New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-23
GREAT FLOOD or THE COLORADO

DETAILS OF THE INUNDATION IN TEXAS-IM-
MRNSE DAMAGE-SUFFERING-rHE FREED
MEN.
We gather tho following particulars of the
recent floods IN tho Colorado River In Texas from tho
Galveston Bulletin On the 9th of July the following
message was sent from La Grange, Texas; "Tremen-
dous rise In the Colorado River higher than the great
rise OF 1884, The first street toward the river Is ten rect
under water. The water has just reached the
public square. The merchants are moving their
goods TO tho second stories, and families are
moving to the further side Of town. All the
valley farms are submerged Old settlers es-
innate the damage million and half or two million
dollars In the valley several houses were seen nUa n
tinues rising by actual measurement, at two rect an
hour" on the 1oh the operator reached ms once ~ ma
town. The Colorado presented tho appearance OF
vast Tho rise OF water was as REMARK
party Of gentlemen out on hunting excursion n
the COLORADO bottom e rise was s 50 bsa1Ses "u e
where they remained two days before they were reevea
sent out for their relief Grange appears to be have
been the principal point OF interest letter from Una.
details Five-siIths OF La Grange Is under water Inc
Colorado commenced to rise about week ago Yes
reported. Hundreds OF people assembled TO watch
tho rise. 1t continued to rise at about Two zee.
minutes. As the town is good half mile from the bank
Of the river, but little fears were entertained Az
and banks and commenced running Ia the nrst street
The mark OF the great Hood IN 1857 was ~ tue u
per side OF the street As the public square about ten
feet higher than this street. it was not thought that tho
water would 60 over It, The s GSIOT fsSes, nx Tsrs
Seen going by report came that troI negro s s
one q the 9aG land sd after
puppy and in trying TO save the dog was drowned AZ
went TO supper and the boarding house GU the third
street. We went down over dry land BY this time the
We ot supper the water broke into the yard After
eating. and starting back to the square, we found
carried their goods TO the second stories, and
families in the lower edge of town h,,,a
after o'clock CONSERVATION prevailed In La Grange The
Tssf end beyond S wagon. Carrying and c
dren TO hills hurrying through the streets
rTyjnG about some as is the case in every emergency
that calls for GOODNESS were drunk little after O'Clock
we loaded the stage in the water In our drive out we
passed through three feet deep On reaching
the hills we camped. AT this time the hills presented
Gn e The toadC
who remained, thinking y would certainly sub.
ming water the square. Men on horseback were GO
The water ve 20 eight feet deep the square
and business portion OF the town. rapid current going
houses below the Fred Tate house swept away The
houses OF two streets on west side OF town are swept
specie. Yesterday placed the estimate at s2oooOOO
lost in the Colorado Valley. That Is too
cite, Colorado Wharton, and Matagorda Counties have
swept by bosom OF destruction The crops, the
finest ever seen, gone. Fences Matagorda
and In many places not vesge Of plantations is
The old Colorado IS feet above ordinary water mark
The teegraphic wires for miles between here and Austin
arc 20 feet under water The backwater OF the
creeks here backed miles Old Texans will understand
when we add that the river Is from "post-oak
postoak" IL Is 10 feet higher than the famous rise OF
1884, and four feet higher than the great OF 1884,
RumOr has 1t that n large portion OF the town
Of Bastrop destroyed The worst feature u.s. that 1900
men, laborers, thrown out Of employment and
left In restitution The planters are ruined and cannot
find support for them Action now is necessary.
this years not yet matured 100000 In specie
will be light estimate Of the loss In this valley. You
calculate by reiterang the loss Of three ourths
OF the farming interest, adding nearly OF town
property The whole interests OF the Freedmen in
the crops In the submerged portions thero will be nothing
left OF H. They have worked faithfully, and should be
helped aud encouraged TO prepare for next year 1t is TO
feared that lives have lost the Colorado
forms islands IL Before the main stream sweeps
over the back water has cut of the retrea and the
rise has been unprecedented some may have remained
until too late without snspeeng the dnnger In the rear