The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-07-31
The Texas Deluge.


Bulletin III
The Colorado commenced to.
rise about week ago. Yester
day morning rise OF seven feet
during the night was reported
Hundreds Of people assembled TO
watch the rise. 1t continued to
rise at about two feet an hour.
About two o'clock P. NJ. 1t rose
one foot III q minutes. AS the
town is a good half mile from the.
bank of the river, but little fears
were entertained. At 3 o'clock
the river had covered the fat be-
tween the town and its banks,
and commenced running in the
first street. The water mark of
1852 was at the upper side OF this
street. AS the public square is
about ten feet higher than this
street, still it was not thought that
the water would go over it. The
Colorado, like a giant, came stead
iIy on. Houses and fences were
seen going by. A report came
that u negro at one of the planta-
tiOns had been drowned. 1t seems
that he had reached dry land and
gone back after puppy, and IN
trying to save the dog was drown
ed. At six o'clock the water
broke into the public square
Then we sent you the dispatch.
We went to supper, and the
boarding house was on the third
street. We went down over dry
land. By this time the water
commenced to spread rapidly, and
fill the lower places. While at
supper the water broke into the
yard. After eating, and starting
back to the square, we found the
water over our boots. The mer-
chants had carried their goods
to the second stories, and families
in the lower edge of town had
commenced moving to outer edge.
At little after seven cOnsterna-
ton prevailed in La Grange The
water had run over the square,
and was, covering the streets be-
yond. Wagons carrying women
and children were hurrying on
through the streets. A little after
nine we left the telegraph Office
| and loaded the stage in the water.
In our drive out we passed
through water over three feet
deep. On reaching the hills we
camped. AT this time the hills
presented a picturesque sight
hundreds being camped on them.
The Colorado was still advancing.
Some who remained, thinking it
would certainly subside, were
willing to leave. Men On horse
back were going in and bringing
people out. They had to swim
for it. A report started that
Williams family had remained in
the Fred Tate house, and the wa.
ter was nearly up to the second
story. There were several ladies
| in this house. In the excitement
the skiff had been lost sight Of
| With the current that was then
running through town, it was use
less for q swimmer to so to their
assistance.
The water is from Ave to eight
feet deep over the square ant
business portion Of the town,
rapid current going through thu
streets and river still rising slowly
All houses below the Fred Tat
house are swept away. Thehousei
of two streets on the west side o
town are sweptaway. The loss t.
/. Lagrange will reach near $500, OO'
in specie. Yeterday we place.
the estimate at two million dollar
lost in the Colorado Valley. Tha
, is too low, for it will be remem
. bered that the rich cotton land
t on Travis, Bastrop, Fayette, Colt
r RADIO, Wharton and Matagord
: counties have been swept as by
| bosom of destruction. The crops
the finest ever seen, are gOne.-
f, Fences are near Matagorda, an
!, in many places not q vestige {
> plantations is seen. The old Co
y orado is forty five feet above o
binary water mark. The tel
graph wires between here an
t Austin are twenty feet under W
g ter. The back water in some I
q the creeks here has backed tive
Il ty miles. People are yet dreal
ing the rise from the Red For
J. To those who live on this river
|: means further destruction, for vii
n the corresponding rise in it Il
a river will go ten feet higher. q