The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-03-12
A CITY DESTROYED,
THE CITY OF YUMA WIPED OJT nv
THE FLOOD.

Water Covers the Country for Fifty Miles
Around-Hundreds OF People Rendered
Homeless and Destitue-Appailin. Ln.,
OF LILO Reported.
YUMA, Arizona. March 1.-Over psi
houses are in ruins in this place anG
l,4O0 people are homeless. 1t is feared
the Glla Valley. No reliable reports
can be obtained from that locality. as
the roads are impossible and all the
wires are down.
Above Yuma the river is seven miles
wide, and below .thc town the water
covers the country in one grand lake
sons are being fed daily at the Southern
Pacific Hotel, and the town has pro-
visions sufficient for eight days more.
The blockade of West bound trains, it
is expected, will be raised IN about four
days, but 1t will be at least two weeks
before they can 60 East.
Reports from jenkins, fifteen miles
above here, were to the effect that the
flood drove the people into the tree tops.
Many became exhausted from cold and
hunger before the flood abatcd and
dropped into the water and were drown
ed. 1t is estimated that anywhere be-
tween thirty and 100 lives were lost in
the valley. Desolation rciyns supreme
all along the valley.
Every house on the hills has been
thrown open to receive the homeless. and
hundreds are Quartercd il tents and in
the old government buildings. The
merchants have opened their goods in
the streets i'll order to help the sufferers
The water is still high for two hundred
miles east Of this point, and all this
must pass here. Many fear that the
worst is yet to come, especially if there
should be any further rainfall. The
losses in this county will foot up nearly
$2,0O0,000, and the damage suffered by
the railroad company will amount to
more than $250,OO0.
The common loss has brought all
classes Of citizens together, and all have
worked with will, first IN trying to save
the town by constructing a rude lcvec.
and when that effort proved futile, III saw
ing as much as poaslble from the runs.
The old town will probably not he re-
built, as both merchants and residents
will erect their stores and houses Oh the
hills, in order to be out Of reach Of any
further damage.
A boat which arrived from Mohawk,
sixty miles up the Gila River, brings re-
ports OF terrible loss Of life, all the coun
try being under water. The greatest
sufferers are the poor McXicans, whose
entire possessions have been swept away
and who have no reserve to tall back
upon. Their is yet vast stretch of
territory to be heard from, every one
fears that when full returns arc in. the
loss of life will prove Of appalling
magnitude.
Reports from the valley Of the Coo
RADIO, below this place, state that hun
dreds of the Cocopah Indians have been
drowned. Thoy are located abut sixty
miles South of here, and their tribe is
about 5000 strong, Their villages are
all on low land, and as there are no hills
on which the Indians could take refuge,
an immense number of them must have
been caught IN the flood and swept
away. The waters rose six feet in
twelve hours and came on them almost
without warning.
In this city the ruin has been most
complete, the Catholic church being the
only building left standing on the main
street. The convent and adjoining school
stood the wear Of the waves for many
hours, but finally crumblcd into ruins.
The Yuma Sentinel moved its Office
four times yesterday, but finally sue
ceeded in getting out on time. The
Times was less fortunate, and Its Office
and material went down IN the wreck.
Fears were entertained that the fine
railroad bridge would be carried away.
but fortunately the piers stood the test, q,
and unless some extra heavy wrcckaoc
should lodge on the supcrstructmc and
cause a jam, it will not be materially in
jured.
The officers Of Fort Yuma have done
everything in their power to assist the
sufferers, and fortunately there was a
good supply of tents on hand, and
these were at once placed at the disposal
OF the homeless families and much suf.
fering thereby prevented.
Should there be no further rainfall. il
is hoped that there will be little further
loss, and that with the restoring of COM
mun!catlon with the West sufficient
trains will be brought in from sSan
Francisco and Los Angeles to prevent
any serious troble.
THE LATEST FROM FLOODED YUMA.
YUMA, ARIZONA, Mar.h 2.-Thc
Yuma river has fallen to almost the
level of the water before the last flood.
News from the valleys say that every
thing ls under water, and much GcStruc-
ton to property is reported. Gila River
changed Its course In several places. AT
Glla City the railroad track was covered
Tor miles by water ten feet deep. The
statement ls made that the stories of the
ilrst loss OF life are untrue. One man
Is, 30 lar, known to have been drowned.
Reports OF the death Of others IN the
valley are reported, but they have not
yet been confirmed.
Married to Get His Iepocy