, 1888-06-27
FLOODED CITIES.
Particulars of the Disastrous
Floods in Mexico,
Over Two Thousand Houses
Washed Away.
Seven Hundred Persons Re-
ported Lost.
Disastrous Floods.


the City of Mexico says: Telegraphic COM
munication, which has been interrupted
several days by the floods, has been re-
stored and particulars of a terrible disaster
on the line of the Mexican Central rail
way, particularly at Leon and Silao, were
obtained. During the past ten days the
tablelands between here and Zacatocas
have been visited by unprecedented rains.
Every mountain rivulet along the Central
railway for more than 200 miles has been
converted into a destructive torrent and
the valleys present the appearance of
lakes. Many cities and towns have been
inundated and Leon and Silao have been
partially destroyed.
The first intimation received in this city
of the disaster at the north was a tele-
gram from Silao dated the 18th inst. 1t
said:
1T commenced raining very heavily
here yesterday afternoon and continued
all night, raising the Silao river out Of its
banks, breaking at the north end OF the
town, passing through the streets with ir-
resistible force. Most of the houses here
being of adobe as soon as they were sat
urated with water began to fall. About
1876 houses have been destroyed, and the
station buildings are occupied by home
less people unable to obtain anything TO
eat except watermelons and fruit floating
in the water. The rain has been gene
raj and the whole country around Silao is
flooded. SeveraEd dykes have given away
and it still continues raining"
On the Goth it was learned that the
floods had been more destructive IN Leon
than Silao. On Monday the 18th the
river broke over the dykes notwithstaud-
ing all efforts to check it. 1t made rapid
Roadway and finally flooded the city. As
the rain fell the river rose rapidly, flow
| ing into the town and gradually wearing
| away the foundations of buildings, which
| soon 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 the town where the water had
not found its way. The steady downfall
of rain with the extensive water bed of
outlying country, increased the flow of
the river and rapidly extended its channel
until half of Leon was under water.
Houses tumbled in rapidly, having been
worn away by the water, and loss of life
commenced unparalleled in the history of
any of the great foundations of modern
| times, and as buildings fell the unfortu-
nate sleepers we're either crushed to death
or drowned.
One whole night of terror followed,
men, women and children fed to the
streets in their night clothes, some to find
shelter on higher ground, others to be
swept away by the food. Tuesday morn,
| ing the rain was still falling, there having
been no perceptible decrease in the stream
of water. A mammoth lake extended tc
all points Of the compass, its monstrous
appearance occasionally broken by the
half submerged houses and the highland
cropping above its surface. The tow
had a wrecked look where houses had
stood the night previous, the water surg
ing to the lower grounds, and where
groups of people who had been forced by
the impending danger. to seek fight with
out clothes standing about in the rain
crying and ~deploring their losses.
All houses which the flood left intact
were opened to the u~ntortunates, who
were provided with everything available.
The loss of life up to this writing has
reached up into the hundreds, but the
threatening danger had closed the channe'
of sorrow and the hushed voices denoted
| lObuluB ulOlG Ludu lCdl III thG lubuIC.
All night it poured, until Wednesday
morning saw the lake surrounding the
city undimInished in size with the steady
rain disturbing the 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 a portion Of
the city.
1t is estimated that 100 persons perish,
ed. There is a strong stencil from the
heaps of rubbish that at nee formed
here and one is led to believe that some
bodies must be buried under them. There
are also bodies still floating in the water.
Three bodies have been recovered without
moving any ruins of the houses, wherein
are supposed to be hundreds of bodies
buried. The number of destroyed houses
is estimated at 1000. and the loss a
50, ZOO, 600. Many other towns have beer
badly damaged, but the loss of life is only
reported from Silao and Leon.
The Mexican Central has suffered
very severely. Several washouts occurred
between Aquas Calientes and Leon, but
they are now being repaired and trains
are running from Ell Paso as far south al
Leon to I~rafuato, thirty miles.
AL the aVallaDle XXI are employed
repairing.
The state of Guananiuato and the fed
eral government are doing much to succol
the victims of the flood, and money, fooC
and clothes are being sent from here
The last reports from Leon are heartrend
ing. The whole population is working
into the ruins of the fallen houses, nearly
everybody lost relations or friends, anC
those who have not have seer their earthly
possessions disappear in a night, The
estimated loss of life and property giver
are the smallest reported and are c%ertainl,
within the bounds of truth. The very
last statement just received places the
number of houses destroyed in Leon a
1924, and the homeless families at more
than 1000. More than $50 bodies have
been recovered from the ruins. There il
no probability that the entire number viii
fall short of 700.