Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-06-27
WASTEO OF WATERS.
Unprecedented Floods in
Mexico.
MANY TOWNS INUNDATED.
Terrible Destitution and Suffering.
Leon Submerged Great
Loss of Life.
MANY TOWNS INUNDATEl
Associated Press Dispatche. to ,be

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
= LOUIS, June 26.--A special from
be City Of Mexico says:
Telegraphic communication, which had
,een interrupted for several days by
loods, has been restored. Particulars Of
errible disasters on the line Of the Mexi-
an Central Railroad, particularly at
Leon and Silao, have been obtained.
During the past ten days the table lands
between here and Zetecas have been
visited by unprecedented rains. Every
rivulet along the Central Rail
way for more than two hundred miles
mas been converted into a destructive
:orrent, and the valleys present the APP
pearance Of lakes. Many cities and
owns have been inundated, and Leon
and silao have been partially destroyed.
THE FLOOD AT sILAo.
The first intimation received in this
,ity of the disaster in the North, was a
;elegram from Silao dated the 18th inst.
Il said "It commenced raining heavily
nere yesterday afternoon and continued
all night, raising the Silao river out Of its
banks, breaking at the north end Of the
own and passing through the streets
with irresistible force. Most of the
houses here, being of adobe, as soon as
hey were saturated with water, began to
all. About twenty-five houses have
been destroyed. The station building is
by homeless people unable to
obtain anything to eat except water
melons and fruit floating in the water.
The rain has been general and the whole
country around Silao is flooded, several
dykes giving way. 1t still continues
raining.
DISASTERS AT LEON.
On the goth it was learned that the
floods have been more destructive in
Leon than Silao. On Monday, the 18th,
the river broke over the dykes, notwith-
all efforts to check it. 1t made
rapid headway and finally flooded the
city. AS the rain fell the river rose rap
idly, flowing into the town, gradually
wearing away the foundations Of build
ings, which commenced to fall as night
came on. Monday night brought to that
city one of the most terrible scenes ever
witnessed in any country. The people
believing themselves secure went to bed
in those parts OF town where the water
had not found its way. The steady down
fall of rain, with the extensive water
bed of the outlying country, in
creased the flow of the riv-
er, and rapidly extended it's
until over half of Leon was
under water. Houses tumbled in rap
idly, having been worn away by the
water, and loss of life commenced un-
paralleled in the history Of any of the
great foundations Of modern times, and
as the buildings fell the unfortunate
sleepers were either crushed to death or
drowned.
NIGHT OF TERROR.
Men, women and children fled to the
streets in their night clothes, some to
find shelter on higher ground, others to
be swept away by the floods. On Tues.
day morning the rain was still falling
there had been no perceptible. decrease
in the stream OF water. A mammoth
lake extended to all points Of the
compass, its monotonous appearance
occasionally broken by half submerged
houses, and highlands cropping above its
surface. Where houses had stood the
night previous, the water was surging,
and groups of people, who had been
forced by the impending danger to seek
flight without clothes, were standing
about in the rain, crying and deploring
their losses. All the houses which the
Hood had left intact were opened to the
who were provided with
everything available. The loss of life up
TO this waiting has reached into the hum
dreds, but the threatening danger had
closed the channel OF sorrow, and the
hushed voices denoted nothing more
than
FEAR FOR THE FUTURE.
All night it poured, until Wednesday
morning saw the lake surrounding the
city undiminished in size, with steady
rain disturbing its surface. In the after
noon, however, it ceased raining and the
waters commenced to recede; the peo-
pie recovered from their fright, though
the water was still covering portion OF
the city. 1t is estimated that 700 persons
perished. There is a strong stencil from
the heaps of rubbish that once formed
habitations, and one is led to believe
there must be bodies buried under them
There are also bodies still floating in the
water. One hundred and eleven bodies
have been recovered without moving any
Of the ruins Of the houses, wherein are
to be hundreds OF bodies. The
destroyed houses are estimated at two
thousand, and the loss at $1,000. 600
Many other towns have been badly dam
aged, but loss OF life is only reported from
Silao and Leon. The Mexican Central
mas suffered very severely. Several
washouts occurred between Aguas Cali.
sntes and Leon, but they have now been
'epaired and trains running from Ell Paso
IS far south as Leon to Ara Fuato, thirty
niles. All available workmen are EN-
,loyed at repairing. The State OF Guiana
uato and the Federal Government are
loing much to succor the victims of the
loods. Money, food and clothing are be-
ng sent from here.
HEARTRENDING REPORTS.
The last reports from Leon are heart
ending. The whole population is work.
i,g on the ruins of the fallen houses.
Nearly everybody lost relations or friends. |
md those who have not have seen their
arthly possessions disappear in the
light. The estimates Of the loss of life |
md property given are the smallest re-
'orted, and are certainly within the
,ounds OF truth. The very last state. |
nent just received places the number of