Inside 70 Years Later, The Remaining Paper Mill And Dam After The Austin Disaster
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 เม.ย. 2023
- I do not encourage anyone to enter culverts, unclog anything, or enter flooded areas as it can easily become deadly without the proper training
I unclog drains for fun in my spare time (I have been trained in culvert inspections for years with private co.) and I am osha trained.
Exploring anything abandoned can be dangerous or deadly without experience. I don't encourage anyone to enter any abandoned structures. Not only is safety a concern, but often times its illegal, and when possible I seek out permission from the owner or local police. I simply go to document its history before it's gone forever and I leave things the way I find them. I only take pictures and only leave footprints. I assume all the risks and responsibility before doing this. Please don't attempt to do this on your own. There could be nails, asbestos, falling concrete, soft floors, animals, or other hazards. Thanks for watching.
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This was shown in a UK documentary - Abandoned Engineering. From what I can remember from that episode, the ground was soft and the water managed to undermine the actual dam from under the ground. The people who also built the dam cut corners in building the dam
I remember watching this here in the UK
Your best ever! I've had a strong interest in the Austin Dam failure since I was a kid. A few thoughts: The mill structure was much better built than the dam, as your video shows well. Bayless, the developer, knew how to build a paper mill, but he had no idea how to build a dam. Regarding the water conduits in the plant, the water from the dam was less to provide any sort of power than to facilitate the paper-making process, which is very water-intensive.
George Bayless needed the dam to provide water during the dry periods, typically August, September, October. He intended to do in on the cheap, and cheap it was. Bayless hired T. Chalkley Hatton to design it; Hatton had never designed a dam before. The structure was built deficient in myriad ways, several of which you noted in your video. There was woefully inadequate rebar in the dam and down into the rock base. Bayless cut corners by dumping the boulders you saw into the structure and pouring concrete over them. This saved on concrete, but made for a weaker structure. Worse, Bayless continued pouring concrete in freezing weather in November and December. If wet concrete freezes, it never correctly cures and the next layer does not adhere properly.
The original plans called for a four-foot wooden splash-board atop the dam to prevent waves or debris going over the dam in times of high water. Bayless saw this as an opportunity to increase the dam's capacity, and instead of wooden boards, raised the entire dam by four feet. This doesn't sound like much, but it increased the amount of water held by 25%. When Hatton found out, he threatened to withdraw from the project, but Bayless talked him out of it.
One of the worst decisions by Bayless was to save $1500 by refusing to put in a valve at the bottom of the dam to control the water level. The pipe is there (east side, under the second standing slab) and visible in low water. However, Bayless simply had the outlet covered with thick planks and it was of no use.
In 1910, before the concrete had a chance to cure fully, heavy runoff filled the dam over capacity. The eastern section slid 18 inches at the base and bowed 30 inches at the top. Since there was no way to lower the water level, dynamite was used to blow two large gaps at the top and to blow the cover off the outlet pipe. This likely introduced severe cracks in the structure. The dam was then repaired and allowed to fill before failing in September 1911.
Any geologist, hydrologist, or engineer would have ruled out building a dam ANYWHERE on Freeman Run. The local geology is a series of layers of shale, sandstone, clay, limestone, coal, etc. It is highly prone to water intrusion. Indeed, even before the failure, serious leaks were seen on both ends and in front of the dam.
The final report on the failure cited several causes for the failure, including those above. The main cause was that the substrate below the dam was a series of layers of stone and shale. Under pressure, water was forced into the shale and both "lubricated" the shale, and lifted the dam itself. The structure then slid forward and failed catastrophically, apparently at the various cracks you noted. In times of low water, you can see that the first layer of rock is still attached to base of the eastern slab.
Sad fact: Bayless was sued for damages, but the Potter County jurors absolved him using the rationale that since Bayless lost his paper mill in the disaster, he was a victim as well.
Sorry if this was a little long.
Awesome additional added Information on Post's video Terry... You and Post should hook up and work together...! Interesting information to know about this damn thanks!!!👍👍
@@-ray-h Thank you Ray! It's very impressive to see it in person.
Very interesting! Thank you for the information! 🙂
Thanks for telling us what Paul Harvey might have called "The rest of the story". Very interesting!
Thanks for taking the time and sharing such interesting details.
Those big cylinders and tiled area are the "digesters" shown in a sign earlier. Break down wood in to pulp for paper.
