People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-08-08
Disastrous Floods.

o'clock. Shortly after huge waves of
water came rushing down an arroyo
which drains the eastern slope Of the
Magdalena mountains, and almost en-
circles the town. Soon the water
came over the town and three feet of
water began to rush through the prin-
Cipal streets. Tie shrieks Of women
and children, mingled with the crash
ing of houses and dying souls swept
into eternity.
The water came in waves, each sue
ceeding one being apparently higher
than the other; portions Of houses,
household furniture, baby carriages,
stoves and farm implements, mingled
with huge bOulders, railroad ties, and
bridge timbers, all being borne
through the streets of the city, by
the madly rushing waters. For two
hours the work of destruction con-
tinued, the horror being increased by
vivid lightning, crashing thunder and
a binding rain.
Gradually the waters subsidized suf-
fciently to allow partial inspection
of the destruction. Only two bodies
were taken from the waters before
dark, a mother and her child. An at
tempt was made to reach the people
living in the river bottom, but dark
ness and the absence Of boats pre-
vented success. All night long, home
less people we're being brought in and
cared for.
This morning scene Of desolation
was presented. A majority Of the
business houses have escaped heavy
damage or destruction, but hundreds
Of poor people have lost everything,
being homeless and without money
and almost naked. More than fifty
houses are known to have been de-
StrOyed, while almost every residence
in the city is damaged. Since the
water has reCeded many adobe houses
have fallen and many Others must be
abandoned.
Four bodies were taken out this
morning and identified as Durans,
making six recovered. Other bodies
are reported as being seen, but owing
to the treaoherOus nature Of the
ground, they cannot be reached. The
destructive waters spread over the
entire city and carried death every
where. Many are reported missing.
Reports coming from towns north
and south of here tell of heavy losses.
For twelve miles south destruction of
property was terrible, farm houses
and crops being entirely swept away.
The Santa Fe track was washed out
between here and San Antonio in sew
eral places. The branch road from
this city to Magdalena is practically
destroyed for ten miles out, five
bridges are gone and several miles Of
track. A large section of track on
the south side Of the city running east
and west was taken IN by angry
waters and turned north and south.
No estimates of the loss can yet be
made, but it is more than Sl,0O0,0O0
Hundreds Of farmers have lost their
farm houses, crops, fences, and stock,
and in many cases the farms have
been rendered unfit for cultivation.
1t is raining in the mountains again
tonight and great fears are entertain.
ed as to the safety of the city. Re-
ports of damage continue to come.
1t is reported that three small
towns south of here we're totally de-
stroyed.
CatSkill, n. NJ, July 3l.-Red river
was swollen to a higher point than il
had reached for years by the cloud
burst last night, causing great dam
age. Much of the track and many Of
the bridges of the Catskill branch Of
the Union Pacific, Denver and Gull
railroad between this place and SOpri'
and also between Catskill and Vas
quez were washed away and it vii
probably be several days before thu
damage can be repaired sufficiently
for trains to get through. Ranchmel
also suffer severe losses.
Jefferson City, Mo-, July 3l.-A
strange phenomena was witnessed
here today. Since 5 o'clock thi
morning dead fish by the million hay,
been floating down the Missouri river
Three species of fish were observed
buffalo, drum and carp, and none 0
them weighed in excess of fou
pounds. State Game and Fish Wal
den Heury's opinion is that the un
precedented floods of the past fey
days washed the fish out Of smalle
streams up the river with suficien
force to kill them.
Cripple Creek, Colo, July 81.
train on the Florence and Crippl
Greek road was caught in a landslid
and derailed near Adelaide last nigh
A succession of cloud bursts occurre