The New York herald., 1879-10-25
Ringing a Midnight Alarm
from the Clock Tower.
A FLIGHT FOR LIFE.
Brave Deeds Done by Guards, Civilians
and Nobemen.
MARRING A PARADISE OF BEAUTY.
Icy CABLE TO THE HERALD.1

morning of the terrible floods that have devas-
tated the valleys of the Mundo and Segura.
Rarely has more terrible story been narrated
in modern times Murcia is little known to
travellers in Spain, for the Mediterranean
steamers touch Mt Alicante, to the north Of
capital of the ancient kingdom and modern
province of Murcia stands inland, on the Segura,
htlf way between them. 1t lies in a huerta
(plain) dotted with cosey farm houses and green
with dropping palm trees. The roads that lead
to it, from Elche, run through the most tropical
portion of the country. Dates hang in thick
clusters, upon stem after stem, under their leafy
screens. The underwood is composed of pome-
granate trees, where the bright red fruit shines
among the leaves OF waves in bright festoons
The pale yellow clusters Of the citron trees
quantity contrast with the vermilion pome-
granates The town is full of Moorish reminis-
cences. The architectural designs of its cathe-
dral, the bas-reliefs and heavy stone statues in
it's passages, its horseshoc-formed windows, its
slender spire, recall the days when the town was
one Of the chief Moorish possessions in Spain
and was known as Mursiah
BEFORE THE FLOODS.
The present summer had been unusually hot.
Even this torrid region had known no such
heat for generation. For months not cloud
1,,J ,f n, bod fol
Blood-red skies bazed like procession of
torches. The very dust had not had power to
raise itself from the road. The river had been.
as the Spaniards say, bled, and to such q degree
that it's life seemed extinct Carriages would
drive along its empty bed, through banks of
tall bamboos, and the bridges they should
have passed over rose above them, like tri-
umphal arches. Heat ruled all. On Tuesday
last few people ventured into the streets during
general movement of carriages and foot passcn-
gers toward the Alameda, which stands high,
and from which the view extends, over the river
and the campagna, as far as the hills. Here all
was life and animation. There were bare-legged
Bedouns in their white burnooses African Jews
i'll long embroidered kaftans, Spanish women in
their becoming black mantillas and ladies of
higher rank in bright colored shawls. Military
music played and troops of children danced in
circles, and the benches were filed with gossip
ing groups. The gaslights shone brightly under
the dark trees. From the valley rose the sound
of castanets and the drumming of guitars.
TROPICAL STORM.
1t was about ten o'clock when the approach
of the anistrai, cold and biting wind. was felt
from the direction of Cartagena. The sky
clouded over. In an instant there was gath
ering up of fans and mantillas, and the crowd
turned hastily homeward. The Plaza was de-
serted. Soon the storm was bowling over the
town and amid the streets, and tore through
the houses. 1t increased in violence every
broad sheets of water. No such tempest had
been seen within the memory of the inhab-
tants. Shortly after midnight the serene
(watchman) was going his rounds, fighting
his way through the binding downpour, when,
as he passed over the bridge that leads to the
Plaza and divides the town into two portions
he saw black stream of water rushing be-
tween the arches. lie found that the river was
rising rapidly. 1t had already overfowed the
banks and was stealthily climbing over the
stone parapct which protects the frontage. The
watchman knew that no time was to be lost
of fire and of other catastrophcs to dwellers by
the water side and set the bell in motion The
note of warning was heard above the
noise of the thunder storm. Instantly
the inhabitants rushed into the streets.
Few of them had time to do more
than snatch up little clothing. Down the
main street, the Callc del Caballeros, rushed
affrightcd women. Bands of swarthy Gitanos
swarmed from the gipsics quarters Peasants
in their blue velvet jackets stood helplessly in
the Gloricta (the principal promcnade), too
frightened to heed tho violence of the storm.
The authorities at once proceeded to organize
assistance for that part of the town which was
already lying beneath the level of the flood.
THE STORY OF AN EYE WITNESS
"As we walked about, says one of the suffer
crs, 'in that dark night, amid that deuge of
rain, we could hear the distant roar of the water
tearing past in the scgura, until low, rumbliug
crashes told of the inundation breaking into the
Streets Suddenly all the gaslights went
out. Then everybody knew that the
Aood was advancing. From street and