New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-01
LIVES LOST IN THE FLOOD.
PUEBLO SORELY AFFLICTED
MANY DEAD AND MISSING IN THE COLO
RADO CITY.


DONE TO TIE AMOUNT OF seooOOo-sToRM
SUCCEEDS STORM AND GREATER
DESTRUCTION FEARED
Pueblo, Col. May 31-The coudburst which last
night sent a vast torrent Of water down the val
ley and into this city caused many deaths and
rendered widespread destruction. The work OF
rescue had just begun to-day when a recurrence
of the food caused a suspension OF the work,
and 1t Is feared tonight that many bodies which
were washed away and under wreckage VIII
never be recovered. Among the dead are the fol-
lowing: David Rafferty,, steel worker. hfty-fve
years single body at morgue; Joseph Coppa,
smelter employe thirty-three years married.
body at morgue; one body reported seventeen
miles above town and another two miles below.
not vet recovered; Hop Lee. Chinese laundry
man. said 10 have heen drowned In the cellar OF
his laundry but search did not reveal the BODY.
Among those missing J. Vandever. William
Bush Harry Burch. Mrs Williamson JOSIE
Hart. an infant, and five others reported by
different families
A conpanv OF California Coxeyies numbering
sixty. who came from the West yesterday ana
were camped on the river bank, report that nVe
Of their comrades missing.
Grave fears are expressed for twelve families
OF squatters on an island down the river Tnere
is no means OF reaching these people at present
The catastrophe. similar to the Johnstown
horror and remarkable from having oc-
CURED on the same day, has utterly pros
.r,,od the citizens and paralyzed business
The property loss will be about $eVo'VVV' lo-
nioh, both the Arkansas and Fountain Rivers
are rising rapidly and rain Is falling In torrents.
But for light here and there. the city would
nj a repetition or
last nights horror. -, o,
I, was q o'clock this morning before the floods
began to subside. Shortly after that hour tle
sun came out bright and strong, ana es tie
yveary night watchers came forth from theII
damp prisons. the scene which greeted them was
appallIng on every hand was destruction ana
ruin The carcasses OF horses, COWS, sneep, uoss
and other animals were floating around IN inc
whirling water. and the current In many Places
could not be stemmed on account or drliuhs
wreckagc Cellars and the hrst moor OF DUST
ness houses were covered with from eighteen
inches 10 three feet Of Shiny mud ana this hau
about completed the ruin OF many stocks "hcn
might have escaped with only the SOAKING ol
last night. The mud was carried out lnlo the
streets and the piles which rose In front OF every
store soon damned the wa ter stn running
through the street. and II backed up INTO many
stores giving them a second although much less
thorough n1oding. Trees were uproDted ana
fences swept away by the torrent which bore on
lts crcs, houses barns and everything that
would float About 300 houses were torn from
their foundations and many noated out OF town
only a few unfortunates were able 70 save any
II their household effects Most Of the DWELLINGS,
are only one-story. and were either entirely sub
merged or carried off their foundation by the cur,
rent In this city. and for three miles UP ana
down the banks Of the Arkansas River. the water
was from three 10 fifteen feet deep.
\ visit this evening TO the women and children
who were rendered homeless last night and VINO
are now quartered In the various halls througn
the city finds them comfortable as could De
expected under the trying circumstances The
summer garden situated on tho roof OF the
Grand Opera House has been thrown into an I'M
mense nursery, and some l75 babies ana their
mothers are located in the large hall. The little
ones seem surprisingly happy while the tear
stained faces OF the women show only 700 PLAINLY
the anguish OF the past twelve hours The
armory of the I'd Regiment has been turned over
10 the Citizens Relief Committee. VINO nave pu'
in all the cots and beds that could be gathereu
This huge dormltory is occupied by over 300 girls
and women The top floor Of the city Hall mas
been turned over TO ir,y families, who are COOK
Ing the provisions provided by the ci'lzens ior
all the sufferers.
The town han AZ Bessemer. whore the smelters
arc si,uated contains about l50 families. who
are cared for by the neighbors About seven
hundred people are quartered In tne small ha's
I'm the nelghborhood ~ the CITY Hail
The Missouri Pacific Company estimates its
loss at 10000 Six hundred feet OF double track
Is washed out near here ,
The Santa 70 had about 300 feet OF track
washed out and the damage together with the
loss ~ n bridge. will reach $4,000.
While the Denver and Rio Grande does NOT
suffer severe loss IN the CITY, lh' Nh".hs' ~
wnshouts between here and Colorado springs
and Canon city will amount TO over S2o,Vm Inc
santa re succeeded In putting train through
from Denver tonight. No trains can ps Iu"
over any or the OthcT ToduS i'' O. ' N'
six hours. o.. ,od,,
damaged by water and at least Ten uays 5 WI W.
elo pse before they can be baked out ana me
road operated. The damage TO tne'r 'r''NS
alone win be several thousand dollars .
Late this afternoon. when the cIIy hau oesun i
laaf ala
again began coming down in sheets the precipi,
tatjon being heavier than that wnich preceded
last nights cloudbursts. Reports came IN rom
Florence and Canon CITY, about O'Clock, 10 tne
ar,act that the ralnstorm there this evening is
terrific The water In the Arkansas began 10
rise at once and in one hour the gauge recorueu
a rise Of one foot From Wgwam. fifteen miles
north on the Fountain River, comes the news
OF a cloudburEt there about 7 o'clock. me
stream which is usually only from tnree 10 nNe
inches deep and about ten feet VIDE. al thal
noint Is now swollen into a rushing torrent over
a quarter OF a mile wide.
Tho Fourth-st viaduct In this city, n sub
stantial structure costing $500 900 ana only com,
pleted year ago. is In great danger The APP
nronches have already been swept away. The
water ia still coming up rapidly, and II II con-
tInues the viaduct cannot long stand the pres
stre Men are patrolling the levee and teams
are bringing Stag a corduroy road from
one Of the smeters half mile away II the
Fountain should break through the Ievee' sme
smelter will suffer severely. but It will not have
such sweep In the business portion or the
citv as the Arkansas had last night Tne fur,
naces are all working. and great deal or metal
"a in them Samuel Guggenheim. OF Phila-
deInhia is the owner Of the works.
Two hundred and ffty families, who were not
harmed by the food OF last night. are now IN
great peril. as the Fountain sweeps different
nart of the city The police are doing good
work in getting the people out. No enort Is
being made to save personal property.
DEVASTATION IN THE NORTHWEST.
Vancouver B. c.. May a.-rhe Frazer River Is
still rising and the indications are that 'he hoou
ri,l he even more disastrous than the memorable
o 1880 The river has already risen within eight
trches of the hgh-water mark OF that great IN