The record-union., 1894-06-01
Pueblo, Col, Visited by the Worst
Flood in It's History.
NEARLY FOUR SQUARE MILES OF
THE CITY INUNDATED.
Inhabitants Forced to Desert Their
Homes for Higher Ground-The
Streets Transferred Into Raging
Currents-Two Lives Lost and Sew
eral People NIissing-Floods in the
North

history. Several thousand people were
rendered homeless, and property dam
aged to the amount of probably S3OO,OOO.
Four breaks in the levee on the north
side and two on the south side flooded q
large district. While the Arkansas River
was thus coursing in its mad career, and
s great torrent of water was coming
down the mountain, the east approach to
the East Eighth-street bridge was carried
away and the water main under the
Fourth-street bridge was destroyed. Al
$40 o'clock the fire-alarm whistle. by
long and repeated blasts, warned resi-
dents on the low lands to get out, and
they did so in hurry. some managing
to carry off part of their belongings.
The first break was in the levee on the
north side. just west of the Main-street
bridge. The efforts of score of men to
repair the levee were as those OF plgmles,
and wider grew the gap, until it was seen
that it was useless to strive further The
water then rushed in in torrents, and
flooded the residence portion from the
river to Richmond avenue. between
Union and Main streets, while the ap-
proach TO the west side Vladuct had been
surely melting away, and by O'Clock q
tracks and made its way east down
Fourth street. By IL o'clock the stream
was hip-deep, and running madly east on
Fourth street, carrying driftwood with it.
Women and children were taken to the
water works and put on high ground.
On South Union avenue small build
ings south OF street fell into the water.
and those left standing were made very
uncomfortable.
hn Fnnnn1nU
danger is past. Hundreds OF men and
children, however, are congregated i'll
the armory, waiting until the waters &c
down so that they can go to their homes,
which will be unteuanted for some days
Mayor Trait issued a proclamation fol
all men to assemble at the City Hall at
o'clock to hold a conference.
A man was drowned at the lower end
of Santa Fe avenue to-day while attempt
ing to cross the water at that point. 1t is
feared that several others have perished.
All houses on Third, Fourth, Fifth and
Sixth streets are filled with water, vary
ing from two feet TO the hight of the
foundations.
Several houses made of adobe collapsed
to-day, caused by the walls being
washed out.
About 4 o'clock water began to run
over Main street, and soon made a river
four feet deep, running at q terrible rate
from point about the Fourth-street via
duct to Tenderfoot Hill, below Front
street. The water at the corner of Front
street and Santa Fe avenue was nearly
five feet deep, and it was utterly impossi-
BILE for a human being to stand up
against the terrible current The base
nent of the Opera-house block, Central
block, Mechanics block, Central build
ing, Mccarthy block, Adee McMinn
block, Frank Pryor's, Wilson block,
Chilcott-W Wells block and all the smaller
buildings in that vicinity were filled with
the muddy water. The basement of the
city railway water power-house is full OF
water.
Grave fears were entertained for the
new levee on the south side of the river
from the Santa Fe bridge to West Four
teenth-street viaduct. Stag had been put
on it part the way up, and on its top was
the danger line. Still the earth began to
crumble away. Practically the whole
work had disappeared. The water gained
a foothold, and when it became master
of the situation ran at a furious pace. The
land west of Victoria avenue was soon a
sea of water. Down town alF the cross
streets report filling cellars and base
ments.
The Missouri Pacific tracks and the
street south were great avenue for the
water for its further advance east, and
soon both sides of East Main street were
under water. At noon the waters were
gradually retreating. but nearly four
square miles of the city were still inuD-
dated and the use of steam pumps Will be
necessary to drain the foundations Of the
buildings in this district.
Two fatalities have come to light. The
body of an unknown man was found to-
DAY two miles west of the city. About l0
O'Clock Joseph Coppa. q smelter laborer,
with his wife and five children, attempted
to wade through four feet of water near
the Union Pacific depot. He became be-
wildere1, and stepped off into a hole
where there was ten feet of water, and
was drowned before assistance could
reach him. Other losses of lite are be-
lieved to have occurred, and several
prominent citizens are missing.
There have been many narrow escapes
and thrilling experiences. and one family
of five people were carried one hundred
yards from the house and narrowly
escaped drowning.
Half dozen rumors of similar nature
were current during the day. Some were
exploded by the person said to have beer
lost turning up, and the others are dis.
credited Most of the sensational stories
have proven untrue.
Fortunately, as the waters receded, the
indications became more favorable for {
smaller property loss than was at tirs
expected, and it is now believed thai
100000 will cover most if not all the
damage. Though a number of buildings
have fallen in, and others are damaged
beyond repair, they are almost entirely
small structures Of frame, and had seer
their greatest usefulness. All the large
business blocks that were flooded have
stood the trial well, and it is confidently
believed the foundations and walls are
little if any damaged. A. Englehart q
Company, dry goods merchants, had the
next greatest loss. The other losses range
from 500 TO So, 600, most of them being
under $1,000 w. II. Anderson, grocer,
on the east side, is heavy loser. His
basement was filled with goods and is
now full OF water. and during the hight
of the flood the water stood four feet deep
in his cellar. J. Thompson. paper dealer,
is also heavy loser, the water running
considerable stock.
Nearly everything below this point on
Santa Re avenue is still under water.
and many of the buildings, nearly all ol
which are frame, are total wrecks.
Nearly every building on Front street.
between Santa Fe avenue and Main
street. are damaged. On Second street
between Santa Fe aud Main, everything
Syas under four feet of water above the
Easements. Nearly every stock of goods
in this locality was badly damaged. and
in some instances will be almost a total
loss. The AIcCord Bragdon Grocery
Company are heavy losers. They had
Sust unloaded eight cars of valuable
poods in their basement. Everything in
the basement is under wafer. Their loss
may not be over s. 900, and it may react
$4,000. Charles Henkle q Co., whole.