Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-07-05
LIVES SNUFFED OUT
Fifteen Hundred Persons Drowned by
the Great Floods at Leon and
Silao. Mexico.
Both Places Submerged by the Over
flow and More Than Two Thousand
Buildings Washed Away.

CITY OF ME1Ico.-Telegra phic commun-
icatiop, which has been Interrupted for
several days by the floods, has been re-
stored, and the particulars of the terrible
disaster on the line Of the Mexican Cen
trail railway, particularly at Leon and
Slao, are obtained. During the last ten
days the table lands between here and
Zacatecas have been visited by unpre-
cedented rains. Every mountain rivulef
along the Central railway for more than
200 miles has been converted into de-
structive torrent, and the valleys present
the appearance of lakes. Many cities an q
to Rns have been inundated, and Leon and
Silao have been partially destroyed. The
first intimatiou received in this city OF
the disaster in the north was telegram
from Silao, dated the 18th instant. It
said:
SIT commenced raining heavily here
yesterday afternoon and continued all
night, raising the Silao river out of its
banks, breaking at the north end of the
town and passing through the streets
with irresistible force and volume. Most
houses here being of adobe, as soon as
they were satu rated with water they
began to fall. About 325 houses have
been destroyed. The station buildings
are occupied by homeless people, who
are unable to ATTAIN anything TO eat ex-
cept watermelons and fruit found float
ing on the water. The rain has been
general a&d the whole country around
Silao is flooded. Several dykes have
given away. It still continues raining
On the goth IL was learned that the
floods had been more destructive IN Leon
than in Silao. On Monday, the 18th, the
river broke over its dykes, AMI notwith-
standing all efforts to check its course it
made rapid Roadway and finally flooded
the city. As the rain fell the river rose
rapidly, its volume Of water flowing into
the town, gradually wearing away the
foundations of buildings, which com
menced to fall as night came on.
Monday night brought to that city one
of the most terrible scenes ever witnessed
in any country. People believing them
selves secure from the food went to bed
in those parts OF the town where the
water had not found its way. The steady
downfall OF rain, with the extensive water
bed of the outlying country, increased
the flow of the river and rapidly extend
ed its channel until over half of Leon
vas under water. Houses tumbled-in
rapidly, having been worn away by the
water, and the loss OF life commenced.
As the buildings fell the unfortunate
sIeepers were either crushed to death or
drowned.
Men, women and children fed to the
streets in their night clothes, some to
find shelter on higher ground, and others
TO be swept away by the flood. On Tues
day morning rain was still falling, and
there had been no perceptibleJ decrease
in the stream of water. A mammoth
lake extended its length and breadth to
all points OF the compass. Its monoto-
nous appearance was occasionally broken
by half submerged houses and high lands
| cropping above its anything but placid
surface. Where the houses had stood
the night previous, water was surging in
its flight to lower ground. All houses
which the food left intact were opened
to the unfortunates, who were provided
with every thing that was available at the
time.
All night it poured, and Wednesday
morning saw the lake surrounding the
city undiminished In size. In the after
noon, however, increased raining and the
waters commenced to recede. The PEG
pie recovered from their fright, though
water was still covering a portion of the
oity.
Fifteen hundred lives were lost by the
inunGation and 1000 bodies have been re-
covered. Leon is a city of 100000 lnhab-
itants and large part of it is in ruins.
There is a strong odor from heaps of
of rubbi. b that once formed houses, and
one is led to believe that there must be
bodies buried under them. The destroyed
houses are estimated at 1000 and the loss
st 100000.
Many other towns have been badly
damaged but loss OF lie is only reported
from Silao and Leon.
The state of GuaDanjuato and the
federal government aro doing much to
succor the victims OF the food, Further
more, subscriptions of money, food, and
clothes are being sent from here.
The reports from Leon are heart-rend-
ing. The whole population are busilJ
working in the ruins of the fallen houses.
Nearly everybody has lost relations Or
friends, and those who have not have
seen their earthly possessions disappear
IN a night. The Mexican collector of
customs at Paso del Norte received
an official dispatch stating that one hun
dred miles of the Mexican raiIoad is i'm
passable and that it will be ten days be-
fore mails can get through and twenty
days before freight can be moved.
CONGRESSIONAL.