The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-07-11
DEATH IN THE FLOODS.
More Than Seven Hundred Per.
sons Perish i'm Mexico.
Many Cities and Towns Inundated.
and 1000 Houses Swept Away.

A special despatch from the City of Mexico
says: Telegraphic communication, which
has been interrupted for several days by the
foods, has been restored and details Of the
terrible disaster on the line of the Mexican
Central railway, particularly at Leon and
Silao, are obtained. During the past ten
days the table lands between here and Zaca-
tecas have been visited by unprecedented
rains. Every mountain rivulet along the
Central railway for more than two hundred
miles has been converted into destructive
torrent and the valleys present the appear
race of lakes Many cities and towns have
been inundated aud Leon and Silao have
been partially destroyed.
The first intimation received in this city Of
the disaster in the North was telegram from
Silao dated the 18th instant 1t said: ut
commenced raining heavily here yesterday
afternoon and continued all night. The
Silao river overdowed its banks and rushed
through the streets with irresistible force.
Most houses here being of adobe, as soon as
they were saturated with water they began
to fall. About 525 houses have been destroyed.
The station buildings are occupied by home
less people, who are unable to obtain any
thing to eat except watermelons and fruit
found floating In the water. The rain has
been general, and the whole country round
Silao is flooded. Several dykes have given
away. 1t still continues raining.
On the Goth it was learned that the floods
had been more destructive in Leon than in
Silao. 1t seems that on Monday, the 18th,
the river broke over its dykes, and, notwith-
standing all efforts to check its 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 commenced to fall as night
came on. Monday night brought to that
city one of the most terrible scenes ever wit
messed in any country. People, believing
themselves 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 in the extensive
the flow of the river, and rapidly spread its
channel until over half Of Leon was under
water. Houses tumb!ed in rapidly, having
been worn away by the water, and the loss
of life commenced. AS the buildings fell the
unfortunate sleepers were either crushed to
death or drowned. One whole night Of ter
ror followed. 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
Tuesday morning rain was still falling, and
UuClS uou bSSh Nv PSASSPoAotS ~
crease IN the stream Of water A
mammoth lake extended its length and
breadth to all points Of the compass. Its
monotonous appearance was occasionally
broken by halt-submerged houses and high
lands cropping above its surface. Where
the houses had stood the night previous
water was surging in its course to lower
ground Groups Of people, who had been
forced by impending danger to seek fight
without clothes, were standing about in the
rain crying and deploring their losses. All
houses which the food left intact were
opened to the unfortunates, who were pro-
vided with everything that was available
at the time.
All night the rain poured, until Wednes-
day morning saw the lake surrounding the
city undiminished in size, with steady rain
disturbing it's 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.
It is estimated that more than 700 persons
perished. There is a strong stencil
from heaps Of rubbish that once formed the
houses, and it is believed that bodies are
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, where hundreds
of bodies are supposed to be buried. The
houses destroyed are estimated at 20OO and
the loss at $4,000. 900. ...-'.