The Fremont County record. [volume] (Canon City, Colo.) 1877-18??, 1881-08-20
SUMMER SHOWERS.
How the Gentle Rains Have Madc
Things Uncomfortable In this
Vicinity.

Thursday, August II, was the conf
mencement of the rainy season in
this part of Colorado. The summer
showers were ushered in on that day
with the severest storm experienced
in ninc years. The rain fell in tor
rants for an hour and half that af-
ternoon aud then poured steadisy un-
til midnight. No more foods camo
out of the big ditch after the one
mentioned in the RECORD last Satur-
day for it was cut at Sand creek to
relieve the pressure Of water. FRI
F0oy- heasy ahOWer
| fell and the rain continued until very
late that night. The train which
should have arrived here at 4 p. m.
was laid out five hours by . BAD
washout north of Colorado Springs
That night, as Mr.. James Hug hes, the
track walker of the d. & r. q. in this
end of the Grand canon, was travel
ing along the track about one mile
up in the canon he was startled by u
fearful rush and roar, as though the
hills were all falling at once. The
ground trembled in regular earth
quake style and to say that Hughes
was frightened and confused would
be stating 1t mildly. In the mist and
darkness his lantern did not throw
the rays OF light more than ten feet
around him. When all became still
he advanced aud within about twen-
ty-five PAGES of where lie had halted
he found huge rock, fully eight feet
square, lying clear across the rails.
Knowing that the eastbound night
express was almost due he fastened
forward and had just time to gain
sufficient distance to swing his dan
ger signal when the train came thun-
dering along. A second or two more
and it would have dashed into the OBJ
struction. 1t took about three hours
to remove the rock. Saturday after
noon the rain was continued. At
the upper end of the canon another
rock, of many tons weight, came
down that night aud moved the track
about two feet from its proper bed.
There was sufficient room soon made
for trains to pass around it and after
several hours blasting it was entirely
removed. Sunday afternoon q very
hard rain fell, the heaviest upon the
park north of town. A flood of wa
ter came down and stood at least one
foot deep all over the country east of
the city. Heavy rains in Grape creek
valley caused washout on the d. u
II. G.. branch at Blackburn, another
just this side of Soda Springs, a land
slide near the high bridge aud q
cfss, m conse41ence 81 which the
train from Silver Clif which should
have arrived here at 11:25 q. m. did
not get in until about .. m. Mon
day. This train came within an inch
of being made q total wreck at the
last washout. OF course it rained
Monday afternoon, the heaviest fall
ing on the hills north of the Grand
canon. All of the gulches leading in-
to Sand creek were soon rushing
streams and the old, dry bed OF that
creek was quickly booming stream,
tearing out the sand, the ditch and one
row of piles under the railroad bridge
just beyond the soda point. The
structure swayed down in the center
but was repaired before midnight.
On the Silver Cliff branch another
washout occurred near the toll cato
and a second ono between Soda
Springs and Blackburn. Wednesday
afternoon it rained. The first regu-
lar train since Saturday was started
for Silver Cliff. Well it rained Thurs
day. About $3.50 q. IN. it commenced
aud in the course of half an hour the
big drops poured in no gentle style
1t ceased at noon for time but driz-
zled more or less all the rest of the
day. The trains all came in. The
wagon roads are in horrid condi-
tion.