El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-05-29

or about three times the normal sup
ply;
''Dispatches tonight report fresh
downpour all day along the Colorado
line. This will serve to increase the
freshet5 already flowing in the Rio
Grande tributaries.
cat Chamita the river has reached
the highest point known in ten years,
and in EspanOla valley the stream is d
quarter of mile wide.'
This Is the telegram which the
morning Times turned into ten to
twelve foot rise' and thereby brighten
ed large number of Ell Paso's citizens.
Ell Paso would not feel this rise per-
ceptibly unless heavy rains came with
it all along the line OF the river
through New Mexico.
NEEDED WORK STOPPED.
There was no work done at the head
gate this morning. A city official told
a HERALD reporter this morning that
the Santa Fe road had declined to go in
with the city in building that much
needed canal dam and he couldn't see
why the railroads as well as the city
SHOULD not unite in building that dam.
So the reporter called at the Santa Fa
depot. Agent Trull stated the railroad
side of the case as follows: Thursday
night, he was assured by the city Off
Gals and members of the citizens com
mittee that the railroad company would
be co-operated with by the city in push
ing the work on that dam. So Mr..
Trull waited until after midnight and
had train load of rock, telegraph
poles aud rails in readiness to be sent
up to the break at a moments notice.
No one appeared. Last. night the
railroad company built a switch to the
dam location from the main line, and
was prepared this morning TO go
ahead, the understanding being that
the city was to furnish the men, whom
the railroad company wOuld put On
their pay roll, and that city officials
should show no and take an active in
terest in the work. No men appeared
this morning: neither did any city ofic-
ials except Mr.. Whitmore. By that time
the Santa Fe people had become very
much disguised. Supt. Hurley who
was on deck declared that if the city
did not take sufficient interest to help
in anyway, why there was no reason
why the railroad company should. All
the damage was done to the railroad
yards that could be done, and there
was wreck up at E srlham that the
Santa Fe management was neglecting
to help Ell Paso-a sacrifice on the
company's part that did not seem to be
appreciated. Supt. Hurley decided to
dilly daily no further with the city, and
the help that would have been eXpeud-
ed on the dam today, was sent up to
Earlham to complete the work there.
So the matter now stands.
In the matter of aims giving, the
chief of police cautions people to use
careful discrimination. He says there
is work for every man to do, and there
no need of men sitting around refusing
to work. The chief said he had no iced
refusals of Mexican5 to lift a
hand and money seemed no object in
getting them to work. If people would
not work they ought not to eat, and it
would be just as well to bear this in
mind.
A tour along the water line this
showed a general fall of about
eight inches. Adobes were also fall
ing everywhere, and among the wrec k
ed structures is the Mexican Baptist
church. There is noticeable de crease
in the amount of water going over
Fourth and Stanton streets, and parts
of the street to the south of that loo =
ton are already out of water. There
is about al eight iuch fall in the river,
and the water in the Santa Fe yards IS
recediug fast.
Supt. Hurley of the Santa Fe wired
Messrs. Copeland and Trull the follow
ing message this noon from up the
river:
81 have your wire about water a1d
shall be glad to advise you early by
wire of the situation along the Rio
Grande. The water is = feet and 3
inches below the base of the main line
stationary for the past q hours. At
San Antonio the water is feet below
but has raise1 2 inches in 81 hours. AT
a. & 2. junction the water is IL feet, 4
inches below, fall Of feet in n
hours" The highest water mark was
6 inches below the base of the main
line rail at San Marcial.
The north bound Santa Fe went over
its own track instead of over the South
ern Pacific today: and although the
south bound train came down today
via the Deming, tomorrow S train viii
arrive over the : anita Fee main line.
The Texas & Paci tlc trains are still ar
irving and departing at the Southern
Pacific depot which is at present IN
ion station.
MEETING OF CITIZENS.
A committee of citizens was called
for ii o clock this morning at the court
house to consider what steps should b.
taken in the face of the impending
disaster. About fifty of the most
prominent citizens were present. H.
l.. Newman was elected chairman, and
w. S. McCutcheon, secretary.
On motion of DR.. Villas u committee
was appointed to take charge OF the
flood and to rid the city OF water. The
was composed by appoint
ment of Britton Davis, E. w. S. Netf,
W. F. Payne, Ed. Kneezell, G. n.
Marshall and r. E. Comfort.
In speaking of the scope to be given
the committee, Lieut.. Davis said there
was too much autagonism: there should
be head 10 this movement. The
railroads seem to be fightiug each
other, aad the town seems to BE- fight
ing every one. This committee should
have the whole matter in charge and it
should be their duty to free the city of
water.
DR.. Villas brought up the question of
the health of the city. With refuge IS !
camped on every side it was a most !
important matter. These people ought !
20 be put in one place, where they |
could be handled aud l0oked after.
DR.. Gallagher moved that commit !
ga of five he anpGintFd prpVi6a food !