The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-05-28
RUINOUS RAINS.
Auother Big Rise In the Riyer-On1On
Geek on q Tear-The Trr ms he
Iuyed-How Riley Lost HIS
Hnaf Etc

BO1t, ETC
From II o'clock a. m. yesterday the
| Colorado was booming. 1t had been
on a slight rise the night preceding,
but had gone down to its usual stage.
Crowds of people thronged about the
bridge at the foot of the Avenue, to
watch the broadening stream, which,
reinforced by the floods of the Perdi-
males and other tributaries, looked
somewhat like real river. Gradually
the sand bars below the bridge disap
peared from view, and soon great
heaps of driftwood came rushing
pasr. tossed here and there on the sur
| face of the yellow waves. About the
8 one piers the water foamed and
| dashed itself into fury, as if eager to
devour and destroy should any chance
BE- presented. A couple of hundred
Yards up the stream, the little steam
er. .Josaph;ne, was observed, nearly
submerged. Her mate, the Emma,
was sunk IN the last big rise.
A couple of newspaper men crossed
over, but were halted on their way to
the Deaf and Dumb Asylum from
yawning chasm in the bridge over
BouIdin Greek. About twenty feet in
the center was swept clear away.
They then turned to the right and 60.
ing up the river proceeded to the
mouth of Barton. which was swollen
to four times its normal width. Old
Riley, the fisherman; came up and
pointing to his tent on the opposite
side Of the creek, 81 think I'll have to
move my house if the banks keep cav
ing in said he, "look yonder how
fast they are crumbllng."
AS he spoke huge masses
of earth gave way, and fell with a
loud splash into the stream. But l
want to tell ycu," the old fellow went
on, chow L lost my boat, this morning.
1t was just 20 minutes to 3 o'clock.
1t had stopped raining and went
down to see If everything was. safe.
You see have to depend on my boat
for living and it stands me In hand
to watch her. She was safe enough,
being tied securely to good big elm
fun, thirty feet from the waters edge.
There were a lot of fine trout in a fish |
box too, which | expected to bring to
town to sell. Well, 1 walked back to
the house, about fifty yards up there
on the hill, and was just going IN,
when heard kind of roaring noise
Impossible to describe. l thought at
first it was a rorther or cyclone
coming, but happening to look back,
| saw solid wall OF water at least
twenty feet high, coming down the
creek, at race, horse speed. l hurried
as fast as [ could to my boat, but was
a second too late. The edge of the
wall struck the tree and swept 1t OIL
as if it had been a rotten stalk,
carrying my boat and fish along with
it, There they are away out yonder in
the river-you can see the tree. but !
the boat is under water. I'll have to
wait for the Colorado to go down to F!
get back my bateau, and PARKWAY,
melancholy look came in the old mans
eyes as he bid the reporters good-d
"How artistically he, mangles the
truth" said Dick. THAT wall OF
water in Barton Creek twenty feet
high is nearly as good one as Null
hatton could get up.
ut must be so" murmured his
comrade; "Old Riley has been here a
long time, and was never known to
tell lie"
Dick shed a tear, and the subject
was dropped.
ON ONION CREEK.
his SCr0aHl, SOllo 6lSuG mllOo 1iOAI
Austin, is reported by parties who
came into the city yesterday as hav-
ing risen to a height never before
known. According to the statement
of several persons, it rose forty feet
high. Mr.. John o. Johnson received
message that his farm was over
flowed and went out to look up the
damage. Great injury must have
been done the crops all along the
course of this creek.
THE TRAINS.
No trains on the Missouri Pacific.
or 1. & G. N. r. r. came in yesterday
except one that left Monday nigh
for San Antonio. 1t was stopped a
little this sideIof Manchaca by wash
outs in front, that forced its return to
Austin. Washouts between Round
Rock and Taylor kept trains from the
-io fh0rnht that tho r0aHQ