Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-07-28
THE FLOODS.
Later Details Of the Disastrous
Cloudburst in Colorado.
TOTAL OF TWENTY-EIGHT LIVES LOST.
Camping Parties Swept to Their Deaths
by the Mountain Torrents-Much DAM
age In West Virginia and Pennsyl-
yania by Heavy Rains.

Denver, Col, July 27.-So far as can be
ascertained, % persons lost their lives
in the great floods which swept down
upon the towns Of Morrison and Golden,
in uhe foothills near this city, Friday
night. All the Denver people who per-
ished at Morrison were campers in Bear
Creek canyon. There were many more
campers in that vicinity, and it is feared
that the loss of life will probably be
much greater than is now known. Some
reports say that when Bear Creek can
yon is fully explored 1t will probably be
found that no less than so people per-
ished in the flood. Great anxiety is
felt by many families in this city, men,
bcrs Of which were camping in the
mountains.
The victims of Friday nights flood
were three in Golden, four in Mount
Vernon canyon and 81 near Morrison
making the total %.
The torrents which rushed down the
canyons upon Morrison and Golden and
other mountain towns were caused by
q terrific mountain storm, which ex-
tended for 100 miles or more. From
Boulder, in the north, where the dam
age was slight, all down the range west
of Denver, almost to Pueblo, the storm
swept its destructive way.
Had No Time to Escape.
At Morrison and Golden the torrents
tore away buildings, uprooted trees,
washed out long stretches of railroad
tracks, swept away bridges and spread
humiliation through the towns. Their
work was brief, as the warning they
gave was inadequate, and almost before
the citizens of the stricken communities
knew what had happened the floods
passed, leaving only a deadly silence
and signs of devastation everywhere.
All that could be done in the darkness
and confusion was done by the rescuers.
Men, women and children were ex-
tricated from dangerous predicaments,
let down from the roofs of floating
houses, helped out of trees and drawn
out of the very swirl and death of the
torrents. 1t is feared that lives may
have been lost at Central City and per-
haps at other points in the mountains.
There is great difficulty in obtaining
accurate information of the extent of
the devastation, because of the wires be-
ing torn down, railroad tracks swept
away and all Communication with Den
yer cut off or interfered with.
Sixteen Bodies Recovered.
Numerous parties from Denver
camped out at Evergreen, Idlewild, Idle
dale and other places in the mountains
near Morrison are safe. Many hair
breadth escapes and thrilling rescues
are reported Of the 20 persons drowned
at Morrison only 16 bodies have been
recovered. Some may never be found,
having been carried away many miles
down the stream and buried under
debris.
Mrs. A. S. Proctor and her four chill
dren. Mrs. T. z. Casey and five chill
| dren, Mrs. Anthony HERES and four
| children. Annie Hanson, servant, and
Thomas McGough, cousin of Mrs.
| Casey, is in all, were living in large
cottage on the banks of Bear creek. A
great bank of water struck the house
before the occupants realized their dan
ger and carried it bodily away. All the
inmates persisted except Irene Proctor,
aged IS, whose long hair caught in
driftwood. holding her until aid came.
Whole Party Destroyed.
Horace NJ. Warren, of the firm of
Acheson & Warren, investment bankers
of this city, was driving in Mount Ver-
non canyon, midway between Morrison
and Golden, last night, in company with
his wife, Miss Josephine Holm, daugh-
ter of Richard Holm, superintendent Of
the Denver Union Water company, and
Misses Della and Mary Homer, daugh-
ters of Judge j. w. Horner, when a
cloudburst occurred The stream quick
ly became torrent. There was no way
of escape and the carriage with its oo-
| cupants was swept away by the flood
The four women were drowned. Mr..
Warren, bruised and bleeding. lodged
in tree and was rescued several hours
later. He is in a critical condition. The
| party had been camping at Judge
Horner's ranch in Mount Vernon gulch.
Damage in West Virginia.
Wheeling, w. Va. July 27.-Reports
received from many points in the in
terror of West Virginia tell of the vast
extent of the rainstorn, winds and land
slides. There is hardly community IN
the northern and central part of the
state that has not suffered. The dam
age to crops will be very heavy at all
points, and many railroads will suffer
severe loss on account of the washing
away of trestles and wiping out OF
the stretches of track by landslides
Parkersburg, w. Va, July 27.-The
town of Auburn Ritchie cO,,ntv WAY
laid waste by heavy rains. Every store
in the place was flooded The firms Of
Hines & Co. and Bush & Brannon are
the heaviest losers. The whole valley
of Boone Creek was devastated. Loss
$4,000.
Pennsylvania Under Water.
McKeesport, Pa, July 27.-This city
and vicinity are suffering from the
effects of one of the most disastrous
floods ever experienced. Conservative
estimates place it far ahead of the floods
of 1854 and 1883, when thousands of dol
lars were swept away and hundreds LEI,
homeless. For over so miles from the
junction here, up both rivers, town.
are partly submerged, farm lands in
undated, locks destroyed and log boom.
and lumber yards carried away.
Railroads are suffering severely. Til
McKeesport g. Belle Vernon is blocked
by washouts, and the Wheeling ani
other divisions of the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad west of here are sending III
their trains over the main line through
Inc CITY. Manufacturing, railroad ant
Individual losses in the two villages J.