The Penn's Grove record., 1888-06-30
A TERRIBLE FLOOD.
FLOODS IN MEXICO CAUSE A LOSS OF
FIFTEEN HUNDRED LIvEs-oNE
THOUSAND BODIES RECoy-
ERED-ovER TWO THOU
SAND HOUSES GONE.


ERED-ovER TWO THOU
SAND HOUSES GONE.
ST. LOUIS, June 26.-A special des-
patch from the City Of Mexico says:
T~elegraphic communication, which has
been interrupted for several days by the
floods, has been restored, and the par
ticulars of the terrible disaster on the
line Of the Mexican Central Railway,
particularly at Leon and Sllao, are OBJ
tanned. During the past ten days the
table lands between here and Zacatecas
have been visited by unprecedented
rains. Every mountain rivulet along
the Central Railroad for more than 20
miles have been converted into a de-
structive torrent, and the valleys pres
ent the appearance Of lakes. Many
cities and towns have been inundated,
and Leon and Sllao have been par
TALLY destroyed. The FIRST intimation
received In this city Of the disaster IN
the North was a telegram from Silao
dated the 18th instant.
1t said: ait 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
saturated with water they began to
fall. About 1926 houses have been de-
stroyed. The station buildings are &C.
cupied by homeless people, who are un-
able to obtain anything to eat except
watermelons and fruit found floating
in the water. The rain has been gen.
eral, and the whole country around
Silao Is flooded. Several dykes have
gwen away. IL still continues rain.
On the Goth it was learned that the
foods had been more destructive In
Leon than in Silao. 1t seems that on
Monday, the 18th, the river broke over
its dykes and flooded the city. AS the
rain fell the river rose rapidly, its vol
ume Of water flowing into the town,
gradually wearing away the founda-
tions of buildings, 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. People, be-
lieving themselves secure from the flood
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 extended 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, unparalleled in the
history of any of the great foundations
of modern times. AS the buildings fell
the unfortunate sleepers were either
crushed to death or drowned.
One whole night OF terror followed.
Men, women and children fled to the
streets in their night clothes, some to
ind shelter or higher ground and
others to be swept away by the food
On Tuesday morning rain was still
falling. and there had been no percept-
BILE decrease in the stream of water
A mammoth lake extended its length
and breadth to all points Of the COM
pass. Its monOtonOus appearance was
occasionally broken by half-submerged
houses and high lands cropping above
its anything but placid surface. The
town had a wrecked look. Where the
houses had stood the night previous
water was surging In its flight to lower
grounds.
Groups Of people who had been
forced by impending danger to seeh
digit without clothes, we're standing
about IN the rain, crying and deploring
their losses. All the houses which the
flood left intact were opened to the un-
f~ortunates, who were provided with
everything that was available at the
time.
The loss of life up to this writing
had reached into hundreds, but the
threatening danger had closed the
channel of sorrow, and the hushed
voices denoted nothing mort then fear
for the future. All night 1t poured,
until Wednesday morning saw the lake
surrounding the city undiminlshed in
size, with steady rain disturbing Its
surface. In the afternoon. however,
1t ceased raining and the waters com.
menced to recede. The people recOv-
cred from their fright. though water
was still covering a portion of the city.
1t Is estimated that 700 persons per-
isbed.
There is a strong stencil from heaps
of rubbish that once formed houses.
and One is led to believe that
there must be bodies buried under
them. There are also bodies still float
ing IN the water. One hundred and
eleven bodies have been recovered.
without removing any ruins of hQRses,
wherein are supposed to be hundreds
of bodies buried. The destroyed houses
are estimated at 1000 and the loss at
81. 0O0, 900.
Many other towns have been badly
damaged. but loss Of life is only report
ed from SilaO and Leon. The Mexican
Central has suffered very severely. Sew.
eral washOuts occurred between Aguas
Callentes and Leon, but they have
now been repaired, and trains are run.
ming from Ell Paso as far south as
Leon, to lraputa, a distance of 80
miles. The management Of the road
has from the first displayed extraordi-
nary energy, and all the available
workmen throughout the adjoining
country are now employed in the work
of repairing,
The State Of Guanajuato and the
Federal Government are dong much
to succor the victims OF the flood. Fur
thermore, subscriptions of money, food
and clothes are being sent from here.
The last reports from Leon are heart
rending. The whole population are
busily working in the ruins Of the fallen
houses. Nearly everybody has lost
relatives or friends, and those who have
not have seen their earthly possessions
disappear in q night.
The estimate OF the loss of life and
property given are the smallest reported
and are certainly within the bounds OF
truth. The very last statement, just
received, places the number of houses
destroyed in Leon at 2224, and the
homeless families at more than 1000.
More than $50 bodies have been recov-
cred from the ruins, and there is no
probability that the entire number will
fall short of 200.