Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-03-07
SCORES OF LIVES LOST.
The Whole ella Valley in Arizona
Under Water.
Hundreds Were Drowned--0at of Ons
Hundred and Fifty Hoases Only
Fifty Are Left Standtng.

AUNuEtus " ere bFOWncO--Ont OIL Onf
Hundred and Fifty Hoases Only
Fifty Are Left Standing.
Yuma, Arizona, is a camp of distress Out
of $50 houses, composing the town, only 81
remain.
The canals have been washed out, the
ranches destroyed and the railroads are under
water. The loss in Yuma is half million.
The cemeteries are on high land and many
people are camping in them. II is reported
that Mexican family, eight miles west wer,
drowned. One body, that of man, foated
past town. The river is IA miles wide. Many
people are believed to be drowned in the
country, but no particulars have been re.
ceived
No word has been received from farther
than 10 miles from town, and it i fared thai
hundreds Of lives have been lost up the Gila
Valley, which is 30 miles in length Indian
messengers have been sent out but have not
as yet returned. 1t is known that thousand,
of cattle horses and mules are drowned The
wires are all down east, and repairers could
get only five miles eat
Every house ON the hills has been thrown
open TO receive the homeless, and hundreds
are quarterei in tents aud the old government
buiauilSS. Tue niefcuhlts nave DpeHeu thelT
goods on the streets in order to help tile suf
ierers. The water is still high for 200 mile,
east OF Yuma, and as all of this must pas,
here many fear that The worst is yet 10 come
especially ifthere should be any further rain.
ialI, The common loss has brought all classes
OF citizens together and all have worked with
VII, hrst in trying 10 save the town by con.
struetlng rude leyCe and, which effort
proved futile, in saving as much rs possible
from the ruins.
a boat which has Just arrived from Mohawk
60 miles up the CHA River, brings'reports oi
terrible loss of life, all the country being
under water. The greatest sufferers are the
poar Mexieans, whose entire possessions have
been swept away and who have no reserves "a
TAIL ba~k upon. There is yet vast stretch Of
territory TO be heard from, and everyone ears
that when the full returns are in the loss Of
life will prove an appalling magnitude. In
Y..ma the ruin has teen most com lete, thu
Cstnolic church being the only building leil
standing on the main street The conveat
aud adjoining school stood the wear OF waves
for many hours, but finally erumbied into
ruins
The Yuma Sentinel moved its Office four
times, and finally succeeded in getting out on
time. The Times was less fortunate, aud its
office aud material went down lie wreck.
Fears were entertained that the fine railroad
bridge would be carried away, but fortunately
tue piers htOOu Tue Aitl unless some extra
heavy wreekage should lodge on the super.
structure and cause jam 1t will not be mate.
ria y injured.
rIon, tnc first intimation of danger every.
one a o-ed with will to save the town even
the lndians working as they never worked
before. For hours they labored in water
waist dep on the levee, and when il was too
late to save the town they followed wreckaRe
and towed it to place of safety. When IL
was evident that the main business 20 Ii N Of
the town must go, men, women ana on4fl en-
busted themselves in moving stocks o. goaIs
and household effects to the hill, where
everything was left unguarded, the common
danger rendering caution superfuous
When the water so high as 10 cut Of
further access TO houses and st0res an effort
was made TO erect temporary shelters for the
women and children. Dry goods boxes we're
looked upon as miniature cottages, and their
possessors were deemed exceedingly fortunate.
as most Of those driven so hastily from their
homes were Obliged TO content themselvs with
mere d.breaks lmade OF old blankets aud
carpets. In the rush OF the waters the steamer
Mojave was driven high and dry on the bank,
and dozen families nave taken refuge in her
ca bins.
The officers of Fort Yuma have done every.
thing IN their power to assist the sufferers
and, fortunately, there was good supply OF
tents on hand, and these we're at once placed
at the disposal Of the homeless families and
much suffering thereby prevented Should
there be no further rainfall, ii is hoped that
there will be little further loss, and that with
the restoration of communication with the
West, sufficient relief will be brought in from
San Francisco and Los Angeles to prevent
any serious trouble.
The citizens of Yuma have already sub
scribed over 81, 500 to relief fund, and Los
Angeles has collected about 5000 tor the
same purpose. San Francisco merchants
have subscribed literally to the fund in that
city, and dispatch from there states that u
relief fund viii be sent through as soon as the
railroad is repaired.