The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-07-07
RAPHiC
.zroHr1D rrrHrssrr FOE TIE .oHsrso LEADER.
HIT RE EP o R IT.
IOWA.
an Awtul Storm.


was especially terrible in its effects at
miles southwest of this city, which
was swept away as with the besom OF
destruction. Every building in the
town save the Catfish mills, was wash
ed from its foundations and torn into
a wreck that quite defies description.
The dozen buildings, all that were
located on the bottom lands of the Cat
fish creek, were carried down, the
surging and boiling current crushing
them into fragments. All are indis-
mile along the borders of the stream.
Stores, shops, dwellings, barns. every
thing fell before the terrible torrent
that came rolling in great surges down
the ten miles of valley through which
the Catfish river runs. Where. sixteen
hours ago. was a quiet unsuspecting
and happy little rural village, is now
only waste of waters. timber, the
wreck of buildings, of household mer-
chandise, mud and uprooted trees.
For full mile down the stream these
fragments are strewn along the banks
or piled in gorges from a few feet to
twenty feet high. Thirty-nine human
beings were hurriedly swept from life
into the great
MELsrRoM OF DEATH.
Men, women and children to that
number were drowned, and the stiff
bodies of thirtyithat have been rescued
up to this hour were ranged side by
side along the side of the mill, await
ing the last sad final rites. Some. of the
bodies were found in the debris on the
crushed buildings, near the sceneA of
their death, while others and the great
er part of them all were found alenA
the banks from a few rods to mile
down the stream. Some were almost
entirely hidden from view by the
floods Of mud that had been swept
along by the mad waters. with perhaps
only hand exposed to sight or foot
or portion of the face, or perhaps on
ly a small portion of their cloths.
A LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN,
Boys and girls ranging from to IL
years old, comprise the. dead. AJtogeth-
er the scene was sickening one.
Through the day the people of the
village had joined more or less in the
festivities of the Centennial Fourth.
In the evening the rain began to fall
and all took shelter under their houses
or at the stores or saloons. At about
half an hour after midnight the CatA
fish had become SO swollen that theN
streets.were overfiown and escape to
the surrounding highlands was cut off.
Higher and higher rose the rushing
water, while the Storm kept pitilessly
on. Down rolled the surging torrent
in great waves several feet high, and
soon the smaller buildings were swept
away. At about one o'clock portion
of the dam gave way and this was fol-
lowed by the crash of the railroadbridge
the fragments of which went tearing
down, striking the hotel and Hornes
store. Both were capsized the former
being torn in pieces and the latter
swung against a large tree standing
but few feet away, against which it
lodged, resting upon its side. Now the
stream had grown to two thousand
feet in width and fully twenty feet
deep. AS the buildings were swept
into the wreck the inmates were hur-
ried into the surging current, their
voices crying out for help amidst the
roar of the thunder and crash of the
storm, while the lurid lightning flashed
every moment. lighting up the dread
full scene for an instant, and then leav-
ing it blacker than before.
A cooper shop first gave way; then
came the hotel. barn, then Becker's
house, then Martin Cans saloon, then
Blenk's store, Coats blacksmith shop,
Becker's meat market, Keassen's house,
Becker's saloon and Horne,s store and
house. Mr.. Home and family luckily
were saved. The house, as before stat
ed, lodged against strong tree. The
water had risen and driven the family
into the upper story, where they clung
to the rafters and other projections
WucTc tuty WtI6 aOic- W Keep LuelT
heads only above water. The dead are
Joseph Becker, his wife and two chill
dren; James Pearce his wife and two
children; H. Becker and five children
and also his housekeeper and her two
children; James Cong and two child
ren; John Clossen, wife and five child
rem; Peter Knapp wife and four child
rem; James Kingsley, Thomas Blenks.
Oliver Bienks, William Bradbury and
Richard Burke, thirty-nine in all.
Altogether the scene was one to
melt heart of stone. Thousands of
people visited the same during the day
and people are coming and going con-
stantly. The neighbors with. kindly
alacrity, opened their doors to such of
the afflicted as remained and afforded
everycomfort in:their power. Thebodies
OF. the dead were washed by kind hand
and many of them taken into the
dwellings near by. The members Of
the board Of supervisors were early on
| the ground working like Trojans to