The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-12
A GILLIAN CATASTROPHE.
THE STREETS OF VALPARAISO TRANSFORMED INTO
RAGING 1oRRENTs-A CHILD SWEPT FROM
IT'S MOTHERS GRASP AND DROWNED.
From the San Francisco Chronicle. ]

From the San Francisco Chronicle.]
Our Chilian exchanges give particulars OF .
terrible deluge of rain which fell upon the
city of Valparaiso on the 10th of December
last. We translate the substance Of the re-
ports: Early in the afternoon thunder claps
commenced to shake the heavens, as it
seemed, and the skies looked black and sui
len, as if brewing fearful tempest Soon
the rain commenced to fall in torrents, pour
ing down with immense force. It seemed as
if the clouds could not contain the force
within them, and they literally burst over the
city. It was tremendous waterspout, strik-
ing us at one fell blow.
The gulches around the city were instanta-
neously turned into rivers, which overlooked
themselves, sending fright to the hearts of the
people and carrying away all obstacles. From
4 to o'clock in the afternoon Valparaiso ap.
peared to be city floating on q 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 Gen.
tering on the public plaza turned the square
into q lake. Victoria and Independence
streets were 80 swollen that they looked like
wo tumultuary rivers, and seemed to be tho
natural outlet for this extraordinary deluge.
The calamity produced by it is general. 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 mum Der
of houses feeling he force of the rain tempest
is much greater than those that escaped. To
give an idea Of the immense bodies of earth
which swept do vn and banked up in the
streets, full force at work since the food
subsided has been unable to make impress
sions 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
suspended, and cars and coaches of every
kind were completely blocksded. In some
cases vehicles had to be abandoned in the
public streets, and conveyances 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
Valparaiso before; it seemed as if they went
with the speed of lightning express trains. An
enumeration of the damages to stores and
warehouses cannot 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 suchla
frightful tempest of rain. Its tremendous vol.
ume 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 a. that which ordinary 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 q very sad and shocking nature.
One of the unfortunates was q woman named
Isabel Lira, vino was caught by the food and
carried away with such impetuosity that be-
fore she could utter q word her body was
imbedded in . mud bank, amidst debris of
every kind. Upon being discovered, the re-
mains 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 fee to place