Boulder citizens living in the lowlands on the banks of Boulder Creek were thrown into a fever of excitement yesterday afternoon by horseback riders sent out to warn the people that a flood of water was coming down the canon. As a result, many of the people dwelling in that district made haste to reach surrounding high places and large crowds of disinterested citizens gathered on the bridges to watch the water on its mad rush through the city. As there were no means of verifying the report, Chief Fonda of the fire department, and Bob Donald, street commissioner, set a large force of men to work with spikes to save the bridges in the city and dispatched riders into the lowlands. Water Superintendent W. W. Wells and his assistant immediately drove up the canon and shut off the city water supply at the intake, six miles above this city in order to keep dirty water from getting into the local reservoirs. The water came from a cloudburst on Sugar Loaf Mountain and was conveyed down Bummer Gulch to Boulder Creek.
Little damage is reported as having been done.
The Eastern Colorado Power Company lost a bridge at its first camp and the Colburn mill at the foot of Bummer Gulch was damaged a little. The Bleeker Reduction Works were damaged to some extent and the Preston Mill in which the reduction works are situated was badly undermined by the rushing waters. Outside of this, little damage has been reported. The Denver, Boulder and Western was delayed at Crisman for six hours, while a large force of men were repairing the track between Ordell and Langel, which was badly washed and covered with sand. A relief train was sent from Boulder to transfer the passengers so that they could reach this city.