Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1885-09-30
THE DELUGE OF SAN GABRIEL
Mexican Villages and Their Inhabitants De-
strOyed by n Flood.

EJ Cldrtn, of Guadalajara, gives the
following account of the almost total
destruction, in the morning of June
6, of the villages of Cuarenta and San
Gabriel, by deluge that fell upon the
surrounding mountains:
The said villages are, or were, Stu
ated in canada, or narrow valley,
through which passes the highway to
San Louis Potosi, and at a few leagues
to the eastward of the town of Lagos
The villages stood immediately upon
the banks of little river that flows
through the valley, its margins lined
with well-cultivated fields, gardens,
orchards, cane plantations, and sup
porting many domestic animals that
furnished subsistence and were the
only patrimony of many families. Qua
renta was Station where the drrier0S,
in their journeys over the mountains,
generally passed the night. Fifty or
sixty of those industrious persons
were lodged in the two public houses
of the village that fatal night, the ma
joritv of whom, and their animals,
perished
Between and 5 of the morning,
while the peaceful inhabitants were
lilies were awakened by such terrible
and continuous detonations of thunder
as they had ever witnessed. This
frlghtful but provdental announce
ment of the coming catastrophe was
the cause of reducing the number of
victims. Upon the mountains called
La Media Luna, La Mesa, and others,
toward the east, was witnessed sur
prising and terrifying spectacle, like
nothing ever seen before. 1t is de-
scribed as resembling an eruption of
Vesuvius; the continuous electric dis
charges among the vast black masses
of clouds that whirled above the noun
tains cleaning in red flashes of fire
and yellow streams OF gold, forming
an lgneous mosaic in the sky, SO to
say, that, though gorgeous bevond de-
scription as physical phenomenon,
filled the beholders with terror. Enor-
nous sleeves, or watcr-spouts, de-
scended from the clouds, and seemed
TO grasp the mountains. Suddenly a
great noise like the roar and onward
rush of great waves of the sea an
nounced the awful approach of the
deluge, tidal wave that filled the lit
tie river, overilowed the valley, and
swept from its path with resistess
force whatever il encountered. Great
logs of wood brought from the neigh
boring mountains, trees, thick magueys
torn up by the roots, shrubs, cows,
SWINE, burros, fowls, were carried
upon the enormous mole of water.
The stone bridges, that had withstood
all former floods, were demolished.
The obstruction formed by their piers
diverted the current in other directions
Sweeping literally through the streets,
it occupied houses on both sides of the
river, destroyed many, and damaged
all.
The rapidity of the invasion and its
duration of alm0St three hours did not
permit the occupants to save more
than their lives by precipitate flight.
In the desperate efforts of men to save
ther families many sad fatalities oc.
Cured. A father having carried Lis
little children to place of safety, ne
turned TO save his Wife- both perished.
Many were saved by the prompt as
sistanoe of relatives and ,eharitabl.
persons that had earlier warning OF
the catastrophe. Some escaped by
taking pefuge upon the roofs. OF houses
that withstood the NUshlng .deluge,
where grOups Of women and territied
children waited in mOnlentary eeXpec-
8ation that the structure would follow
she fate of those they AGw disappear
around them
The whole valley, uhat yesterday
srnlled with the homes and fruits OF in
dustry, is desolation. The survivors
are homeless, Propertyless; reduced
from comfort to beggary. Hundreds
that have escaped the deluge are
manannd wit n starHat tiOn aVnn w hiIn