The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1911-10-05
Bursting of Dam Sends
Flood Over Penn
sylvania Town
FLAMES FOLLOW
Bursting of Gas Mains Igni;es
Buildings Left by
Water

water
:. Austin. Pu.-A food famine is
threatened here because survivors of
the flooded town refuse to leave the
spot where relatives and friends are
lying dead or injured.
The distribution of food has been
undertaken by the state police and
health authorities.
The number of dead is estimated
mt from one hundred to two hundred.
the number being cut down very
largely after the first reports were
sent ont.
Two Investigations arc under way
to fix criminal responsibility for the
Hood. w. Everett Van Vert of New
York. manager of the Emporium
company, owners of the dam, admits
that as long as IL year ago officials of
the company knew that the dam
might give way at any time.
Austin probably will never he re-
built. There will be 10 new dam
and therefore no mills and no indus.
try for the town. Five years after
the origin of the town % wears AGO.
it was practically destroyed by fire
and sixteen years ago fire again al
most destroyed the place. After the
three disasters that have overwhelm.
ed the city. its population is not in.
clincd to rebuild.
Story of Disaster.
Austin, PA town OF 5000 resi-
dents in the northern part Of the
state was swept out of existence
saturday and more than 200 of its
people We're killed by a flood which
followed the breaking of the Bayless
Pulp and Paper company's dam, a
mile and a half north OF the town.
Almost 100000 600 gallons of
water rushed oyer the place in a wall
ten feet high, wrecking every struc-
ture in its path.
Fears that the towns of Costello
and Wharton, also in the path of the
flood, had been destroyed were en-
pressed today by those familiar with
the lay of the country.
Lives Lost at CutscllO.
1t was learned definitely That the
Hood caused heavy loss of life and
property in Costello, but the extent
OF the damage could not be ascertain
ed until reports had been received
from messengers hurried to the
scene. Costello had about 500 in
habitants. Wharton. a smaller town.
was also reported to have sustained
heavy damage.
In Austin the bursting of scores of
natural gas mains after the buildings
were swept away added fire to the
general horror of the flood, and
hundreds of those imprisoned in the
"feckage We're burned to death.
The contents of the great dam,
which was filled to overlooking by
the heavy rains of two weeks, swept
through a natural gorge in which the
towns of Austin and Costello were
situated. While of the residents Aus
tin ran to the hills bordering the
town, the warning given by the Bay
less mill whistles was too brief for
Hundreds Of others.
Parallels Jolnstown Flood.
The catastrophe paralleled in many
respects the destruction of Johns
town, Pa, in 1889, in which more
than $500 lives were lost.
The extent of the loss of life and
the destruction of property cannot be
known for several days. The prop
erty loss will surely be several mil
lion dollars.
Within an hour of the first general
knowledge of the calamity special
trains bearing physicians, nurses and
food supplies were on the way to the
scene. Hundreds of ambulances
bearing rescuers also toiled over the
rough and tortuous mountain roads
to lend aid. The food supply of the
town was destroyed and immediate
aid to survivors is urgent.
Hundreds of those who escaped
were seriously injured in the collapse
of their homes and the panic of the
rush for safety.
The intense heat of fire sweeping
from the natural gas mains made it
impossible for rescuers to visit the
scene of destruction for many hours.