American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-03-11
VALPARAISO DELUGED.
The Streets Internationally Turned
Into River Beds-kltin and Devasta-
tiOn-LOss of Life.

tiOn-IOss of Life.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Our Gillian exchanges give particu-
lars of the terrible deluge of rain which
fell upon the city of Valparaiso on the
10th of December last. We translate
the substance of the reports: Early in
the afternoon thunder claps commenced
to shake the heavens, as it seemed, and
the skies looked black and sullen, as if
brewing a fearful tempest. Soon the
rain commenced to fall in torrents,
pouring down with immense force. 1t
seemed as if the clouds could not con-
tain the force within them, and they lit
orally burst over the city. 1t was a ire
mendous waterspout, striking us at one
fell blow. The gulches around the city
were instantaneously turned into rivers,
which overfiowed themselves, sending
fright to the hearts OF the people and
carrying away all obstacles. From
raise appeared to be a city floating on
a red sea. The principal streets looked
like the natural courses of rivers, and
could be navigated. This was actually
the case on Cochrane Street and other
streets. A like condition of things was
to be seen elsewhere, and the streets
centering on the public plaza turned
the square into lake. Victoria and
independence Streets were so swollen
that they looked like two tumultuary
rivers, and seemed to be the natural
outlet for this extraordinary deluge.
The calamity produced by it is gen.
eral. 1t is not possible on this, the day
following, to give full particulars of the
destruction caused, but it is safe to say
that the number of houses feeling the
force of the rain tempest is much great
er than those that escaped. To give an
idea of the immense bodies of earth
which swept down and banked up in
the streets, a full force of workmen
since the flood subsidized has been unable
to make impressions upon the vast mud
banks. There are enormous piles
wherever the water was stopped in its
headlong course. During the day all
traffic and business were entirely sus-
pended, and cars and coaches of every
kind were completely blockaded. In
some cases vehicles had to be abandon
ed in the public streets, and convey
anees must be slow for days to come.
Several cars and carriages were swept
by the food to the beach, and others
were dashed against houses and bridges,
smashing them to pieces. Never did
carriages make such rapid time in Val
paraiso before; it seemed as if they
went with the speed of lightning ex-
press trains. An enumeration of the
damages to stores and warehouses can
not be given now, but the loss must be
very great. Little did the people ex-
pect that in the month of December, in
the very heart of summer, we should
have such frightfu1 tempest of rain.
Its tremendous volume can be imagined
by stating that more rain fell yesterday
in Valparaiso and vicinity than ever in
the same time was known before, and
that the volume of this one day was
half as much as that which ordinarily
falls during an entire year. The floods
in the surrounding country must have
been very disastrous.
There are only two deaths recorded,
and these are of very sad and shock
ing nature. One of the unfortunates
was woman named Isabel Lira, who
was caught by the flood and carried
away with such impetuosity that before
she could utter word her body was
imbedded in mud bank, amidst debris
of every kind. Upon being discovered,
the remains had to be pried out by
strong levers. The other unfortunate
was little girl three years old. The
mother had the child in her arms, and
was attempting to flee to a place of
safety, but on crossing Buenos Ayres
Street the river of water struck her with
such force that she fell and lost her
hold on the child. Upon recovering her
feet her baby was swept out of sight and
the mother barely escaped with her own
life This was the story told at the Of
flee of the Chief of Police, when the
mother went to look for the body of the
child, which had been recovered and
brought to the office. A whole family
came very near being drowned in an
other portion of the city. Believing
that they could keep out of the water,
they closed the doors, but soon 1t was
knee deep. The only hope of escape
was to break the windows and let the
flood pass through, which, being done,
saved the lives of all the inmates. The
cries for help in the inundated streets
were heart-rending. The flood rose
with such uncomfortable rapidity, that
blocks of houses appeared to be flood
ed instantly, the inhabitants being bare
ly able to save their lives. Fathers and
mothers fled with whatever clothes they
had on them, carrying helpless little
children and crying babes in their arms
to places of safety.
AT masquerade ball recently given
in Atlanta, a young Benedick person
ated the devil. Those who saw him in
costume say he was horrible to behold.
During the evening, at a time when the
gay maskers were having their best joy,
this personator was requested to go to
the door. There he found summons
from home to run for a doctor. In the
excitement he forgot his impersonation,
and rushed to the doctors office and
rang the bell. The ringing was of such
terrific vehemence that it caused the