The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-02
lRIZONAA SEA OF WATER
,vaRs THAT THE LOSS OF LIFE
WILL PROVE APPALLING.


Yuma Wiped From the Face of the
vortb a ith the Exception Of a Few
c,o+-aripg @ Houses on the Hills-T he
water From Seven to Fifty Miles
Wide.
nvxvER. COL, March. 1.-Aspecial to the
pocky Mountain NeIUs from Yuma,
Ari,ons. says that in that town over $50
horsas are in ruins from the food, and
fourteen hundred people are homeless, and
,ota single business house remains standing,
ard II is feared that hundreds of lives have
hseo lost in the Gila valley. The telegraph
r,;res are down in the valley, and as all
bridges are gone and the roads are not
rssahle. no reliable reports can be
L.d from there. The river about the
,orn is seven miles wide, and below the
town. IN places, the water covers the
country in one grand lake over fifty miles
across. The railroad company will not
have the blockade raised rfor west-bound
trains for four days, and it will be ten days
ortwo weeks before they can get east. The
town has provisions sufficient for eight more
davs. and the Southern Pacific hotels feed
ing 1000 people day.
DRIVEN INTO THE TREE TOPS.
Reports from Jakuno, fifteen miles above
here are to the effect that the flood drove
the people into the tree tops, and many, be-
coming exhausted from cold anu hunger,
dropped into the water aud were drowned.
REPORTS from eliabls sources put the loss
where from eighty to 100. All
along the valley for twenty miles every
thing IS in desolation. Costly houses and
barns have been washed away like play
things. while stock and fences have been
carried down by the flood, leaving the
country as bare as a desert. Men who ten
days ago we're wealthy are now homeless
and paupers.
5000 INDIANS IN DANGER.
Eighty miles south of here, where 5000
Indians live, the country is flooded for
eighty miles square, and as there are no hills
for refuge, it is reported that more than 100
have been drowned. The great valley of the
Coloradoi is one vast sea Of water as far q
the eye can see in every direction.
The river has fallen six feet six inches in
thirty-sIx hours, and is now nearly at a
Etandstill. The weather is thick and threat
ems heavy rain. The loss in this county
foots up $4,000, 900, of which the railroad
will have to sufFer to the extent of $780,
0O0 Old Yuma will never be rebuilt.
The town will go higher upon the hills.
A CAMP OF DISTRESS.
YUMA, ARI, March Yuma is camp
Of distress. Out Of $50 houses composing
the town only 50 remain. The second high
water Of the Gila river on Thursday was
more disastrous than that of Sunday The
canals have been washed out, the ranches
destroyed and the railroads are under
water. The loss is $500, 900, The cemeteries
are on the high land, aud many people
are camping in them. It is reported that
Mexican family eight miles east of here
were drowned. One body, that of man,
has fioated past the town. The river here
is fourteen miles wide. Many people are
believed to be drowned in the country, but
10 particulars have been received
FEARS THAT HUNDREDS HAVE PERIsHED.
No word has been received from farther
than ten miles from town, and it is feared
that hundreds of lives have been los up
the ella valley, which is 200 miles in length.
Indian nesse ngers have been sent out, but
have not as vet returned. 1t is known that
thousands Of cattle, horses and mules are
drowned. The wires are all down east
and repairers could get only five miles east
to-day.
Five miles of railroad are gone west of
mere, and 1t IS known that sixteen miles easu
OF mere are gone, and probably three times
as much more. The Southern Pacific will
put every man obtainable at work to-mor-
row.
ALL HUDDLED TOGETHER.
Every house on the hills has been thrown
olen to receive the homeless, and hundreds
asrequarteredin tentsand the old government
buildings. The merchants have opened
their goods on the, streets in order
10 help the sufferers. The water is
sui high for 200 miles east
OF this point, and as all of this
must pass here many fear that the worst is
yet to come, especially if there should be
any further rainfall. The common loss has
brought all c. asses of citizens together, and
an nave worked with will, first in trying
te 70 save the town by constructing a rude
IeVee, which effort proved futile, and in
0"'IHs as much as possible from the ruins.
TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE.
"A ooat which has just arrived from Mo-
na"A sixty miles up the Gila river, brings
reports OF terrible loss of life, all the country
oeIug under water The greatest sufferers
are the poor Mexlcans. whose entire posses
SIGNS nave been swept away and who have
no reserves to fall back upon. There is
yeI vast stretch Of territory to be heard
rom rom and every one fears that when the
4ull returns are In the loss of life will prove
Vi appalling magnitude.
ONLY A CHURCH LEFT STANDING.
IN TINS city the ruin has been most COM
pieIe, Tue Catholic church being the only
TTItilulhg TtI lett standing on the main street.
~ ue convent and adjoining school stood
s sue wear OF the waves for many hours, but
l1ally crumbled into ruins.
a.; ne \ una Sentinel moved its Office four
uues, ana finally succeeded in getting out
va Itne to-day. The Times was less fortu-
S Sa 9, and its Office and material went
uCwn III the wreck.
roo5 Ears We're entertained that the fine rail-
ton fuau oIldge would be carried away, but
nv,I.uliately the piers stood the test, and
LES LES some extra heavy wreckage should
iuke on the suDerstructure and cause q
''u'' IL Will not be materially injured.
EVERY SHOULDER TO THE WHEEL.
from the first intimation of danger every
one lanored with will to save the town,
oreI une Indians working as they never
LuIAed before. The officers of Fort Yuma
10. uase Gone everything in their power to as
as. tue sufferers and, fortunately. there was
" Eooo supply of tents on hand, ard these
e'e at once placed at the dis
ansS p1saI OF the homeless families and much
IIuuerlng thereby prevented. Should there
'1; ~ 40 further rainfall it is hoped that there
@ VII De little further loss, and that with the
t.-S. tesSCoratlon of communication with the west
GTEulcient TL relief will be brought in from San
francisco and Los Angeles to prevent any
serious trouble
% Ihe citizens Of this city bave already sub
TorIoed over 81, 500 10 the RELIEF fund, and
~ us angeles has.cojlected about 50, 900 for