The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-06 00:00:00

COURSE OF EXCHANGE.

Amsterdam Short ... 12 1 4 ... 12 14
Do
.31s 12 8 ... 12 34
Rotterdam... — ... 12 3 ... 12 34
Antwerp — ... 25 374 ... 25 45
Brussols
Hamburg a — ... 132.11 ... 13 114
Paris
Ditto
Marseilles
Frankfort-on-the-Main ... 1204 ... 1204
V lentil% — ... 12 70 ... 12 80
Trieste — ... 12 70 ... 12 80
Petersburg
20
Copenhagen.. ........
Berlin
Madrid..
Cadiz — ... 49 ... 49
Leghorn
Milan — ... 26 474 ... 26 65
Genoa — ... 26 475 .., 26 55.
Naples . — ... 26 47i ... 26 55
'7i

Palermo — ... 2G 47 ... 26 55
Messina
Lisbon — ... 54 ••• 52f
Oporto — ... 52f ... 52f
Rio Janeiro — ... - ••• -
New York

A CITI SWEPT AWAY BY A FLOOD

The San Francisco Bulletin gives the follow ing
particulars, written by an eye-witness, of the de-
struction of the Mexican city, Alamos, Sonora, by

a flood :
The agony we have all gone through within the
past few days is impossible to describe. Probably
you have heard ere this that the city of Alamos
is in ruins ; but as you may not have heard all
the particulars, I will give you what I know. On
the 15th of December it commenced to rain,
and on the 16th a genuine wind and rain storm set
in, lasting until the 18th. It seemed as if the very
flood gates of heaven had opened, and that a second
deluge was upon the world. The wind, too, roared
with dreadful fury, and all the elements seemed
combined for some dreadful carnage. We little
saw what was in store for our beautiful city.
But soon the tale was told and the destruction
was complete. The storm lasted until late on
the evening of the 18th. During its continuance
it appeared as if no human being could live within
its reach. The Alamos river was swollen to a
great height, and, in its wild, headlong course
carried everything before it. liouses.were swept
away like so many straws, and whole blocks of
buildings were thrown down like so many rotten
trees. The wind was no less terrible than the
water. Houses were unroofed and blown to
shatters ; tiles and like material were scattered
through the air like chaff ; and strong trees were
uprooted as if they had been cornstalks. The best
part of the city is totally destroyed. About the
only buildings saved worthy of mention are the
Mint, the church, and the old state college.
These stood on high grounds, and this
advantage, with their solidity, saved them.
Dr. Hill, an American resident, had three houses
carried away, and is a loser to the amount of about
$lO,OOO. T. Robinson Burns, an American, doing a
banking business here, had his banking-house
swept away. Others have suffered severely.
The loss of life had been quite large. Sixty
dead bodies have been picked up ; some of
them were mangled fearfully, and could scarcely
be recognised. Many of the bodies were
found miles down the river. Undoubtedly
the number will be largely increased by other un-
fortunate ones. I had written these few lines
hurriedly, but do not attempt to describe or explain
the most extraordinary:phenomena of a two hours'
severe whirlwind and deluge. The ruined city of
Alamos was the Athens of North-western Mexico,
or, at least, had that reputation. At the tune of
its destruction it contained a population of about
7,000 Bolds.
he