The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-28
PERILOUS DAY FOR Ell PASo.
THE FLOOD SWEEPS INTO THE CITY
WITH A RVSH.

The Head Gate OF the Canal Gives
ter Rushes In-The Low Lands
Contiguous to the Canal Inundated
and Adobe Houses Melt Away Like
snow Under Summer Sun-GOv-
eminent Houses Thrown Open to-
the Homeless.
Dallas. Tex May pa special to the
News from lei Paso, says: This MORN
Ing the river showed rise of six inches
over last night. and the water was sweep
ing down the river at a terrific rate.
Early in the morning, the head gate OF
the canal. which is above the levee, be-
gan to give way and 500 men with logs.
sacks of sand and willow bales were put
to work to prevent a break at the head
gate, while about 1000 men were stretched
along the improvised 1evee at the other
side of the city. where the water contin-
ued to creep.
AT o'clock this afternoon, the head
gate gave way, the river pouring into the
canal. The fire alarm was sounded co
warn people In the lower districts, and Im
an instant the city was In such Wild con-
fusion that for half an hour. it was inn
possible to make any organized effort to
take another stand against the waters.
which were soon over the banks of the
canal, inundating the territory through
which 1t passed on both Sides
"Ine people living along the banks OF the
canal are of the poorer laboring classes
and their homes are under water. Fathers
from their homes. carrying their
children In their arms. The
houses being in most cases, built of adobe,
melted away at the touch of the rushing
torrents and household furniture, clothing,
etc. were floating around in all direc-
tons. while men we're at work trying to
keep the waters from crossing the
Santa Fe yards where they would flood
the passenger depot and then pour down
on the gas and electric light works and
numerous manufacturing plants and
wholesale houses located just north of
the Santa Fe yards
''rhe levee at the foot OF El Paso street
broke, and in a short time twenty little
residences in that locality were flooded.
by this time the people for three blocks
north Of the flood were moving out, and
the streets were thronged with wagons and
carts and wheelbarrows loaded with the
belongings Of those fleeing from the rising
waters.
For three miles across the town and
the river front everybody Is moving up
into the business portion OF the city. and
to more elevated residence sections. Gen.
Malloy, in charge Of old Fort Bliss. re-
ceved a telegram from Department Quar-
termaster Sampson a San Antonio, au-
thorizlng him TO allow the homeless to
move into the houses a old Fort Bliss.
AT 4 O'Clock this afternoon. the levee
on Sixth street was abandoned by the city
and Mayor Magofin put several hundred
men and teams to work throwing up a
new levee on Fourth street from the Santa
Re across eight blocks to Tago street.
1.-THE waters cannot reach the fashions
bic residence portion Of the city which lies
north and east of the business center.
1.-THE river is stin rising.
'"rhe break this afternoon resulted I'M
leaving at least 100 poor families homeless.
"The water at $40 was threatening the
business portion.
zone hundred feet OF levee on the Mex
lean side has been washed away and quite
a number OF house are flooded. Men are
hard at work trying to save the two rail-
way bridges. If the river rises ten inches
more It will food the business portion OF
FL PasO."
At 10 O'Clock tonight the food had brok-
~.
street and the waters had advanced to
Second street. causing several hundred
more poor families TO fee from their
homes. There will be over 400 homeless
families on the streets OF Eel Paso tonight,
and a large number of them are without
food, as they are laboring people, who
have been fighting the floods instead OF
earning bread for the past fifteen days.
The water is running In front OF the coun-
ty Jail and around the Texas and Pacific
depot. The river is reported falling.
Santa Fe, N. NJ, May IA rise OF eight
inches In the Rio Grande Is reported from
the Colorado line to-day, and 1t has been
running continually over the Rio Grande
water shed north OF this city all day. The
prospects are that fresh food. carrying
from one TO two feet more water than 10
now flowing, has started toward I'll Paso
tonight
The rainfall at Santa Fe for the past
month has been nearly four inches, or
about three times the normal supply. De-
spatches tonight report fresh downpour
all day along the Colorado line. This will
serve 70 Increase the freshets already
flowing into the Rio Grande tributaries.
AZ Chamita, the river has reached the
highest point known In ten years, and in
Espanola valley the current Is quarter
Of a mile wide.