The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-10-05
/ tree Score Drouned
H BY Breaking of Dam
H Dns SsOept ADoy by Raging Torrent and Near-
II " q Hundred Dead
IRE FOLLOWS FLOOD, MANY BURNED
GREAT DAM BREAKS AND VOL UMEs WATER RUSH DOWN
CATCHING UNsJsPECTING INHABITANTS LIKE RATS IN



roar that could be heard for miles,
Inc great dam of the Bayless
Pulp and Paper Company, at Aus
tin, fourteen miles from here, went
out at 2.30 O'Clock this afternoon.
Forty bodies had been recovered
from the ruins when darkness came
this evening and it is estimated
that fully los more are unaccount-
ed for and are believed to be dead
The dam, which was five hundred
and thirty feet long and forty-nine
feet high, was thirty-two feet thick
at the base and held back more
than five hundred million gallons
of water. For the first time since
Its construction, two years ago, the
water was running over the top to-
day, and many persons went out
from Austin, a mile and a half away
to see the unusual sight.
Dam Breaks Without Warning.
They were Mortified when a sec
tion about twenty feet wide gave
way on the west side. A great vol
ume of water poured through the
hole and the alarm was quickly
sounded. People ran for their
lives to the hills nearby but some
Were caught in the. flood and
, whirled down the valley. A mo-
ment later another break occurred,
this time on the east side. 1t was
much greater than the first and
permitted the bulk of the water
behind it to rush in a mighty vol
ume toward the lowlands.
Harry Davis, a locomotive engi-
neer, of this place, reached tele-
phone and notified the operator at
the exchange. She called as many
persons as possible but the time was
short and the raging flood tore
down the little valley, carrying
death on its debris-covered crest.
No Chance for Safety.
So sudden was the onslaught of
water that many persons had no
time to flee to the hills, but 9th
ers received the warning and hear
ing the fire bell, fastened to the
center of the town, only to be
The flood passed quickly, leaving
desolatiofa in its wake. Houses had
been crushed and tossed about like
toys, while hundreds of bodies had
been carried down on the crest OF
the surging torrent
With the passing of the water,
those who had fled to the hills
hastened to return to their ruined
homes in search of relatives and
friends. Here and there bodies
had been cast UP along the path of
the torrent and about forty bodies
were recovered in a short time.
Some of them had been so badly
battered by the tossing debris that
they were beyond recognition, while
others had been carried along with
no apparent injury. Many were
caught in burning buildings, and it
will be days before the real ex-
tent of the calamity will be known.
1t is believed no less than 200 per-
sons perished, and some estimates
are higher.
In describing the flood Engineer
Davis said:
Eye-Witness's Graphic Story.
There was nothing to indicate
that the dam was about to give
away with a sharp report a hole
appeared in the west end. In a
moment water poured through, and
it was Immediately seen that the
hole was getting larger. In a min
ute it was twenty feet wide and
extended almost the entire height
of the dam. Then there was an
other report, and the whole struc-
ture seemed giving away.
al fled to the nearest high
ground, and persons scattered In
every direction. 1t was apparent
that the great body of water be-
hind the dam was going out. Some
were caught and before 1 could tell
what was happening the water was
tearing down Freeman Run, a wall
fifty feet feet high, and sweeping
everything before 1t.
"The sound was deafening.
rushed to a telephone and called
central in Austin. She did not
have much time to telephone the
alarm, but think she did her best.
1 guess she Is dead. 1 have not
heard anything about her since.
Fire Follows Flood.
when / entered Austin what
saw was an awful sight. The wa
ter had torn through the place, TAX
ing all the principal buildings and
crushing houses like egg shells.
Then the fire broke out. The
&imbers and sides were soon in
flames. How many 1 cannot say,
bat there was no way to help them.
They were probably burned to
death. / have not seen any of them
since.
81 don't know how the fire start
ed, but 1t seemed as though it be-
gan in a score of places at once. l
looked for the Bank of Austin, but
1t was gone, swept away L guess, be-
cause / did not see it burning.
But the worst of all were the
cries of the women and children.
Most of the men were at work and
they were at home alone. Many