Evening star., 1942-07-19
Flash Flood browns
Several Persons in
Central Pennsylvania
Upper Allegheny River
Does Untold Domoee
In Mexican County
Hy the Associated Press.

Hy the Associated Press.
PORT ALLEGANY, Pa, July 18.-
A flash flood by the Upper ALE
gany River struck this central Penn.
sylvania town of 2,l96 population to.
day. causing untold damage anc
drowning several persons"
This town in Mexican County ap-
peared the hardest hit as the river
overf1owed its banks in Mexican ano
Potter Counties on the New YORK
State border. The town of Austin
l,116 population. as we'll as Brad
ford, Coudersport, Eldred j Johnson-
burg Roulette, Emporium ano
Smethport all reported business
places and homes flooded before the
water began to recede.
Motorists were reported stranded
on Route 6 near Coudersport. Penn
sylvania Railroad officials reported
several washouts, making a detou1
necessary over the Baltimore & Ohio
tracks to Dubois.
All means of communications with
Port Allegany broke down for sew
eral hours, but later Deputy Sheriff
John Pfel reported by ( telephone
that several persons" drowned and
fires caused by short circuits had
destroyed at least five homes" and
the Free Methodist Church.
Many Trapped on Island.
Mr. Pfiel said one of the victims
had been identified as Mrs. Mar
garet O'Connor. TO- who died of a
heart attack when her home was
swept off it's foundation by the
high water.
Earlier Mrs. Mary Teeter, post
master, had reported in a call to
postal inspectors at Williamsport
that the greater part of the town
was under 8 to 10 feet of water.
She and two clerks had to cut hole
through a first floor ceiling of the
postofflce to escape drowning.
Mr. Pfiel said many of $50 persons
attending a camp meeting on an
island in the Allegheny River were
trapped by the flood.
Il think that some must have
drowned, but we have no bodies as
yet" he said. Every effort is being
made to determine by recount
how many, if any, are missing"
Our water supply Is cut off and
lhere is terrific need for typhoid
vaccine" he added. Gas and elec-
tricity were also shut off
Dam at Austin Breaks.
Emil Ketchel, 81. was killed by a
k4l ~ oh Of
State Motor Policeman William
Early said at Williamsport that the
dam at Austin-scene of historic
flood disaster on September 30, 1911,
when 800 persons were drowned
had broken at IL am. and that at
least 800 persons had been evacuated
from their homes.
The water released by the broken
dam carried everything before it,
including many thousands of logs
and an engine and cars. This de-
bris swept houses off their founda-
tions and against the business
places on the main street. Water
mains, electric and telephone lines
were destroyed. Red Cross rolling
kitchens were hurried to the town
to help feed 1000 persons.
G. Albert Stewart, secretary of
forests and waters, and chairman
of the State Emergency Flood Com
mittee, said rescue crews and boats
were dispatched to the stricken
areas from Williamsport, Olean and
Lock Haven, in addition to Coast
Guard crews from Erie and Buffalo.
Red Cross units were sent from
Bradford.
Fifty families were evacuated
from their homes at Coudersport.
In Bradford homes on seven streets
were reported to have three and
four feet Of water on their first
floors.