Arizona silver belt., 1891-02-21
A DISASTROUS FRESHET,
HOUSES SWEPT AWAY AND
PROPERTY DESTROYED.
HEAVY LOSSES.

Globe has suffered great calamity. The loss is largely irreparable, and while falling heavily upon few fami- lies and individuals, it is felt and de- plored by the entire community. The terrors of the flood will long live in the memory of those who witnessed its re- lentless power, and there will remain anxiety and dread least the disasters of the past few days are re-enacted.
 The storm began on Monday after noon with gentle rainfall, which gave no premonition of the impending devas- tation. There was no thought of dan ger until late Tuesday night, at which time Pinal creek had grown into tur- bulent flood and began to eat rapidly into the banks wherever the force of the stream struck them. The ground had become thoroughly saturated and | offered but little resistance to the cur rent, which, in its cratic course, cut new channels and swept away every barrier with appalling ease. About 1 o'clock on Tuesday morning the water began to undermine the blacksmith shop of William Middleton, and the Ca'doron property owned by A. J. Arana, opposite the school house. In a short space of time the buildings fell | into the stream and the water continued | its encroachmcnts north. Seeing that the destruction of the two houses about sixty feet distant was inevitable, the tenonts Sheriff Thompsons family oc- cupying one of the houses) moved ont and the owners, NJ. Walsh and A. J. Arana, began to tear down the build ings and succeeded in saving much of the lumber.
 Meanwhile the torrent was rapidly undermining the bank in the rear of Owen McKevitt's new house, 50 yards further down stream. The Bell family occupying it. hastily moved their ef- fleets and force of men, after couple of hours hard work, succeeded in nov ing the house into the street where it was supposed to be out of danger, but the force of the flood had been under estimated, and the erosion of bank continued until the stream had crossed the street and carried away the west end of Job Atkins residence, fully 900 feet distant from the former channel Mir McKeyitt, hoping To save the ma terial of which his house was built tore it down, but the greater portion of tue lumber was washed away before it could be moved to place of safety. The adobe house adjoining the McKeyitt property on the east, owned by Mrs. Louisa Hooten, was undermined and fell into the flood, only corner of the lot remaining,
 Continuing west 100 feet, Jerry Hyndman's new residence wns the next to succumb to the relentless torrent. By hali-past s o'clock on Wednesday evening the current had oncroached upon tue foundation of the house and despite the efforts made to moor it with stout ropes, it was swept away and de- molished as though it had been mere baublc, The 0. K. corral adjoining was partially undermined, and rendered almost yalueless The peach orchard of the old colored man, Uncle Joe" Thomas. on which he has spent years of patient toil, was almost entirely washed away, only his cabin with n few feet of ground surrounding it, be- ing left The place was protected from the creek by substantial stone wall, adequate to withstand ordinary floods, but proved of no avail in atemming the recent torrent.
 The insatiate flood found nothing further to devour until it left the bluff and turned 10 the north, where 1t cut into the right bank, washing down an adobe cabin occupied by Clnnamen and continued its impetuous course until 1t had invaded Alfred Kinney's property and demolished his adobe lodging 1 house. Tom Pascoe's corral received the brunt of the flood and fully two | thirds of the property was destroyed. i He is one of the heaviest losers. The i big iron tank in the corral was re- moved from the framework supporting ] it and let down upon the roof of the harness room and office building with tire two-fold object of saving the tank and anchoring the building; and. this expedient undoubtedly saved the busi- ness houses below from serious damage, as it interposed an effectual barrier to the progress of the torrent in that direc- ton, diverting the bulk of the water to the left An adobe house on the left bank west of the bridge, belonging to ! Mrs c. R. Fiske succumbed to the current, and was totally destroyed.
 The foot bridge spanning the creek on Broad street, which had withstood the shock of greater floods, was finally