Thank you! That makes so much sense now, I was scratching my head trying to figure out the curvature and way the tunnels necked down was making absolutely no sense to me from a power generation perspective!!! 👍
I was thinking tiles maybe to speed the water flow up but then I thought nahhh the water pressure would blow then tiles right off! Thanks for explanation.
I could see streams of woodchips running though there, letting the water do the heavy lifting. A lot cheaper than conveyor belts as well.
Hi
Cool video. I understand that those tiled chambers were the Liqour Resevoirs for the large cylindrical Pulp Digesters above. The Liquor was the active ingredient that was used in what was known as the 'Kraft Process' (US patent 1884) to separate the useful celulose from the unwanted lignin wood chip fibres. At the end of a 'cooking' sesssion. The Liquour was drained through filters to collect the valuable celulose pulp and the remaining Liquor was then collected in the resevoirs to be reduced and treated with Lime, ready for the next cooking session. The ceramic tiles were just a cheap (repairable) resevour lining to protect the outer concrete casing from the hot causic Liquor. Those small former pressure-sealed access panels that you climbed through were used to access the lower part of the resevoir to remove accumlated unwanted sedimentary desidues.
Great details, thanks.
The weird looking bricks are structural teracotta tile. Basically a precursor to modern cinder blocks or CMUs. They were widely used in early to mid 20th century buildings, but mostly for interior partition walls that would be plastered or tiled over with finish materials.
Another great video. The beaver lodge in the basement was mind-blowing. As were the stalactites. My son and I explored an abandoned castle here in KY and two doe's each with fawn were using the summer kitchen as a bedding space. Thank you for all the work you put into your videos.
I wish I was as persuasive and confident as the person that successfully convinved the town to allow that 2nd dam to be built.
Wow. I have never seen a beaver lodge inside a building. (well, it's abandoned, but still.) Absolutely cool 😎! great location, great video, thanks posty. btw: nice video quality! take care...
Hey Post! Ever think of getting a drone so that you can safely explore some of the more sketchy/unstable structures in the future? Love the vids. Stay safe man 💪
Thank you for making this video! My father took my son and I along on a trip to Port Allegheny (where he was born and lived till around age 11) back in the early 1970's and one of the things we saw was the Austin Dam. I don't recall the little park, so that must have been added since; there was just a place to pull off the road and get out of the car to look at those enormous chunks of concrete and maybe a sign telling what they were. The size of this is mind-boggling. The rest of the video is amazing too; imagine the genius beaver who thought to build a lodge in a building! I always watch your Pennsylvania videos because my roots are there on both sides of the family and I get to relive bits of my childhood when we'd go visit. Thanks again!!
I highly recommend visiting the Wallkill Rail Trail and Widow Jane Mine in Rosendale NY. The railroad and minining history there is incredible and explorable. 🎉
Loved this! I live by 6 towns that were flooded for years from the Des Moines river. They finally put up a dam in 1969. It’s now hydroelectric.
You're from Iowa right
@@chaselong996 yes. Lake Red Rock
Awesome video posty! The dam size is initially deceptive. Is great that there's no vandalism of the shelter and pictures!
WOW, that beaver lodge!
This was very interesting. Thanks for tsking me along on another adventure. I used to do this kind of exploring when I was young ; of course way back then there was no internet or digital cameras, there was just me, a sack lunch, and a kodak. I didn't do anywhere near as much exploring as you do. Now, I'm getting older and my legs aren't what they used to be, so it's a lot of fun going with you and seeing places I've never seen before. Stay safe in your adventures, and I look forward to the next one!
The funny thing is a Madam from a Brothel, which was located upstream of the town, saw the failure coming and warned the town, saving many lives.
Yeah that’s hilarious
@@bigcally5567 the townsmen were her bread n butter, can't just let em all get hurt.
I grew up in Delaware and remember this being taught when I was in fourth grade. I also checked a book out about it and it was terrible how a whole town could be wiped out! 😢
one of the better youtube channes out there well worth the watch as always
30:26 I’m curious about these spaces too. It doesn’t make sense to me that they would have tiled for water, but I can’t imagine what it’s use is.
This place was super cool.
Beaver lodge!!
Check out 41 Miles to Empty's comment further down..seems those are 'digesters' where wood was soaked to break it down into pulp. Very interesting! Would explain the tiling and design of the tunnels.
