Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-05-01
WASTE OF WATER.
Northwestern Texas Gets a Sc
we're Soaking.
RAILROAD TRACKS WASHED AWAY
People Rescued-Much damage DOne-Ter-
rifle Fall of Frozen les at Baltimore
The Floods of the Lower
Mississippi.

DALLAS, Tex, April 28-For the past
week it has rained constantly through
out Western and Northwestern Texas
and Friday the Trinity river, which had
been swollen by the small streams and
bayous which drain the country, began
to rise and Saturday it was within four
feet of the high water mark. The
pump house at Turtle creek, from
which the city obtained its water sup
ply, became submerged while the people
along the banks of the river in West
Dallas were cut off from the high lands
and forced to take refuge on the house
tops and in the tree tops. They were
rescued from their perilous quarters by
boatmen and the police.
One hundred houses in West Dallas
were submerged and at ten o'clock the
river had reached the high water mark
and was rising at the rate of seven inches
an hour.
On the Oak Cliff side of the river the
homes. They had removed their house
hold goods to high ground. Many of
the outbuildings were swept away and
the gardens destroyed.
On the Dallas side of the river great
damage has been inflicted upon prop
erty. Several large brickyards Oh the
banks and in the low lands are under
water. The great pressed brick COM
pany's WORKS recently erected suffered
severely. the water being twenty feet
deep in their premises. The loss in the
brickyards alone will reach $4,000 or
SIS, 900.
The large cotton compress building
containing >. 900 bales of cotton is threat
ened and the water is said to be fifteen
inches deep on the floor.
At least $50 families were driven from
their homes on the East Dallas side of
the Trinity. They are mostly negroes.
They packed their goods to high ground
in nearly every instance, though num-
Der did not desert their dwellings until
the water came in the doors and win
dowS.
The railroads have suffered severely
and travel is very nigh at standstill.
The trestle works and roadbeds of the
Dallas e Oak Cliff railroad was swept
bridge over the channel of the stream.
1t will be two or three weeks before
the road can be rebuilt. Presi-
dent Marsolis says the loss will reach
in to the thousands. The tracks of the
Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe are under
water and no trains have left the city.
One entered it over the road yesterday.
The Texas Trunk and the WaXahachie
branch of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas
are submerged, and hundreds of yards of
trestle gone. The Texas & Pacific peo-
pie are transferring passengers, it being
deemed unsafe to run trains over the
Trinity river bridge. The Houston &
Texas Central has adopted the same
plan. 1t is estimated 500, 900 will not
repair these roads.
Reports from other points along the
river indicate that the inhabitants of
the flooded districts suffered severely.
Crops have been destroyed, houses swept
away and bridges and trestle work
knocked out, but so far as known no
lives have been lost, although many
narrow escapes have been recofded.
Yesterday Sheriff w. II. Lewis and
Police Officer Grizzle were informed
that family were lodged in the tree
tops on the West Dallas side of the
river. They took boat and rescued
them, but came very near los ng their
lives on the return tip after having
placed their charges on dry land, their
boat capsizing.
The cellars of the elevators, flour
mills, factories and other buildings are
flooded. Those who have been closely
watching the river say that it is at a
stand still, which is welcome news to all
interested. The river is one mile wide
a. this point, and fair idea of its depth
can be imagined when it can be stated
that the tops of telegraph poles along
the lines of railroad are under water.