The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-06-06
RAGING FLOODS"
Sweep Away Lives and Property
at Pueblo, Col.
Several Persons Are Drowned and tho
Property Loss VIII Roach Half
Million Dollars-Seventeen Hum
drGd People Rendered Home-
less-Floods In British
Columbia.


Columbia.
PUEBLO, Col, May 31.-The storm
which has been raging in this vicinity
for the past two days broke in all its
fury yesterday afternoon, causing the
Arkansas and Fountain rivers, whose
junction is in this city, to burst over
their levees and food the whole lower
portion of the town. At o'clock last
evening, the rise was so rapid that the
fire whistle was blown to call out the
police and fire department, also the
volunteers to assist in rescuihg some
300 families who were hemmed in on the
bottoms. The work proceeded as rap
idly as was possible. The men in their
heroic work were greatly hampered by
the rising water. An alarm was again
sounded at 10 o'clock, calling the res
cuers from the bottoms. The levees
had broken above the city and there
was great danger of people being
drowned. High wagons and boats were
used in getting the unfortunates to the
high ground.
Over one hundred dwellings have
been swept away. The business portion
of the city is entirely cut off from COM
munication with the South and East
sides.
PUEBLO, Col, June 1.-At noon yes
terday the flood began to abate. The
rain ceased and the sun came out. As
the water went down the great dam
age was apparent. The loss by water
to the railroads and business houses in
this city alone will be over half mil
lion dollars. The railroad bridges are
either down or badly damaged. No
trains can possibly be run in any direc-
tion for at least forty-eight hours. Two
bodies have been recovered. One is
that of an unknown man, whose body
was found three miles below the city.
Joseph Coppa, smelter employe, while
trying to cross Santa Fe avenue at
Front street, lost his bearings and fell
into hole and was drowned. lie leaves
a widow and three children. Mrs Will
Hanson, widow, living beside the
levee where the first break occurred, is
missing. Her two small children are
safe at the police station.
j. Vanderveer, a prominent man of
this city, who was last seen crossing
Court street when the rush Of waters
came, has not been seen or heard of
since. John Davis, while walking
along South Main avenue, in about six
inches Of water, at o'clock Thursday
morning, fell into a coal hole which
was full OF water and was drowned.
Two Cinnamon, who had truck gar
den below the city are believed TO have
been swept away. The food washed
away ninety houses in the grove, a set
tlement in the southeast part of the
city. Some OF the dwellings were car
ried mile down the stream. The loss
to stock is tremendous. II will cost the
city OF Pueblo over two hundred thou
sand dollars to repair the levee, bridges
and streets.
The wholesale commission houses and
large dry goods stores which are stu
ated in the flooded district are losers of
more than half Of their stock. The
electric railway power house was
flooded and the motors in thirty-two
cars destroyed. twill be over a week
before traffic can be resumed. The suf-
fering Of the poor people who were
driven out by the flood is intense. 1t is
estimated that seventeen hundred peo-
pie are rendered homeless. The area
,f the city now under water is five
square miles. The police have been
notified Of seven more people who are
missing.
Late yesterday afternoon when the
'ity had begun TO recover from We'd
lesday nights catastrophe, the rain
gain began coming down in sheets,
he precipitation being heavier than
hat which preceded the former cloud.
,ursts. Reports came in from Florence
md Canon City about o'clock to the
fleet that the rain storm there last
vening was terrific. The water in the
Arkansas began to rise at once and in
me hour the guage recorded rise OF
me foot.
VANCOUVER, b. c., June 1.-The Fra
er river is still rising, and the indica-
ions are that the food will be even
more disastrous than the memorable
me Of 1852. The tide is now crawling
Ip at the rate Of an inch every three
Iours.
AT Westminster the river wharves
re submerged. Many cabins along the
vater front have hoated off on the tide,
nd many poor families have lost all
heir belongings. Points further up
he river report that the danger in
reases. At NiOomen Island, forty-four
ne farms are entirely under water.
Innacis Island, two miles above New /
Is totally submerged. /
iAny fine farms formerly dotted the
'land. The rsnohers were rescued by |
but their stock has gone |
own the river. All the river steamers
ave been commissioned by the govern
,ent TO assist In saving inpsYlled per-
ons.
SPOKANE, wash, june l.-Word has
sashed hero that the town Of Concu-
ELI was swept away Wednesday by |
flood. II Is said that every business
ouse in town was destroyed and that
early all tho residences were swept
way. Mrs. Almira Keith lost her life.
Iuch suffering is reported among the
Of the devastated tbwn.
Engiaoers' Convention Closed.