Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-30
MURCIA'S DESTRUCTION.
| The Devastation Caused by the Recent
Floods 81 Graphite AccOMnt oftIte Terrible
/

Fhe Devastation Caused by the Recent
Fi0Ods-A Graphite AccOssnt The Terrible
Visitati0n.
A dispatch from London says: Full news
has been brought to the papers this morning of
he terrible foods that have devastated the val
eys Of the Mundo and Segura. Mnrcia is little
snown to travellers in Spain, for the Mediter-
-anean steamers touch at Alicante to the north
IF it, and at Cartagena, to the south of it. The
Town is full of Moorish "reminiscences. The
architectural designs of its cathedral, the bas
reliefs and heavy stone statues in its passages,
its horse-shoe-formed windows, it's slender
spire recall the days hen the town was one IF
the chief Moorish possessions in Spain. The
present summer has been unusually hot. Even
this torrid region bad known mo- such heat for
a gem ration. For months not a cloud had
been seen,
NOT DROP OF RAIN HAD FALLEN
The very dust had not had power to rSise itself
Spaniards say, bled. and to such degree that
its life seemed extinct: Carriages would drive
along its empty bed, through banks of tall
bambuOs. On Tuesday last few people ventur-
ed into the streets during the daytime, but in
the evening there was general movement of
carriages and passengers toward the Alameda
which stands high, and from which the view
extends over the river and the Campagna as far
as the hills. 1t was abOut 10 o'clock when the
approach of cold and biting wind was felt
from the direction of Cartagena. The sky
souded over In an instant there was q gather
llup of fans and mantillas, and the crowd
urned hastily hOmeward. Soon the storm was
bowling over the town and amid the streets,
and tore through the houses. 1t increased in
violence every minute. The raj" seemed to be
falling in broad sheets of water. No such
tempest had been seen within the memory of
the inhabitants. Shortly after midnight the
serene (watchman) was going his rounds, when,
as be passed over the bridge that leads to the
plaza and divides the town into two portions,
he saw
BLACK STREAM OF WATER
rushing between the arches. He found that
the river was rising rapidly. 1t had already
overlooked the banks, and was stealthily climb
ing over the stone parapet which protects the
frontage. The Waterman knew that no time
was to be lost. He hurried to a clock-tuwel
which gives signals of fire and other ca,astro
Plies to dwellers by the water sioe, and set lht
bell in motion. Instantly the inhabitant'
rushed into the streets. Few of them hsC
time to do more than snatch up little cloth
ing. Down the main street, the Gale del Ca
baIleros, rushed atrighted women. Bands o.
swarthy Gitanos s"armed from the GS psies
quarters, peasants, in thei- blue velvet jackets
STOOD HELPLEssLY
in the principal promenade. The authoritie
at once proceeded to organize assistance fo
that part of the town which was lying beneath
the level of The flood. As We walked about,
lays one of the sufferers, 1--WE could hear tn
distant roar of the water tearing past in ,h
~
inundAtiOn breaking into the Streets" Sud
denly all the gaslights went ont. Then every
| body knew that the food Was advancing. From
| street and square, from balcony and houset0
| eau e the cty, "Ihe water is risingr' Th
confusion was unparalleled. Through gardens
viney ards. and mulberry groves The Murcian
were pouring in n confused, struggling mass
| all With the one idea of
QUITTING THE TOWN,
and outstripping the food. In the suburbs G
San Benito and San Lorenzo, before half til
people could get out of their beds, they had tn
water .ver the lowe floors of their houses. TIL
| church doors were soon forced open by th
| food, which went on it's way laden with broke
| stools and altar ornaments, with vestments {
priests and red tnnics of churisters. II invade
| the nunneries and hermitages. the oratories an
| converts, swteriDg from their inches Ii
carved images of saints. 1t poured into tn
| cavalry barracks, where the soldiers could
seen running up and down stairs with the
| regimentsls under their arms. 1t skirted III
| great E piscnpal palace and tire cUllegrs of s
Fulgentius and Sc. Isidore. Many of the publ
buildings and institutions it spared as it swek
ON to the railway. Here it
| ExrINGUIsHED THE LIGHTS
and lamps that were burning on the bal
ground outside, and carried away the sma
| mir hnf hero frui
and anisette were sold. 1t tore up the shed
and embank ments. destroying telegraph D al
and tearing up rails. During this terribI
| night" said a townsman. ''our authorities
and, in particular. our admirable civil guard
| woI ked with a will to- rescue women aud Chi
dren. They had to work by such glimmeriu
| light az their torches would yield. Sometime
they were knee deep. more often they were u
| 10 their waists in water. The
GALLANT FELLOWS
wsded into the submerged street, seizing sue
fugitives as they met, half drowned and frigh
ened out of their wits, calming others VIII
| were screaming at the windows, and encoura.
ing those who rusht about wildly on the hous
tops, until boats, barges, and even carrag'
could be brought into use, and the inhabitant
| saved from abodes that we're momentariI
threatened with ruin. Several times duriu
tie night was heard the crash of
| FALLING HOUSES,
and splintered trees, and above the noise ros
the wailing shrieks of unfortunate beings ths
could not escape, and were soon smoIhered i
the ruins or in the torrent.
AcIs OF EXTRAORDINARY HERorsM
we'e performed by the authorities, the boa
men, and the civil guards One guard 6v
times braved the torrent, with the water up
his chest. Each time be came back with chill
| in his arms. Then he started back on his sixt
voyage. He had left the mother in the hOus
with babe at her breast. He fought his Wa
through the water, rather swimming than wat
ing. Before he could make another step it WI
gone, and mother and babe we're swept pa
him on the bosom of the food. Nor were
| THE HIGHER CLASSES
less generous in their efforts TO save the drowl
ing people. One nobleman in his carrias
rescued them by dozens until his horses dea
beat and half drowned, could no niger pursu
the work of charity aud as fast the re
cued were brought in they were carried i'll
iato private dwellings, into the governmer
house. The bishop opened his palace to sever
hundred, and set soup and wine before then
ALEvEL ExPANsE OF WATER.
Where palm trees waved their branches, ar
white villas lay amid bowers of orange tree
I q swollen, muOoy stream went nurrylng alOn
carrying the debris of farms and cottage
Villages and farms all shared the sam
fate. No intelligence could be oI
tanned from the survivors,
the roads we're impossible. The lines of raj
way were for miles destroyed aud the tel,
graphs had ceased to exist. The scenes of di
tress were pitecns 10 behold. Little girls wei
weeping from house to house, seeking the
mothers, who had been drowned Famili,
there were which had
NOT ONE MEMBER LEFT
to tell the tale of that night of terror. Patrol
civil guards and volunteers of all classessallie
out in carriages and on hor .eback. and vel
anon returned to- say that the retiring waite
, had left nothing but thick coatiny of mu
| onn dohris On thu onca cultivated Hnsri