The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-10-30

the lnhabitants. Shortly after midnight the
serene (watchman) was going his rounds, when,
as he passed over the bridge that leads to the
plaza and divides the town into two portions,
he saw
BLACK BTR1Ax OF WATER
rushing between the arches. He found that
the river was rising rapidly. 1t had already
overhowed the banks, and WAS stealthily climb
ing over the stone parapet which protects tho
frontage The watchman knew that NO time
was to be lost. He hurried to = clock-tower
which gives signals of fire and other catastro.
phes to dwellers by the water siae, and set the
bell in motion. Instantly the inhabitants
rushed into the streets. Few of them had
time to do more than snatch up . little cloth
balleros, rushed afriKhted women. Bands of
swarthy Gitanoa swarmed from the Gypaies'
quarters, peasants, in thei- blue velvet jackets,
STOOD HE1P1IssLY
In the principal promenade. The authorities
At once proceeded to organize assistance for
that part of the town which was lying beneath
the level of the food. "As We walked about"
says one of the sufferers, I'VE could hear the
distant roar of the water tearing past in the
Segura, until low rumbling crashea told of the
inundation breaking into tho Streets" Sud-
denly all the gasliehts went ont. Then every
body knew that the food was advancing. From
street and square, from balcony and housetop
can the cry, ''1he water 10 risinRr' The
confusion was unparalleled. Through gardens,
viney ards, snd mulberry groves tho Murcians
were pouring in a confused, struggling mass,
all with the one idea of
QUITTING THE TOWN,
and outstripping the food. In the suburbs of
San Benito and San Lorenzo, before half the
people could get out of their beds, they had the
water over the lower Aoors of their houses. The
church doors were soon forced open by the
flood, which went on its way laden with broken
stools and altar ornaments, With vestments Of
priests and red tunics Of chOristers. 1t invaded
the nunneries and hermitages. the oratories and
converts, sweerink from their inches the
carved images Of saints. 1t poured into the
cavalry barracks, where the soldiers could be
seen running up and down stairs with their
great Episcopal palace and the colleges of st.
Fugentius and St. 1sidore. Many of the public
buildings and institutions it spared a it swept
on to the railway. Here it
ExT1NauIsHED THE LIaHTs
and lamps that were burning on the bare
ground outside, and carried away the small
open air buffets, where fruit, drinking water
and anisette were sold. 1t tore up the sheds
and emb.nkments, DESTROYING telegraph p:ats
night" SAID townsman, 'our authorities,
and, in particular. our admirable civil guards,
worked with = will to rescue women and chill
dren. They had to work by such glimmering
light ~ their torches would yield. Sometimes
they were knee deep. more often they were up
to their waists in water. The
GALLANT WILLOWS
waded into the submerged street, seizine such
fugitives ~ they met, half drowned and fright
ened out of their wits, calming others who
were screaming At the windows, and encourag-
ing those who rush, d about wildly on the house.
tops, until boats, barges, and even carriage
saved from abodes that were momentariy
threatened with ruin. Several times during
the night was heard the crash of
FALLING HOUSES,
and splintered trees, and above the noise rose
the wailing shrieks of unfortunate beings that
could not escape, and were soon smorhered in
the ruins or in the torrent.
ACTS OF EXTRAORDINARY HERo1sN
we,o performed by the authorities, the boat
men, and the civil guards. One guard five
times braved the torrent, with the water up to
his chest. Each time he came back with child
in his arms. Then he started back on his sixth
voyage. He had left the mother in the house
with babe at her breast. He fought his way
through the water, rather swimming than wad-
ing. Before he could make another step it was
gone, and mother and babe were swept past
him ON the bosom of tho AoOd. Nor were
THE HIGHER GLASSES
less generous in their efforts save the drown
ing people. One nobleman in his carriage
rescued them by dozens until his horses, dead
beat and half drowned, could no ,uger pursue
tho work of charity and - fast - the res
cued were brought in they were carried either
into private dwellings or into the government
house. The bishop opened his palace to several
ALEvKL ExPANsE OF WATER
Where palm trees waved their branches, and
white villas lay amid bowers of orange trees,
= swollen, muddy stream went hurryine along,
carrying the debris of farms and cottages.
Villages and farms all shared the same
fate. No intelligence could be OBJ
the roads were impassable. Tho lines Of rail-
way were for miles deatroyed and tho tele-
graphs had ceased to exist The scenes of dis
tress were piteous to behold. Little girls went
weeping from house to house, seeking their
mothers, who had been drowned. Families
there were which had
NOT ONE MEABER LEFT
to tell the tale of that night of terror. Patrols,
civil guards and volunteer of all olasseesalied
out in carriages and ON horseback and very
soon returned to say that the retiring waters
had left nothing but thick coating of mud
and debris. On the once cultivated Huerto
Fra, Alta Torre and Mondurmas were heap of
/ ruins. from the raidat of which rose the spires
of their churches, and the gables of few of
the larger houses, whose Inhabitants bad a.
cared BY spending the night upon the roofs.
Ben-ajain Lorca, and Oarravaca suffered no
less damage than the other Villages of the
plain. A. for the hamlets OF the Vega, they
contained nothing but
RUINS OF BUILDINGS AND DEAD BODIES.
Within forty eight hours l60 corpsss had
been brought in and laid by ono
hundred and forty-two others, which had been
taken from the river-Aide houses. In many
paris of tho Vega tho stencil was 70 great that
neither tho civil guards nor tho autborities
Thought it prudent to attempt any exploration
for the victims. Tho dead weFe placed side by
| aide in building Get apart for the parpoae.
All day long the relations Of those that were
missing thronged the house Of death. striving
| to recognise . familiar faSe- Some Of the rich
est classes had already made preparations fus
TH1 BURIAL,
and masked men were met hurryinG along The
streets, and boys bearing crosses and aass with
religious Inscriptions. Il was . though
plagae bad visitsd ths town. @#,-s.!
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