The Fremont County record., 1881-08-27
CANON CITY. colo, ,sATURDAY.AUGUsT %.
WILD WATERS!

/ WILD WATERS !!
Grape Greek Canon ; Foamins
| Flood.
Disastrous Destruction to ths
Denver and Rio Grande
Railroad.
EEsAst SSt & a 8 ~ ~ tesroI
MI destrp6ft6h Is tb6 fsflfpe ffpl1
fIizr 19t Aye o'cloek that el<
the Arkansas river and from its ap
pearance it was rightly surniised tha
The Silver Cliff branch of the ID. s. II
G.. had been seriously damaged
ITS ORIGIN.
This great body of water came out
of Wet Mountain valley and was
caused by the severest rain fall ever
known there. About 10 O'Clock Sat
urday forenoon an omnibus black
storm cloud spread from range TO
range across the valley which had
been formed by the mingling of four
or five smaller clouds coming to a
common center from as many differ
cnt directions. Binding flashes of
lightning and deafening peals of
thunder came out of this great cloud,
and the rain poured tor several hours
in a perfect delugs. Every gully and
low place was filed and the lower
bottoms along Grape creek presented
the appearance of vast lake. The
only outlet for this tremendous body
of water was down
GRAPE CREEK CANON,
which it sought in manner striking
terror to the hearts of all who wit
messed it. At the extreme upper end
of the canon the creek falls rapidly
and is gathered into barrow banks be-
tween the hills. At first the rise was
gradual until the stream had over
flowed its banks and, in several
places, the railroad track. Then
came warning sound of greater
flood-the low, deep roar of rushing
waters, growing louder and more
omnious as it came nearer, gathering
yolumn and force and destructive
strength as it dashed down that pic
turesque canon. Logs which had
been imbeded in the soil along the
banks of the stream for years were
torn out like sticks great pine trees.
whose roots were clinging in the bed
rock far below, We're whipped out
like spears of grass bridges were
cut out and their timbcrs broken and
-rlIe5 -<ruuz1S xrru-rurrxuavt- vr1CN
was melted away like sand and in
many places where the road bed had
been built the current of Grape
creek now runs; ties and iron are
living in the bottom of the stream and
often can be seen upon the bank op-
posite where they had been laid !:
whole sections OF ties with the rails
still spiked to them came floating
down and out into the Arkansas.
People who saw that moving wall Of
water describe 1t as something
awful to contemplate. 1rresistabiy
carrying all before it, the flood of the
gathered torrents from Wet Noun
tain valley Kissed and roared and
boiled, q very cauldren of panuemp-
aud leaping high into the air at its
head, at times fifteen feet in height,
came the mass OF drifting logs, trees,
bridge timbers, ties and all manuer
of debris. Great beams, forty feet
long aud one foot SQUARE, were
thrown completely into view many
times by the awful pressure Rail-
road iron was twisted and bent out
of all shape, while the banks, which
had confined the stream for years was
melted into nothingness for miles
aud miles.
THE TRAINS.
Former washouts had been repair
ed less than week so that trains
could run regularly. The passenger
train left this station on Saturday
afternoon about twenty minutes late
followed by freight. These trains
had arrived near the toll gate when
two hand-cars, propelled by excited
section hands, were met and the
warning given that the food was not
more than 100 yards behind them.
The trains were quickty run to a
comparatively safe place just upon
the high grade where the toll road
leaves the creek, and there halted,
the back end of the freight not a foet
too kigh, for drift was carried up
around the caboose. They were none
too soon either, for in a few moments
the deluse came, with its wall of
wood having just added TO its terrors
the high bridge, the largest one upon
the road. In double quick time and
ono motion the track was swept out
behind them rs far rs tho eye could
SEQ while ahead the same condition of
affhirs existed. Fortunately there
were few passengers aud when the
discovery was made that the train
was irrecoverably stuck, savcral of
them together with the conductor
walked over the old Ute trail 10 Mr..
j. X. Brow ster's ranch where they
procured conveyance into town ar
irving about o p. M. Just before
meeting the train the section men
met Mr.. A. s. ClApp, the toll gate
keeper and warned him of the com-
Ing Hood. lie was driving his well
known, old gray horse hitciFed % a
cart and paid little attention 10 the
men, believing they were trihipy
with him. However, he kept his
ears open aud sharp lookout. Reach
ing little rise in tho road he hoard
tho water coming and saw the wall Of
tumbllng tiinbcrs. lie Immediately