Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-07-23


atruclivo Good ever recorded IN the
annals Of Silver City. 10 the afternoon
dark and threatening clouds we're visible
il the vicinity Of pinoa Altos mountains
and the Black Range. and as the day re-
coded the clouds increased 10 density
aud angry aspect until nightiali whom
they not only continued 70 thickon but
appeared 10 advance upon the city like
a sable army preparing for an attack.
At about seven o'clock flashes Of light
ning he up the weird scene nd peals Of
thunder nnnonncsd the ~onslnngbt AZ
eight O'Clock the clsuda which were nov
hanging like a pail over the doomed city,
we're rent IN twain and their coatents
dashed into the canona and arroyas lead
INK down 20 the narrow walls bstwaan
which this quiet little city had - long
nestled with that peaceful security
which is felt BY the neigling beneath
The wing Of the aren't bird. In q short
or space Of time thai It takes 70 write 1t,
our streets we're converted into immense
waterways and the mad torrents rushed
through them with q velocity impossible
10 calculate. This appeared 10 be only
a forerunner, however, Of the fearful
danger impending. No sooner had the
water from the first dash begun TO 70.
cedo than the cry went forth that anoth-
or aid more terrible food was coming
and that it was headed by an immense
wave several feet m height. Such CON-
plete confusion prevailed that il was inn
possible for the people in the danger
district 10 really understand their fear
ful peril, or TO escape from It's conse-
quences. The whole area between
Hudson street on the west and The hills
on the east was one complete rolling,
raging, seething cataract. Cries Tor
help. the crashing Of timbors, the col
lapse Of buildings, and the roar and din
Of the food rendered the night one never
to be- forgotten.
From tho vast volume Of water which
passed through this city il is impossible
that il could have descended through
natural rainfall, henne il is that a wafer
spout or cloud burst must have caused
the abnormal condition which nearly
resulted in sweeping Silver City frou
the face OF the earth. The first flood
came from Chloride, but the second anc
groator volume Of water passed dowr
Railroad avenue aud Billiard street, ant
evidently came from the Pinos Alto
mountains. The whole area from upper
Billiard street was completely inundat-
ed and untold damage was done 70 resi-
denco property. Outbuildings, fences
nearly everything Of q movable charac.
tor ens washed away. One house will
It's entire contents, belonging to Gu
D johnson, was carried down with tn
current. Nearly every house II tha
section was seriously damaged and Il
numerous instances the furniture wa
completely ruined. Further down, when
the water was forced to pass through
narrower channels, is where the creates
damage was done.
And bore our powers OF descriPtio.
fail us. Neither will time and spac
permit q minute description. TIL
!. loss 70 residents and business men
v~arouoly estimated at from 100000 {
e2O0O00 But however wide Of th
exact amount Of loss sustained thea
figures may be, true it Is that Silvs
! City has received q financial blow iroI
which il viii require years in which I
recover. We cannot pass from this PHI
ture without giving a few Of the prom
. lneut details which renders il 80 appaI
ing and disastrous.
The Elephant corral, between Mai
and Railroad avenue, is complete wrecl
Most Of the building Is swept away au
= carriages. harness and dsbFi0 lays thsI
10 q homogeneous mass. Five horse
we're drowned.
The next great loss down the strset
A. tbs fremont House. Here the dau
+ age 10 estimated 81 between 1900 al
o8000. While the main buildine b oil
Intact n Ia sill naftlsuo rtnidIp. an
2 b.lno bn,it i@.rgalv - sbobo M collaD.
q is.lmost bo.riv ernsolaa The aestgn
y NJ. ~ sn ~ smsil l.,l5,ngs eonnS-,.
with the houea and The furniture ar
svt,,.. =, /. er.t aoor i. ,on,i.to
e nv, ~ h'o.gs h.low ~ wmm,
g u~n~- 80 4 ~ - a.r,.ao q,
y hn,ls,.e ,,s,sr sn,.er. - ~ sn r,.I
~, M .on,bess. eorrer 81 ~ old Ii
49,, -. ~. -. .,a {,