The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-09-27
TERRIFIC WATERSPOUT.
Track on the International Road Is
Carried Away.
ALL TRAFFIC HAS BEEN SUSPENDED
Telegraph and Telephone wires Pros
tratcd-Dangcr Signals Ordered on
tho Central Near Giddings.

Austin, Texas. September 26.-Two wash
outs occurred on the International and
Great Northern today and traffic Of all
kinds has been greatly delayed. one
wnshout occurred above Milano Junction
and the other six miles south of San
Marcos Both telegraph and telephone
wees are down and only meager details
can be had. The washout below San Mar
COS Is said to have been caused by a
| terrific waterspout this morning. Sew
erty feet of track AMI one span OF a
bridge are reported gone
The wrecking train. with quite large
crew. left here for that place at $50 this
evening, the delay in going being caused
by a failure to receive orders, both the
| telegraph and telephone wires being down
The train from san Antonio. due here
at i2:S5 y. m. has not yet arrived. and
Will probably not get through before
morning. The southbound International
due here at 4:05 p. M arrived at $50 to-
night. This train will go to the washout
whVe Il VIII transfer its passengers ana
mail TO tho train from the south return
ing here about O'Clock tonight
The Express newspaper special. which
runs between san Antonio and Hearne
IS laid up at Taylor, where it will remain
until the track is open.
a report reached tho city tonight that
washout was imminent on the Central
a few miles beyond Giddngs, and that
danger signals We're up.
Heavy Calns fell here today and tonight
the downpour being simply terrific for
an hour or SO. 1t is thought that within
the next twelve hours trains will be run
frtr, al Ina
washout about Milano has been repaired
enough to permit trains TO pass.
AUOTHER ACCOUNT.
San Marcos. Texas. September ga
waterspout broke over this town at o
o'clock this forenoon, resulting in the de-
structon of many thousands of dollars
in property. a suspension of railway traf-
iic and possibly in the loss OF several lives
though at this hour 1t is impossible to
state positively whether there has been
loss of life "a not as there are no means
yet of communicating with the stricken
portion Of tho town, and 1t is impossible
to get any news from the country through
which the devastating elements passed. A
mountain OF water seemed to have been
unlcosed in the twinkling of an eye and
rushed In mad fury over the earth, spread
ing destruction and ruin in its wake With
resistless force 1t swept away railroad
embankments, bridges, buildings and
fences and pouring the mighty volume
INTO the river course caused the stream to
rise with rcpdity which threatened to
ennihilate the city.
For a distance of nearly three-quarters
OF "A mile the International and Great
Northern railroad tracks We're washed out,
rails and ties being swept for great
distance away from their original loca-
tlon. The Missouri. Kansas and Texas
railroad also suffered the loss of a. long
stretch of track, and both roads lost sev-
cral small houses and a large quantity Of
material along the line. The running OF
trains was out of the question.
The food swept through the part of the
city known as Chaneyvlle. destroying
number of small houses. Killing cattle.
horses and hogs. and 1t is feared that
several lives have been host. All the
bridges across the small streams have
been carried away, and the bridges over
tho river destroyed or so badly damaged
as to be useless until repaired.
Telegraph and telephone wires are down
and communication with tho outtr world
can only be had In roundabout and
slow way.
The damage sustained by the lnterna-
Ifonal and Great Northern railroad is
roughly estimated at $1,000 while the Mis-
souri,, Kansas and Texas has sustained
AN equally heavy loss. and the loss TO the
city and citizens VIII easily reach the same
figure, making the total damage 10000,
and II is regarded as pretty certain that Il
iull survey OF the week. win show the
loss 20 be much in excess of that figure.
As yet but little has been done in the
way of repairs and rescue as the storm
left the roads and streets practically i'm
rassahle, and nearly every one had some
repairs to make at home before he could
move to his nelghbcCs assistance. 1t Is
| feared that the loss in the country sur
rounding san Marcos has been very heavy.
but accurate details can got be expected
| for several days.
At San MARCOS