Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-03-13
MlscfnMg.
FATAL CLOUD BURST.
Loss Of Life and Property at Ca
manch0, CAlavOrao County,

Loss Of Life and Property at Ca
manche, caiaveras County.
A correspondent from Camanch,
writes to tho Stockton Independent
February II, as follows:
AT half past four o'clock this after
noon the heavy rain-storm which hat
prevailed during the day, eliminated
in a cloud-burst in the hills Just soutl
of here. Four funnel Snapped cloud
dark as night, apparently about 2O(
yards apart, with their apexes trail
ing the ground, were observed pass
ing in northeasterly direction, AMI
it was apparent that there was yer,
heavy precipitation of rain. Sooi
the slopes of the hills were covered
with torrents of water, which carrie,
with it brush, fences and even rock
to the gulches below. In few min.
utes Camanche creek, already carry
ing its maximum Of water, was vast
ly increased in volume, so as to over
spread the fats ON either side, ant
fences, hen-coops and the litter abou
the houses in Chinatown began t.
move. While I was specializing up
on the area of water way ii would re
quire to pass this amount of watel
under the aqueduct to be constructed
across Camanche Creek, by the Moke
lumne Ditch and Irrigation Compa
my, and hadmadc my estimate, W.
were startled by horscman, wht
rapidly rode into town shouting tina
THE RESERVOIR HAD BROKEN.
Almostat the same time bank OF
murky water, several feet high, bean
ing brush, fences, debris of all kinds
cattle, horses and pigs, was hurled
forward with fearful momentum
As it struck Chinatown, built Oh
the creek, the low, shabby tenementt
gave way with crash. A China
man, with his vito and child, who
had mounted the roof, were borne
past, vainly appealing for aid it was
impossible to give. In few minutes
another house yielded to the mad
torrent. AS it fell and parted l had
momentary glimpse of the half-doz.
en- inmates, including a woman and
her new born babe, when the root
closed down, burying all beneath the
flood. Only one man arose to clam.
Der upon the roof, where he main.
tanned his position until out Of sight
He was finally rescued by selling q
bush and dragging himself out. The
Chinese report loss of six men, two
women and two children.
1t was indeed a sad sight to see
them moving on to certain death,
without the possibility Of extending
aid, and enlisted the sympathies OF
all beholders. One poor fellow with
his dog was so fortunate as to gain q
friendly mound of earth about three
feet square, protected by some drift
which detected the current, where
he remained until the current subsi.
ded. Tho ranches and gardens on
the creek have suffered great loss Of
fences, outbuildings, garden truck
and washing. The clouds above re.
ferrei to appeared to move in the
direction of Lancha Plana, aud We
may expect to hear of further dam.
age.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
A gentleman who arrived direc
from Camanche yesterday, reports
the losses caused by the cloud-burs,
at that place Sunday afternoon, anG
which is described by a correspond
cnt, to aggregate not less, in his judg
ment, than $4,000. The bodies o
the two Chinese women were found
at the edge ofthe creek, on the rancl
of Mrs. Hill. Only one Chinaman i
reported drowned, the others havin,
narrowly escaped death. The bod!
of the infant child was found in tn
garden of an Italian on tho bank o
the creek, aome considerable distanc
below Camanche. He says the sud
denness of the flood and the force an,
roaring of the torrent wer
perfectly frightful and tn
whole was one of the mos
startling scenes he ever witnessed
1t is presumed that it was the cam
calamitous cloud which dealt dealt
and desolation at Camanche tina
caused the sudden rise of the Mort
| Fork of Jackson creek in Amado
county, where one-nalf of Chinatown
is reported to have been swept ava,
and eight Cinnamon and two China
women drowned, besides an immens
amount of property destroyed.