Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-06-27
MEXICO In SORROW.
PARTICULARS OF THE GREAT FLOOD In
LEON.
Over Seven Hundred Lives Lost in Leon and
SilaO-Grsat and PUpulOus Cities Wiped
Out by the FlOOds-A Tale Of
Sorrow and Woe.

CITY OF MEXICO, June 26,-Telegraphic
communication which had been interrupt
ed for several days by food, has been re-
stored, and the particulars of the terrible
disaster on the line of the Mexican Central
railway, particularly at Leon and Silao, are
obtained.
On the Goth it was learned that the
floods had been more destructive at Leon
than in Salao. II seems that on Monday,
the 18th, the river broke over its dykes,
and, Notwithstanding all efforts to check
it's course, it made rapid headway 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
commenesd 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 flood, 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, increased the
flow of the river and rapidly extended its
channel until over have Leon was under
water. Houses tumbled in rapidly, bav-
ing been worn away by the water, aud the
loss of life commenced, unparalleled In
the history of any of the great inunda-
tions of modern times. As the buildings
fell the unfortunate sleepers were either
crushed to death or drowned. A night Of
terror followed. Men, women and chill
dren fled to the streets in their night
clothes, some to find shelter on higher
ground and others to be swept away by the
flood.
On Tuesday morning rain was still fall
ing, and there had been no perceptible de-
crease in the stream of water. A man.
moth length extended its length and
breadth to all points of the compass. 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 seek fight without clothes, were stand
ing about in the rain crying and deploring
their losses. All houses which the flood
left intact were opened to the unfortu-
mates, who were provided with everything
that was available at the time.
The loss Of life up to this time had
reached the hundreds, but the threatening
danger had closed the channel Of sorrow
and the hushed voices denoted nothing
more than fear for the flture. All night
it poured, until Wednesday morning saw
the lake surrounding the city undimin-
ished in size, with steady rain disturbing
its surface. In the afternoon, however, it
ceased raining, and the waters commenced
TO recede' The people recovered FROM their
fright, though water was still covering a
portion of the city. 1t is estimated that
700 persons perished.
There is strong stencil from heaps OF
rubbish that once formed houses, and one
is led ITO believe thst 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 ruins of houses,
wherein are supposed to be hundreds of
bodies buried. The destroyed houses are
estimated ut 1000 and the loss s., 600, 900.