The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-09-19
SWEPT BY FLOODS.
The City of Consuegers Swept by a
Flood.

In our regular news department will be found
some particulars of the storm and flood in Spain
last Saturday and Sunday and the destruction of
| life and property. A Madrid Dispatch of Wednes-
day, gives the following:
The correspondents of the Spanish and foreign
newspapers who have been able to reach Consuegers
describe it as "a city of the dead" 1t is wrapped in
deadly silence which, in itself is horrifying in the
extreme. Consuegers is situated s. miles southeast
of Toledo and before the flood It had a population
of about 1000. 1t also had number of factories
where coarse wooens were manufactured and
boosted of the remains of an ancient castle and
many Roman antiquities, for Consuegers was the
Consaburum of ancient history. Previous TO the
| flood the old town presented busy aspect. Now
every side terrible signs of destruction. The
| streets everywhere are torn up washed out and
filled with all kinds of wreckage principally furni-
ture, the remains of down stricken dwellings and
domestic goods of all descriptions Hum an remains,
stray limbs, headless trunks sometimes seen TO
be protruding from heaps of mud covered wreckage
hal concealed thereby, but painfully visible to the
inhabitants of that severely visited town.
The depth of the flood at Consuegers can be g1Iag-
ed from the fact that the water sixteen feet in
the church of st. John the Baptist.
An estimate made of the damage TO property in
and about Consuegers places the loss at s25OOOOO,
not including the money and yaluables buried
everywhere in the ruins ofthat until recently happy
and prosperous Spanish town.
The survivors of the disaster are only able to give
vague and confused accounts of the rise and onward
sweep of the flooding water which wrought such
deadly havoc. They say, however that though the
river noticed be rising rapidly serious APP
prehersion felt until the waters seemed to make
a sudden rush forward, threatening to overwhelm
and eventually overwhelming everything. Then
came wild race for life, the people flying in
all directions in hope of escaping the death which
seemed certain TO oyertake them. Many climbed
upon the roofs of their houses, hoping by doing
to escape, but the buildings gave way beneath them
as the swollen waters swept through the town. con
signing hundreds to death in the wreekagc laden
stream
Some idea of the force of the rushing waters can
be gathered from the fact that the flood bodily lifted
from the ground the entire framework of good
sized suburban residence and carried it almost il
was taken up for eight miles.
A gendarme at ConsuegerS who was an eye wit
ness of the disaster, says The storm was accom-
panied by terrific thunder and big lightning. While
was standing near the town hall / was startled by
hearing the mayor shouting from the balcony of his
residence to the guards to to the river, the
waters were flooding the houses. l hurried with
several comrades to the lower part of the town. We
found the water already in many places neck high.
With much difficulty saved thirty persons. The
mayor presently arrived on the scene, and appeal
ed to all possessing carts tc assist in transporting
people to the upper part of the town. Only three
persons responded, although two hundred possessed
conveyances. The same difficulty experienced
in obtaining the ropes, ladders, pickaxes, etc,
necessary for rescuing people in danger. The cal
ous indifference of those in safety contributed to
great extent to the enormous fatality. Even those
whose homes flooded seemed incapable of
realizing their danger. In vain begged
them to abandon their doomed dwellings. The
storm having abated they believed all danger past
aud stolidly refused TO bulge. Torrents speedily
commenced to run from the mountain gOrges in all
directions into the valley. Thus the day passed. and
night many people in spite of warnings, retired
10 sleep in their threatened dwellings. Soon the
storm commenced again with redoubled violence.
The river by leaps and bounds and carried |
everything before it with rcsstless fury. 1t
awful sight TO the thoroughly terrified peo
pie climbing to the roofs of their houses and Shrek
ing vainly for help, which it was impossible any
longer 10 render. The houses collapsed one after |
another and were swallowed up in the seething |
torrent Daybreak saw hundreds of men and beasts |
struggling in the water, clinging in despair to |
wreckage and whirled along rapidly that they |
attempt TO those who were seized in the floods
relentless grasp 1t a sight that will never be
forgotten"