Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-29
WIND AND RAIN IN TEXAS.
Buildings Damaged and the Fruit Crop
ut Waco Almost Ruined.

.
MORGAN, Ten, May 2S.-This section
was visited by destructive storm last
night. The fronts Of several stores were
blown in, and they We're otherwise badly
/ damaged. The roof of the concrete
house owned by the Texas Cen
trail Railroad Company was entirely
demolished. The cotton gin and grist mill
owned by Mr. Barrett, of Waco, together
with the engine and machinery, are COM
plete wrecks. A new twO-storY school
house was also wrecked. The damage to
fruit trees in the vicinity is very great,
and it IS known that one peach orchard
was entirely destroyed. After the storm
the water stood kneedeep in the streets.
The aggregate damage will amount 70
many thousands If dollars.
THE DELUGE AT WACO.
WACO, TEX. May 2S-The fercest
storm ever known in this vicinity ragged
last night almost with the fury Of a tor
nado. Rain fell in great sheets for sew
eral hours completely deluging the city.
SEVERAL LIVES LOST.
Daylight revealed distressing picture,
for, in addition TO the great damage to
property, number Of lives had been lost.
BY 9 O'Clock this morning Waco creek had
overlooked its banks, the swift current
sweeping away a number Of houses along
IT'S course. A building Just south
of the city limits, occupied
by a German named T. Il. Defining
hOff, with his wife and three
children. was overwhelmed and the entire
family drowned. Another building a few
feet away, occupied By q family named
Cameron. was lifted from its foundation
and completely demolished. The family
narrowly escaped. but lost everything.
Two dwellings We're carried down the
stream some distance before the occu-
pants escaped.
A DOZEN MORE HOUSES SWEPT AWAY.
Lower down on Waco creek over q
dozen other houses were swept away.
Five out of eight bridges spanning the
creek within the city limits are washed
away. The wind blew with tremendous
velocity, unrOofng the warehouse of Les
sing, solomon, Rosenthals & Co., and
damaging stock from $1,000 20 $1,000. The
roof Of the Cameron, Castles "a Storey
building was badly torn up, damaging
their large stock. Several other roofs
were blown off. Bv O'Clock this morn
ing BraZOs river had risen ten inches
above high water mark and continued to
rise during the day. By noon every one
had deserted the overlooked districts in
East Waco. That portion of the city is
completely inundated tonight, resulting
in a loss Of about $4,000.
FIFTY HOUSES UNDER WATER.
Not less than 80 houses are under
water, 20 Of which are business houses.
One large lumber yard owned by J. O..
Nails is entirely swept away. Two other
yards belonging to William Cameron 81
Co., and A. j. CaTuthers are heavily dam
aged.
The passenger and freight depots of the
| Texas Central Railroad are submerged,
and the tracks submerged for over a mile.
/ At O'Clock this evening the water
! was within two feet Of the great iron
4 bridge OF the Missouri Pacific
/ Road Fears are also entertained for the
magnificent suspension bridge belonging
/ to the city. A negro who arrived tonight
from six miles south Of the city reports
that a family of six negroes We're washed
away and drowned. The damage to farms
and crops along the river and creeks must
be enormous. 1t caurot even be estimated
now. All thu railroads leading 70 the
city are badly washed Traffic is sus.
pended and telegraph wires are pros.
| rrated