The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-02
Estimated Today that Five
Hundred and Fifty People
Were Killed by the Flood
at Austin, Pa.
SEVENTY MUTILATED
BODIES WERE FOUND
Half of the Victims Are Said
to Be Child-en-Property
Loss Is Estimated Now at
$5,OOO,OOO.
National News AssoCiatiOn)

National News ASSOClatlOn)
AUSTIN, Pa, Oct. 2.-Five hundred
and fifty dead and monetary loss of
five million dollars were the estimated
results of the disaster caused by the
breaking of the concrete dam at the
Bayless paper plant. according to
compilation today by leading citizens,
conducting an unofficial census of the
survivors. More than half the dead
are children. Seventy mutilated bodies
had been recovered and fully five hun
dred rescuers worked desperately to-
day in the ruins for the recovery OF
others. Stringent precautions were in.
stituted today to prevent possible
epidemic Of disease from the decom-
posed bodies of victims. Police au-
thorities declared the loss Of life
would range somewhere between 100
and 400. but it is practically certain
miles from Austin. some already hay
ing been discovered seven miles away
1000 Are Homeless.
More than 1000 are homeless suf-
fering from exposure and hunger al
though the latter want is being ably
provided by the state and sister com
inonwealth of New York and New Jer-
'sey.
A detachment Of state constabulary
under Capt. Groom patrols the scene
of the disaster with orders to shoot
down vandals or looters Of the dead.
Corps of rescue workers who labor
ed all night amid the Pickering glow
Of huge bonfires, declare that the dead
may go to 800 or that it may fall far
under that estimate. They frankly
stated their inability to set definite
figure.
Although Investigations of the cal
amty are in their incipient stage.
these were pressed to the rear today
in the more important work of digging
out and identifying dead bodies, comb
Ing the ruins for living and caring for
the homeless.
When the flood which swept the val
ley when the big dam of the Bay
less Pulp and Paper company had sub
sided. it left a thick layer of mud and
mountain of wreckage, only part OF
which had been consumed by fire and
the relief corps was handicapped by
tremendous difficulties in searching
the debris for the dead.
Adding to the desolate scene and the
general element Of woe was the grief
of stricken families who sought to
break through the line Of soldiers and
hunt for missing loved ones.
Police Kind. but Firm.
Scenes too pathetic for adequate de
scription and too fraught. with tn"
panic of despair for adequate descrip-
ton were common along the guarding
Gordon Of troops. The cOnstabulary
were armed with service revolvcrs
and ball cartridges for use in emerg
ency, but their kindness toward the
flood victims was strongly in contrast
with the sternness of their accouter
ments.
1t will take days before the search
OF the mountains of wreckage is com
pleteh and it may take days before Il
definite and authentic death list of the
toll eXacted by flood and fire is pre-
pared. In the meantime stories of gal
liant rescues and heroic risk of life to
warn the menaced townspeople are
being circulated.
1t is a safe hazard that the allotment
of Carnegie hero medals will reach
more than one survivor of the disaster
Many women and children have fall
en- i'll from exposure and Samuel G.
Dixon, state health officer of Pennsy!.
vanie. who is on the scene. has made
arrangements for many of the stricken
to be cared for in Costello. a village
five miles from Austin. which escaped
devastation from the Torrent.