Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1911-10-07
GREAT Loss OF LIFE
Big DAM OF WATER KILLED
OYER 200 PEOPLE WHEN
1T BROKE AWAY.
The Town of Austin, Pa, Scene of
Terrible Calamity-Flood Hit Bust
ness Center and Few People Had
Chance to Escape-.Town of Costello
Also Swept AWAY.

Austin, Pa.-More than 500 persons
were drowned and many others were
injured when the dam of the Bayless
Pulp and Paper company, holding back
more than 5OO,OOO,OOO gallons of water,
went out Saturday. A wall of water
swept over the city with its 5000 in
habitants.
Hundreds of women and children
the men were away at work-were
caught in their homes and drowned or
crushed before they knew what had
happened. Houses went down before
the mighty onrush of water and gas
pipes, bent and broken, released their
dangerous fluid.
Before the water had passed on It's
terrible course through the town, a
dozen fires were burning in as many
places, and the cries of the injured
and imprisoned persons joined in the
terrific thunder of the flood.
Fire RACES Fiercely.
Much of the debris lodged against
the shops of the Buffalo 4 Susque-
hanna railroad and there the fire
ragged fercely. Many men were caught
here and it is believed that few, if any,
escaped with their lives.
The course of the flood was through
the business center of the little vii
lage. A majority of the buildings were
of wood and those which were not i'm
mediately wrecked by the torrent were
soon in flames.
So sudden was the onslaught OF
waters that many had no time to flee
to the hills, but others received the
warning and believing there was a fire
FASTENED to the center of the town
only to be caught in the flood and
swept away.
Houses Are Crushed.
The flood passed quickly, leaving
sesolation in its wake. Houses haC
been crushed and tossed about Xix,
toys, while hundreds of bodies hat
been carried down on the crest of thu
surging torrent. With the passage O.
the water, those who had fled to tn,
mills FASTENED to return to their home
in search of relatives and friends
Here and there bodies had been cas-
along the path of the torrent, ant
about 40 bodies were recovered in
short time. Some of them had been s.
badly battered by the tossing debri
that they were beyond recognition
while others had been carried alons
with no apparent injury. Many wer
caught in burning buildings and it vii
be days before the real extent of tn
calamity will be known.
Recovery of Bodies.
One hundred and sixty bodies ar
reported found at midnight. Report
from Costello say the town has bee
washed away with a part of the in
mense plant of the Penn Tannin
company. Nothing has been hear
from Wharton, although it coul
scarcely have escaped, as the valley
very narrow between Costello an
that point.
Governor John Tener has bee
asked for help and a relief train
en- the way from Coudersport, IA mile
away.
The survivors are in frenzy. Thel
is no organization, the town bein
dazed by the force of the calamit,
which came without momen
warning. Burgess Michael Burn hi
not been located, and it is feared
has been drowned.
Hundreds of men, women and chi
dren are searching through the ruin
of the village for their families an
friends. The only light is the glai
of the hundreds of houses whiC
caught fire from broken gas pipes q
most before the food mad passed
odd Fellows hall, in the southel
part of Austin, has been opened al
food is being distributed to the dest
tute. Seven bridges across Freem;
run ave been swept away.
Chaos reigned from the moment Il
mighty wall of water tore throus
the town and there viii be no reli
until help comes from surroundiI
towns. Meantime many bodies lie
the wake of the food.
The dam was built two years ag
The town of Wharton is safe.
Costello, which was a settlement
about 35 to 40 houses, was almost COZ
pletely wiped out, only half doz
houses being left standing. There
no estimate of the number of perso
who lost their lives at Costello, but
is not believed to have been large.
A man in an automobile with
megaphone rushed down the vail
and through Costello warning the pc
pie, most of whom are said to ha
fed to the hills.
Later Report.
Snrvirnrs still heing rescued FRI