The Yellowstone journal., 1894-06-02
PUEBLO SWAMPED.
Water Waist Deep Pours
Down the Main Streets
of the City.
several Thousand People Driven from
Their Homes by an Unprecedented
Rise In the Waters.

visited last night 10y the worst flood in
its history. Several thousand people
were rendered homeless and property
was damaged probably to the amount
OF 100000. Four breaks in the levees
on the north side and two on the south
side flooded large district.
While the Arkansas river was thus
coursing on its mad career. great tor
mountain. The east approach to the
East Eighth street bridge was carried
away and the water main under the
Fourth street bridge was destroyed. At
s;l0 o'clock the fire alarm whistle warn
ed the residents on the lowlands TO get
out and they did so in a hurry. some
managing 10 carry of a portion 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 re
pair the leyee were as those Of pigmies
and wider grew the gap until it was seen
Ia be useless to strike further The
water then rushed in torrents and flood
ed the entire district from the river to
Richmond avenue. between Union ave
nue. and Main street. Meanwhile the
dirt approach to the West Fourth street
viaduct on the north side Of the river
had been slowly but surely melting
away. and by $50 o'clock "A small stream
was trickling down the tracks and max
ing it's way down the Fourth street BY
II 30 o'clock the stream was hip deep
and running madly east on First street
carrying driftwood and debris in dan
gerous manner, and making it almost
impossible to wade the water.
The water commenced pouring il on
the district between Sixth and River
streets. west Of Main street. and in "A
short time it was three feet deep. and all
the people in the vicinity we're forced TO
leave their homes or go to the second
story. The women and children were
taken 10 the water works and put on
high ground. On South Union avenue
the small bridges south Of c street fell
IN. and though there were no passengers
around the Union depot. the two feet Of
water in the waiting room making il de.
cidedly uncomfortable for the employees.
About > o'clock the water began slowly
TO recede, and its is believed all danger
is passed Hundreds Of people. men.
women and children. are congregated in
the c,ty hall and armory, waiting for the
water TO go down so that they can go to
their homes, which will be untenable for
some days. Mayor Strait issued call
for all the men whom it was possible TO
assemble at the city hall at o'clock
this morning to begin the work of re-
pairing.
A man was drowned at the lower end
of Santa Fe avenue while attempting to
cross the water. 1t is feared several
others have perished. All the houses on
Third. Fourth. Fifth and Sixth streets
are filed with water, varying from two
feet to the height Of the foundations
Several houses made OF adobe collapsed
today
The water at the corner Of Front
street and Santa Fe avenue was nearly
five feet deep, and II was utterly impos.
sible for a human being to stand up
against the terrible current. The base.
ment OF the Opera house block. Central
block. Mechanics building, Mccarthy
block, Adee McMinn block, Frank Pry
ors, Cans and Wilson block. the Chill
colt Wells block and all the smaller
buildings in that vicinity, are filed with
a muddy torrent OF water. At the water
works the flood came up and put the
fires out under the boilers at midnight
The basement of the the city railwa,
power house is brimfull of water and
the repairs will take all Of day at an,
rate. Several fatalities have come tc
light. The body Of an unknown mar
was found today about two miles west ol
this city. About 10 o'clock James Coppa
| a smelter laborer. with his wife and fivs
children, atte .nptea to wade through
four feet Of water near the Union Pacifis
depot. He became bewildered and step
ped OF into hole who're there was ter
feet Of water. and was drowned befors
| assistance could reach him. Other Loose,
of life are believed 10 have occurred ant
several prominent citi1ens are missing.
rime IL Called.