I recently moved to PA and live less than 2 hours south of Austin. Thank you post 10 for bringing this to my attention. I'm going to bring the grandkids here for a camping trip.
I have lived in Austin my whole life...been in there many times but there's parts of that mill that you explored that I was never in....great video.
One of your best abandoned explorations ever! Thanks for taking us with you!
Thanks for taking me along on your adventure! It was awesome and a tiny bit scary peeking into things without a clue as to what we’d see. You’re a good man! Linda
I lived in that area for 2 years and never heard of that dam. Thanks for checking it out and for sharing. The next time I'm in the area I will check it out as well.
Hey post!(: hope you have a good weekend. Weather is beautiful here this weekend in south texas. Binging you this morning.
Thanks a bunch!! I LOVE the indoor beaver lodge!!! Interesting how the mortar is outlasting the concrete too. That was a fun exploration!
Bro I really enjoy seeing all these places you go explore. Places I've never heard of, places lost to time. So awesome. Please be safe out there when you're by yourself ✌️😁
Awesome video! That mind blowing beaver lodge inside the building definitely gives rise to even more questions that will require a different kind of exploring to provide answers. I love the variety of videos. Thanks!❤❤❤
I can't believe how good of shape those pillars are in!!
Always fascinating seeing trees growing on almost nothing, sending roots through the cracks, slowly grinding everything down to sand.
I got some post apocalyptic vibes from this one, could be a level in a video game. Very cool video.
This is one of your coolest videos! Thank you, it's beautiful 😍
Thank you so much post 10! You have honestly thought me SO MUCH, I’ve learned so much from you. I really appreciate it all your videos and all the time you put into all your videos!! Keep up the good work😁❤️!
I love going on road trips with you! You make everything so interesting!
That was a nice explore. Your excitement at seeing the underground beaver lodge is just one of the reasons we watch you
That River looks like a pretty good fishing spot too but there's definitely a lot of history there and the beavers have definitely made themselves at home at the abandoned Mill in the basement
EXCELLENT VIDEO - AGAIN. WELL DONE! Thank you from UK, London
This was so interesting, and it is great the all those ruins have been left there. It's always nice to see and hear history that many of us will never get the chance to otherwise learn about so thank you so much!
Wow that is an impressive site to see. Especially being able to get so close. Very cool to see. Both the dam and mill.
Just WOW!
So crazy!
I live just South West of this area about 2 hours.
Thank you dude for coming to this area and showing this.
Just amazing.
I love this type of exploration videos you do. You give a lot of details and history behind it! 👍
Awesome video man. I have driven by there a few times on my delivery route. I thought it would be a great place to explore but you’ve done it for me. Thanks for the tour.
I enjoyed this video. It was fun trying to picture how it all looked back then. Thanks for taking us to all the many interesting places you go. Places I wouldn't get to see otherwise.
Loving the still shots at the end. Love seeing these parts of America. I’ve never been to America before. So it’s awesome seeing your videos
Maybe next time you can use a drone to explorer unsafe locations, in this case you can use it for the tower what is now unreachedble for exploring. Great video.
Again, another fantastic video. Thank you for sharing such great content ❤
You always find the most interesting things to film that makes your channel so great!
You always scare me, be careful!!! Love the adventures.
I've been there. To a festival. They had projectors pointed at the dam. It was pretty rad. My buddy Bryan brought me there. RIP Wagz. You were one of the best.
every time you post it's a gem, thank you for being awesome
Thank you Post-10 for showing the the awsome history of my GREAT state of Pennsylvania!!!! you're always welcome here!
Shows just why you never underestimate water and nature in general. Great video Post 10. Have a few days off I'm having a post 10 video marathon thanks for the entertaining content.
Thank you! Enjoy your adventures!
Top shelf content right here! Postie you've done it again 💯🥇🏆
Love the video! 13:30. You always amaze me in both directions!
Wow fantastic video indeed and so interesting and that Beaver Lodge stole the show. Cheers M8 as i bet many of us were gasping in what you did.
Another sweet adventure! Thanks for sharing Post!
That was incredible!! Thanks for sharing!
I live in SW Pa. and enjoyed you,this place and area very much! Thank you🙏😎🖼
Fascinating place…..Thanks for sharing 👏🏻👏🏻
This is cool, I’d love to see it in person. I’d love to see what it looked like when it was in operation too. It’d be interesting to know what the people who worked here would think of it now, they’re probably all long gone though.
