The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-06-01
PUEBLO, COL. SWAMPED
Water Waist Deep Pours through
All the Main Streets Of
1ha! City,
The Arkannas River Overlooked
and "a Great Torrent CamO
Down the Hills
Several IhsusAnd People DsiyoH From
Their Homes by tho unprecedented
Hlas In the Waters.

Purmo. Col. May 3l.-Pusblo vas Wis
tied last night by the worst food In i,s his,
tory. Several Thousand people we're rem
dsroi homeless and property damaged 10
tho amount Of sGO0O -Four breaks in
the leVsss on the north sids and two on tbs
south side Goodsd large district. While
the Arkansas river was thus oouTsinR on i,s
oa ser a great torrent Of water was coming
down the mountain. Tho cas-, spproaeb 10
the East Eighth street bridge vac carried
away. aud the water main under the Fourth
street bridge was destroyed. Az $40 tho
Gre alarm whale waruod residents on the
lovlAnds 10 got Out. and they did go In a
hurry, some managing 20 carry Of por-
tion OF their belongings.
The trst break was 10 the leveo on the
north aide just west Of tho Main street
bridge. The efforts OF score o: men TO
repair the levse were "a those OF pigmies.
and wider grew tho gap until II was soon TO
bo useless to strive furths'. The water
then rushed Gown In torrents and flooded
the entire block from the river 10 Rich
mond avenue. bstveesn Union avenue and
Msia street. Neanvhile. the dirt app oaua
10 TO the West Fourth street viaduot. on
the north side OF the river. bad bosn slowly
bat surely melting away. and BY $3.50 q
small stream was Tickling down the tracks
and making is way east along Fourth
street. By 1i;30 O'Clock the stream was hip
deep and running madly east OF First
street, carrying driftvood and debris In a
dangerous manner aud making II almost
impossible ~ wade tbs water.
The watsf Commenced pouring In on the
district between Sixth street and the river
west OF Main street and Ia short time vas
three feet deep. and all the people In the
vicinity were forced 30 leave their homes
children we're taken TO the waterworks and
put on high ground. On south Union ave-
nue. small buildings south OF Q street fell
In, and though there were no passengers
around Union depot. two feet OF water In
the waiting room made 10 decidedly uncom-
Portable for employees.
About two O'Clock the vatsr began slowly
10 recsde. and IL 10 believed all danger 10
rssssd. Hundreds OF people-msn, women
and ohildren-are consreGated in the city
hall and srmory. waiting until tho waters
90 down so they can 40 70 their homes.
which will bo untenable for some days.
Mayor Strait issued call for all men for
whom 10 vas possible 20 assemble at the
city hall nt seven o'clock this morning so
begin the work Of repair.
The disastrous flood was probably oauaei
by very extensive rains in the Arkansas
valley above Pueblo. which have been prev
nlens for the las, forty eight houra A man
was drowned al the lower end OF Santa 10
avenue to-day while attempting 10 cross
the vAter. 10 is feared seyera! oihe,s have
perishsd.
All houses on Third, Fourth, Fifth and
Sixth streets are hll.d with water varying
fom two feet to the heish, OF tho founda-
tions. Several houses made OF adobe eol-
ltpsed today. A few minutes befote II
| o'clock water commenced RAINING over
Main street. and a sudden rise In Water
street at about tbis time soon made river
three feet deep, running at o terrible rate
i from a point above the new Fourth st est
visduct 10 Teudsrfcot hill, below FROM
street. Water vt the corner Of Front
street and santa Fs avenue was nearly i've
feet deep. and 10 was utterly impossible for
q human being to stand Up against tue ter.
rible current.
The basement Of the opera house block.
Central block. Mechanics building, Me-
Carthv block. Adee-MeMinu block. frank
Pryor's, Cane Wilson block. Chilcott-
Wells block and all tho smaller buildings
OF that vicinity are hllsd with muddy tor
rent Of water.
At the wstervorks the food came up aud
pat out the fres under the boilers a. midi
night The basement OF ths CITY railway
power house IL bfimfui OF water, and te.
pairs will take oil OF tomorrow at any
Iats. Grave foars wele entertsissd for tho
new leyee on the south side 0f tho rtyef
from above the Sau,a Fe bridge TO ths
West Fourtesnth stfeet viaduct. slsg had
been put on IL part wav mp, aud its top was
tho danger line. This was soon reached.
ana the eAftn osean 70 erunole sway'
sevesi iatsnhes nave come ,o hsnl
Ihe oouy OF an uhknovn man was tounu
to-day tvo miles west OF the enJ' hoou'
~ o'cloch James oopps, ssmeitef iaootef,
win a" we snu I'VE enhoteo. huempUeo