Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-03-05
THE CALIFORNIA FLOODS
Bridges and Trees Swept
Away in the Torrent.
RAILROADS BADLY DAMAGED
Farm Land and Crops Dam
aged Beyond Repair.
Houses FlOated Away Leaving Scores of
People Homeless--Large Sections of
Country Covered by the Flood.

Los ANGELES, CAL, Feb 25.-At
least six persons lost their lives in the
floods. The family of Charles Watts is
also missing from near Downey, and is
supposed TO have been drowned. The
Wells family, consisting Of man, wife
and babe, were drowned at Quart, and
the bodies of two MeXicans were found
In the same neighhorhood.
s. Laurens was drowned at Whining
ton while trying to rescue some cattle.
The worst of the flood was probably at
Downey and vicinity. Old and new
San Gabriel rivers broke from their
banks and ran together, and made a
great inland sea, six to ten miles wide
and seventeen miles long. Many houses
were swept away, and number of
families occupying the territory inun-
dated have not been heard from. Shots
We're heard in Downey Monday morn
ing, fired at Watts ranch-house, sup
posed TO have been a signal of distress.
The house was soon swept away, and it
is feared that the whole family perished
in the torrent.
SAN BERNARDINo, CAL, Feb. 26.-It
commenced raining on Saturday night
and by Sunday night the streams were
roaring The motor bridge over Lyttle
creek, between San Bernardino and
Cotton was washed away on Monday
morning The whole expanse of coun-
try below San Bernardino city was
covered by the rushing waters and
many families were compelled to flee
to higher ground. The school
. building was carried off ground
and ALL The creek changed its natural
course and made entirely ne.vchannel
Thousands of dollars of valuable prop
erty was destroyed Mr.. Grosyenor on
Sunday morning had $50 acres of highly
cultivated land and on Sunday night
only a quarter of an acre remained. The
Santa Fe railroad bridges suffered
greatly On Monday morning 150 feet
of the bridge between San Bernardino
and Cotton was carried away, as were
$50 feet of the bridge between this city
and Los Angeles.
The motor and county bridges over
Santa Anna river had the approaches
washed away for $50 feet. The San Ber-
nardino and Arrowhead Motor Com
pany's tracks have been washed out for
a long distance.
In Canon Pass the condition of things
is the worst ever seen in that section.
Ten thousand feet of the Santa Fe track
between San Berdardino and Rarstow
obliterated and four trains are tied up
between the two points. The South
srn Pacific bridge east of Cotton is
n an impossible condition. The county
hospital situated in the western portion
IF the city was in danger, 25 acres of the
hospital grounds being carried off. A
anmber Of houses tloated away leaving
the people homeless
The damage in this county will be
between $300,000 and S500,000 The
waters have subsidized considerably and
the storm is over.
SAN DIEao, CAL., Feb 26,-The storm
of Sunday and Monday was the most
severe ever experienced in this section.
The damage to railroads leading from
the city is quite large and it will be
week before travel is resumed as it was
before the flood. The town of Tiajuana
on the Mexican line was totally washed
away, except the Russ Hotel, which is
so badly damaged as to be of no further
use. The 0tay river broke its banks and
swelled Tiajuana river until it flooded
the entire country, sweeping away
stores and houses, cattle and everything
that came in its path. Two persons are
reported drowned at Tiauana. At
Ramona IL inches of water is reported
us falling during the storm. On Cuya-
imaca road several washouts occurred
and the San Diego river bridge washed
away. At Ensenada the rain did con
siderable damage. The soap works on
Ensenada river was totally washed
away, but no loss of life was reported.
Go damage was done in San Diego,
although considerable rain fell and the
wind attained u velocity of 40 miles per
hour.
WATER RISING A FOOT PER HOUR.
YUMA, ARIZONA, Feb. 26.-The water
at Adonde thirty miles east of Yuma is
rising one foot an hour and is higher
now than ever, running into telegraph
Office. The flood is expected TO reach
Yuma to-day. The relief committee is
kept busy assisting sufferers. News
from Gila valley indicates that the loss
is much greater than at first reported,
Telephone messages from the govern
ment farm eight miles cast say that the
employees were about to abandon the
place and camp on the hill side to escape
the water coming down. A telegram
from Texas Hill received here states the
people can be seen camped ON the hills
on the north side Of Gila and one house
can vet be seen standing. A great loss
of property has surely followed the
food in the Mohawk valley. No com
municatlon can be had there rs the river
is toe turbulent to cross. The residents
Of Aztec in Gila valley have all moved
to Mosas many losing valuable live stock
and comfortable houses. Last night the
sky was cloudless and no sign OF rain.