The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-03-10

The Streets Instantaneously Turned
Into River Beds-ltuin and Devasta-
tton-LOss OF Life.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.

O"h S'NS Bt
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 s%ullen, 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 atre-
mendous waterspout, striking us at one
fell blow. The gulches around the city
were instantaneously turned into rivers,
which overlooked themselves, sending
fright to the hearts of the people and
carrying away all obstacles. From 4
to 5 o'clock in the afternoon Valpa-
raise appeared to be a city floating on
n 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 q 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 tempes. 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, n 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
ances must be slow for days to come.
Several cars and carriages were swept
by the flood 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 en-
pect that in the month of December, in
the very heart of summer, we should
have such n frightful tempest of rain.
Its tremendous volume can be imagined
by stating that more rain fell yesterday
in Valparaiso and vicinity than eve in
the same time was known before, and
that the volume of this one day was
half rs 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 a very sad and shock
ing nature. One Of the unfortunates
was n woman named Isabel Lira, who
was caught by the flood and carried
away with such impetuOsity that before
she could utter a word her body wa
imbedded in a mud bank, amidst debris
of every kind. Upon being discovered,
the remains had to be pried out by
strong levers. The ether unfortunate
was a 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 u of the water,
they closed the doors, but soon it 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
l ware heart-rpndinO The fond rose