The record-union., 1897-05-29
Furniture and Clothing Piled Up in
the Streets.
The Flood Waters Cover an Area
Four Miles Long and Three-Quar-
tiers of a Mile Wide-CitiZenS With
Winchesters Cut a Dyke Thrown
Up by the Texas and Pacific Rail-
road.


Ell PASO (Texas), May 2S.-Over 500
homeless families or 1000 people, were
on the streets of FL Paso this morning
searching for shelter. Their furniture,
clothing, etc, We're piled up on the prin-
cipal thoroughfares of the city. Last
night the waters continued to rise, and
before day dawned the flood had reached
that portion of the city in and around
San Antonio street, where prominent
business and professional men reside.
After II o'clock last night the flood
swept over six more blocks. The waters
were full of struggling teams, hauling
out property from the flooded houses.
The Texas and Pacific Railroad had
thrown up a dyke to protect its track
near the round house, and this backed
the water up over San Antonio street,
flooding a number of houses and threat
ening to cross the street and flood nun
dreds of the prettiest residences IN the
city Six prominent citizens residing in
the vicinity, headed by Collector of Gus
toms Captain Davis, armed themselves
with Winchesters, and crossing over the
railroad levee, cut the dyke, letting the
back water out and it began to recede
from San Antonio street.
A troop of the Fifth Cavalry from Fort
Bliss came down to the city to-day and
offered their services to guard the prop
erty of homeless people which is piled
in the streets.
The City Board of Health met this
morning. and appointed a committee OF
six leading physicians to take charge OF
the relief hospital now being estab-
tablished for the homeless and sick and
the physicians are taking such to the
improvised hospital. Colonel Van NelZah
of Fort Bliss loaned the city fifty-three
tents, and citizens committees We're out
to-day with wagons gathering provis-
ions for distribution among the desti-
tute.
AT least 400 out of $40 families whose
homes are under water are without the
necessities Of life. This morning the
City Council held a meeting and author
iZed the Mayor to wire the Texas Sena-
tors and Representative in Congress to
secure an appropriation of $4,000 for
relief of the flood victims. The War
Department has also been appealed to
for more tents.
This afternoon the river was at
standstin but rise of one foot is re-
ported UP the river in New Mexico. The
flood waters at El Paso easily cover
an area averaging four miles long and
three quarters of a mile wide, flooding
not less than 700 homes, most of which
belonged to the poor laboring classes.
The east side of Stanton street from
Overland to Seventh street, is a continu
Gus pile of ruins. The houses having been
built close together on abode founda-
tions were undermined, and have tum
bled down. Many people living in houses
where the water is up to the doors re-
fuse to move out. and these people will
have trouble tonight, if the reported
rise reaches Eel Posa.
DENVER, May 2S.-A special to the
"Republican'' from Santa Fe, n. NJ,
says:
Dispatches tonight state that heavy
rains have prevailed for twenty-four
hours over the Rio Grande watershed
for a distace of $50 miles above Santa
Fe, and the river at Embudo. fifty north
of here, has risen twelve inches in the
past twety-fOur hours. he swollen
streams south of Espanolo will double
this rise bgfore it passes Socorro, render
ing the prospects three days hence ex-
tremely gloomy at Ell Paso and Jauarez.
All the low lands in the Rio Grande Val
ley above Espanolo are inundated. AT
athens, opposite Albuquerque. the river
cut through the bank this afternoon, and
inundated a large part Of the town. a
large force of men was put to work,
however, and before dark the break had
been repaird.
Federal Appointments.
WASHINGTON, May 2S.-The Presi-