In those kind of places, a small drone would be very useful I guess, like peeking in the top of the tower.
Awesome video, pretty sketchy were you were walking, be careful.
Great video and discovery Post 10 I'll definitely have to come over here to check these out sometime in the future There's definitely a alot of history there
Great video with fantastic photos at the end. Thanks.
Excellent video Posty!!
That's some nice exploration! Thanks for sharing.
Love watching these explorations. I feel like I'm on a road trip too
When you were looking at the paper mill pics you mentioned glare - if you are interested in reducing glare check out a polarizing filter. They are pretty cool for getting rid of reflections on glass and water, makes quite a difference and it's kind of cool to see through the surface of the water on a bright day.
You can get round ones that you just rotate when you need it.
Great video and l liked those pictures at the very end of video!👍
Went out there a year or so ago, a lot to see there. Had a great time exploring the dam and the pulp mill
Another awesome adventure. Those beavers make to most of every opportunity, unbelievably so in this instance. Those dams seemed poorly engineered to break as they did. Thanks for taking us along.
21:18 „… it looks like it‘s stabil …“😳😂
Wow! What a fantastic and spooky video! Especially the beaver lodge! Amazing!
Thanks for taking us with you.
All the best for you and ghost10❤
Here in The Netherlands we don't really have any abandoned buildings. They all get teared down due to high plot prices.
We do have castles though!
Thank you for sharing this! Really cool!
"Excellent video!
👍🇺🇸.
Thank you for making and sharing this!"
Really cool! Thanks for sharing your adventures!
I like the action replays of you crossing the stream/climbing the stairs, lol. Made me a little nervous with the stairs, but you've climbed worse and have a good sense of what's dangerous in these situations. The shots of the first basement area were beautiful with the green/blue water! And the find of the beaver lodge completely unexpected. Your videos make me miss PA so much, the trees and forests, even the cold and the rain. XD
Awesome exploration!
Great exploration video!
Post 10 I love watching all your videos especially the old buildings you explore. Since watching Jon Levi videos on TH-cam about how these old buildings were built I now see it all so differently
brilliant video , post taking us to places we could never go to , thanks post .
Very interesting as always. Many thanks.
Nice ! 👍Thanx for taking us along. You don´t see this cool stuff over here in Germany !
Kinda creepy, but also fascinating. And your enthusiasm and sense of wonder are infectious; thanks for taking us along!
Another great episode from you❤❤❤
Always Interesting. Thank You ! and You Have A Great Day TOO !
That was excellent. You certainly have some fascinating industrial archaeology in your part of the world.
That beaver dam moment was like Ripley finding the alien queen!
I love when you send the video out
What a awesome site. Wow, love seeing relics of the past. This one was awesome. Big lodge, why not, nobody to bug them. Think it's active? I bet it was the beavers who flooded the basement. Awesome Postie and thanks.
Welcome to Pennsylvania! Been to the Austin Dam remnants a few times, about 69 miles northeast of me, cool place.
Such a sketchy but very cool place!! Loved the explores, would be very interesting to see a schematic of how that mill worked!
Really great video 😊
Great video stay safe post .good vibes from the UK
Very interesting video Post 🥰👍😊 Thanks as always. I pray that you stay safe on these cool adventures 🙏
Great presentation!!!
It's so great to see you exploring the Dam Ruins and the Paper Mill. My parents were both born and raised in Austin so I have explored both areas as a kid myself. They told me that in the winter, if the water was exceptionally high when it froze, that many of them would actually ice skate in the basement down there! Glad you got to enjoy some history in God's Country!
Good one. Interesting history.
Thanks Post!
👍👍👍👊😎
Post, I really appreciate you showing us the adventures you go on! Found your channel 2 years back now looking for box culvert videos. I work at a precast concrete plant for 30 years now and I would love to show pictures of the box culverts And everything else but unfortunately it's against company policy and I could lose my job. 😞 anyway thanks a bunch for the entertainment!
That wasnt a beaver lodge, it was a big foot nest!!!!! Another fantastic video, keep up the good work
“That is a pretty big hole!”
-post10 2023
Also post if you like exploring places like this, have you heard of Martin Zero? He’s in the uk. I bet you would like his videos. He doesn’t unclog stuff but he really likes exploring culverts and very old waterways.
This is so cool awesome video 👍👍✌🏻