv and in every other way.
3. 2. Hutchinson, who ran the town
only leather shop and harness store
.ost everything he had. including two
houses in the residence section.
It's the opinion Of everybody that the
Bavless company could not settle at five
cents on the dollar for all the damage
-aused by the breaking Of their dam
be said "even if they would. For my
part. I am going to get out Of here and
many of the merchants are saying the
sane thing Now that it's all over !
don't mind saying that in my opinion
the Bayiess paper people controlled the
towns politics absolutely. There IS no
hone of any local prosecution or inVesu-
cation. because the local authorities are
friendly 10 the paper people.
District Attorney Net Seen.
District Attorney Nelson. Of Potter
County. who lives az Coudorsport' less
,ta7 ten miles from Austin, has not been
seen i'm this village since the disaster
al, calls at his home brought the re-
suorse from his servant that Mr.. Mel
son was away and his return was in
definite
The state authorities. however thougn
they have not yet started a legal ihNes-
tgation. gave promise Of placing the re-
srons,hiitv for the disaster as soon as
tber have finished the first emergency
relief work.
Tonight ar = o'clock the heads or al
he state departments represented IN TINS
first relief work gathered fer confer
ence az the North Pennsylvania Hos
rtsl. ON the outskirts of this village
Dr. Dixon. F. Herbert snow, chief SAM
tary engineer of the state; p. q. boyle
chairman of the state Board or Charl-
ties. Lieutenant Meyers. of the con-
stabuIa~v forces now on the ground, ana
Captains scheH and Jack. Of the Ma
uonal Guard and the Governors troop
attended the conference. and IL Is
planned TO hold nightly meetings oi t'e
same men % go over their work ana
prepare for a possible future investisa-
ton of the accident 10y the Attorney
Generals Office.
Dr. Dixon was asked whether the con-
ference discussed the question OF eTiini-
nal responsibility in relation TO the as
as,er and replied that they had not eA-
cept ID a casual way.
Rsady to Aid Inquiry.
The question of criminal responsi-
b..ity. il there IS one" said DR.. Dixon
does not concern my department mol
that OF any Of the department heads
now working here. We are concerned
only with the immediate question o.
emergency relief for these people. Ho"
ever if the Attorney General or MS rep
resentatyes want 70 take this question
up when relief work is over. my men VII
be prepared 10 cooperate with them ''
he extent Of giving testimony as 10 lh'
conditions as we found them when We
sriyed."
Representatives Of the other depart
ments 0f the state government at Wori
mere joined boz Mr. DiXOn's eXpressIo'
his sentiment and on this point iH'
testimony Of Farley Gannett cher en-
sineer Of the State Water supply com
mission printed yesterday in these COZ
1mns, weighs heavily against the papel
company, according 10 the belief o.
many Of the local merchants ana prop
erty owners