Evening journal., 1894-06-01
PUEBLO FLOODED.
Arkansas River Broke the Levee and Ran
Through the streets.

PUEBLO, Colo, June The Arkansas
river broke the levee in six places 40 this
point and flooded this city The waters
had rcceded at daybreak today until all
danger is thought TO be past 10 win be
some time before the streets are passablo,
though Hundreds Of people, men, wom-
en- and children, are congregated In the
city hall and the armory, whiting until
tSe waters 90 down and they can 60 to
their homes, that viii be untenantahle for
some days. Mayor Strait issued "A call for
all men for whom 1t Is possible 20 assem-
bic at the city hall at O'Clock tomorrow
morning to begin the work of repair
The disastrous food was probably caus-
ed by the very extensive rains ia the Ar
kansas valley above Pueblo, which have
been prevalent for the last As hours. A
man was drowned at the lower end OF the
Sante Fe while attempting Co cross tho
water at that point 1t is feared that sew
eral others have porishcd
Soon after the water commenced run
ming over Main street the sudden rise In
Water street made q river three feet deep,
running at a terrible rate The wator at
the corner OF Front street and santa Fe
avenue was nearly five feet deep, and Il
was utterly impossible for human being
TO stand up against the Terrible current
At tho wntcrworks the flood camc up and
put out the fires under the boilers at mid
night, and 60 add 20 the dismal uncertain
| ty Of the hour the street lights went out
but came on again. The basement Of the
city railway power house is brimgul Of wa
ter, and repairs will take all Of today at
any rate. All the land west OF Victoria
avenue was % sea of water. Down all the
cross streets it crept, filling the cellars
and Easements rs far as Union avenue and
on the south Of the Union depot The
| Missouri Pacific tracks and the streets
south were the great avenues Of the water
In its further advance east and soon the
lots on both sides Of May street and east
were under water The food waters grad
ually retreated but nearly four square
miles of the city were still inundated, and
the use of steam pumps will be necessary
to drain the foundations Of the buildings
in this district.
Two fatalities have definitely come tc
light The body of an unknown man was
found today two miles west Of the city
Joseph Coppa, smoltcr laborcr, with hi.
wife and five children attempted to wade
through four feet of water near the Union
Pacific depot. He became bewildurcd and
stepped of into a hole where there wer,
10 feet of water and was drowned befur,
assistance could reach him. Other losse.
of life are believed TO have occurred ant
several prominent citizens are missing.
The loss involved on realty and person
al property is believed to be several hun
drod thousand dollars, though it cannot
yet be definitely determined. Many parti
ton walls in the larger buildings huv,
been carried away. Many narrow escapes
and thrilling experiences have been had
and one family OF five people was carriel
100 yards in their house and narrowly cs
capped drowning Tho weather Is nov
clear, and all danger is believed TO be past
Repairs will at once be commenced OF
tho soyon breaks in the levoes.