The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-09-06
FROM ABOVE AND BELOW
CAME DESTRUCTION ON THE FATED
TOWN OF UvALuE.
Storms, Floods and Earthquakes Combine to
Desolste the Pretty Frontier Town
subtsrranssn Waters Added to the
Flood-The Death Roll.
Special to The Statesman.

Try edSG ana west OF mere Tor Stretcl
of 100 miles is practically under water,
the result of the unprecedented rains
of the last two days, occasioning the
loss of many lives and millions of dol
lars worth of property and the partial
destruction of this town. Railway
traffic has been completely stopped for
two days and Geographic communities
ton disabled, making it impossible to
get full particulars from the surround
ing country,
A tidal wave came down the Leona
river and partially submerged this
town early yesterday morning. An
earthquake shock was felt few min
utes before, and the flood that came
down upon the town is believed to be
the result of a peculiar phenomena.
The assures in the ground caused by
the earthquake are believed to have
t&))4l IN il.gy Acjsial Wa; sin
in the hills, thus swelling from ma.
lures reservoir the already swollen
basin of the Leona river into a tidal
wave.
1t was o'clock in the morning and
the inhabitants of the town were Sleep
ing. All the houses on the east side of
town were submerged and in the
darkness and through the downpour
of rain that was falling could be heard
the cries of distress from the Inflated
inhabitants in their wild efforts to
save their own lives and those of their
families and loved ones.
There were a number of miraculous
escapes and the rescuers and the res
cued performed many heroic acts. AS
soon as those in the higher part of
town were made aware of the terrible
flood and its dire consequences the
work of rescuing those caught in the
torrent was begun and carried out as
rapidly as possible in the darkness Of
the night. Fifty or more families
sought refuge from the deluge in trees
and they were compelled to remain in
their uncomfortable positions until
rescued.
The work of 1escuing the bodies
those drowned was carried on today.
Among those known to have been
drowned are:
Mrs. Joe Hatch.
Child of Mr.. Matly.
Two Mexican children.
One Mexican family on the ranch of
L. Slawrtz.
Miss Matte Edwards, aged IA.
Eliza Malley, aged years.
Three families living below town a
few miles.
Great apprehension is felt for the
safety of rs families living on the
south ditch, several miles below town,
as that locality is at least 10 feet be-
low the level of Uvalde.
The scene of devastation was sad
spectacle to look upon when day
broke. The citizens, however, were
prompt to act and plans for relieving
the distress were at once formed.
Southern Pacific railroad tracks and
bridges for 80 miles have been washed
away, One hundred carloads Of
building material and two trains o.
convicts were sent out today from Sar
Antonio to repair the damages.
Thesloss to farm and ranch propert!
and to the railroad will amount t.
several million dollars.
On account of lacklsof c0mmunica
ton it is impossible to estimate tn
loss of life throughout the flooded re
gion. 1t is still raining in every d
rection.
The local relief committee is doin
good work collecting subscriptions an
dispensing aid to the victims of tn
flood.
\ DAMAGE TO SOUTHERN PACIFIC
4 San ANTONIO, Aug. BIB
Y meagre reports were received hel
Yesterday from Uvalde and the fiooC
cd section Of country west of bel
owing to the decentralization of IL
telegraph wires. Additional repor
today only add to the horrors Of II
e2rlier accounts, indicating a di
astrous flood covering a gel
ton of country 100 mil