The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-08-31
THE FLOOD IN THE CoNoHO.
FORT CoNCHO, !
Friday, August 25, 8 D. IN.

Dear Father:
Remarkably heavy rains fol
some days past, which culmi
Wednesday night, raised the riv'
ers and smaller streams, tribu'
taries, etc., to an unheard of, even
fabulous height, by yesterday al
noon Thursday.
At O'Clock yesterday morning
the people in Ben Ficklin were
aroused to find the water from the
river fast rising in their houses
They barely escaped to the hills with
their lives, saving absolutely moth
ing. By l o'clock yesterday after
noon there were only six or seven
houses standing IN the town, besides
the courthouse and Jail. the last two
being the only buildings standing III
the valley now.
at Mrs. Metcalfe's (the old mail
station), about one mile below Ben
Ficklin, they were all up early, and
most all were taken out, Mr.
Sterling Robertson getting all
out but Mrs. Metcalfe and
Zemmy, the cook "a negro NAM
a Mexican and a white boy about
eighteen years old-six in all. They
refused to leave the house and were
all drowned. Mrs. Metcalfe and
Zemmy went down on part of the
roof in about fifty feet of water, h9v-
ing washed down fearful current
for about a quarter of mile. Char
ley and Robert were out at the
rancho and did not come in till eight
o'clock this morning. L was over
here at Fort Concho, having come
with Mason late Wednesday after
noon, expecting to get back by bed
time, but a hard shower fell about
nine O'Clock, and we concluded to
stay here and go back yesterday
morning early. At that time, how
ever, we could not have gotten with
in a half mile Of the station.
Mr.. Robertson and the men did all
men could do to save them all at
Mrs. Metcalfe's. They had Mrs. NJ.
and others in the hack at one time,
but being loaded heavily the hack
logged up and they got out
and went back to the house, and
when they realized their danger
it was too late to get out, the water
having run around between the
house and the hills, Mr.. Robertson,
after getting all but the six last out,
swan his horse back to them, vainly
hoping to get them away, but the
water was coming so fast that he
could not even get back himself; so,
getting a ladder, they all seven
climbed up on the roof and quietly
awaited the sure and fatal rising OF
the water. This was between seven
and eight o'clock yesterday morning,
One by one they saw the houses 90,
till at about one o'clock the house
they were on gave way. The roof
broke in three or four pieces, and in
an instant all were whirled down the
swiftest, maddest current imagin-
able, among tree-tops, logs, etc. Old
man Taylor was soon lost; Mr..
Robertson caught on a tree-top, but
was soon knocked from that by drift,
and was swept down near a quarter
of a mile, when he succeeded
in getting in the top of a very
large pecan, where he stayed
till about z o'clock this morning,
with no clothes on, and having had
nothing 10 eat since Wednesday
night at supper. When | rode i'll to
him this morning he was very weak
and sick. The part of the roof that
Mrs. M. and Zemmy were on passed
Mr.. r. while be was In the tree, and
he saw them go down just below
him. The part that the negro and
white boy were on went to pieces,
and they went down. Two other
men, who bravely tried to get to
them on the house top, were also
washed down aud saved themselves
by clipgiHg to a tree top till this
morning. Zemmy's body and that
of the cook have been recov-
cred. We have found no 9TH
ers. Ihave not spoken to Charley or
Robert, except to yell across the
river a few words. Mr.. Robertson
is one of the bravest men l ever
saw. He rode back to Mrs. Met
calfe's when the water was swim
ming and his wife begging HIM not
to go. 1t looked like certain death,
and was almost 80 in fact. After
getting in there he could do nothing
so he turned his horse loose and
took his chances with the rest. OF
the seven who were on the roof, be
is the only one saved. Everything
in the station is lost; everything il
the valley in Ben Ficklin is lost and
a large amount of property is dam.
aged in San Angela by back-water
in the Worth Concho. l have lost
everything except the clothes have
on, as did nearly everybody else
The water was twelve feet deep all
day yesterday in the new court.
house, so l am sure that all my
books, papers, etc., are ruined
though unless the windows were
broken, they were not washed Off
The county records must all be
ruined. Nobody has been able to
cross the river or communicate with
Ben Ficklin at all except by shout
ing across the river.
left here before breakfast thii
morning and went up the river OPP
posite where the station was anC
Ben Ficklin, being the first man Il
get down the valley. l saw a fear
tul sight-dead sheep, cattle, etc.
and wrecks of houses, besides al
sorts of clothing, boxes, trunks, lum
Der and everything else in ruins
covered the valley for over half 8
mile from the river. Learning where
Mr.. Robertson was supposed to b.
l hurried to him just as some clothes
were brought to him from the othel
side. 1 rode into his then island
and brought him out.
hear of many lives lost, especial
ly on the large irrigated farms abOY,
us-don't know of any certainly
however, except the six mentioned
The folks, at Mr.. Bentley's sheel
ranch, including Miss Laura Green
barely escaped alive. l have not We
heard from Captain Duggan, wht
lives near the river below us.
Ive been riding since half past si1
this morning and am tired. l triet
to telegraph you this morning ant
last night, but the wires are al
down. Don't be alarmed by tn
special in the Neaos that was tn,
last message sent, and that went b,
carrier from Fort Davis west to tn
Western Union line.
Robert is safe in Ben Ficklin. w
will try and get them oyer SOM
provisions in the morning.
If the food had come an hon
sooner everybody in Ben Ficklil
and along the rivers would hav'
been lost. The country is f1oode'
and don't know when you will ge
this. We have had no mail 70
three days, and don't know when W