El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-05-28

way of unsolicited advice was really
touching. The Santa Fee officials were
Indignant at the refusal of hombres to
work when they were asked to at good
wages. Many of the men merely laugh
ed and shook pockets with more or less
cash in them, aud intimated that they
had no special occasion to work, for
did they not nave in their happy pos
session any where from So to Sc, and
was not that fortune in itself? Go to
now. There is much Indignation at
these MeXicaus, AMI citizens predict
thai they will be the first ones TO seek
aid from the generous.
The water kept gaining and gaining.
Soon it was running across Santa Fe
street, all through the Santa Fe yards.
up Ell Paso street to the Ketelsen &
Degetau corner, and then east through
Cbihuahuita, south OF Fourth street.
1t was scramble. scramble everywhere.
JacalS were deserted right and left,
every vehicle pO sesSible and almost
possesSible was pressed into requlsl-
ton. ana the entire scene was an eX
aggerated New York May Day NOV
ing. The whole city was enveloped in
clouds of dust for the horses used on
the sprinklers were in lively use with
the moving vans, and people and
vehicles were hurrying scurrying all
over the city. AS fast as one square
would fill up, the water would run over
the AUDITING streets and into the ad-
joining squares, and the south side OF
the town was not long in becoming
Venice. Dykes were hastily thrown
up around houses that were
worth preserving, and some that werc
not worth preserving. Particular
care was taken in protecting the valu-
able property of the Sisters of Loretto,
and long embankment was thrown
uD all along Fourth street by the ace
quia where it was believed the water
would be stayed. The narrow strip of
land thai had connected the Stanton
street bridge with the mai land was
soon out of sight, and the river was
bout a mile wide or more in north
and south line at that point. The
Sixth street levee had to be- abandoned
early, as the water ran around the
back of it, though Chihuanuaitans
maintained a steady fight in building
rapidly small levees around their
houses. The breaking of the Sixth
street levee let the water like a mill
race through the east side that up to
hat time had been considered perfect
ly safe. The water ran over to First
street to the county jail, a d to the
court house corner where the river
bed was forty years ago, and then ran
over the L. 81 2. depot reservation.
District Court Clerk Escajeda man
aged to escape with his family and
more valuable effects, and camped out
at the court house. Foreman Coles of
the Times composing room, did not ap-
prehend danger until the water was
around his house and he then had a
lively time of it in escaping with his
family one of whom is very sick. The
levee broke on Tays street and there
wa trouble in all directions. 1t was
an all night of fsar and excitement,
and the bowling sand storm that swept
over the city during the dark hours
added horrors to the occasion.
Mr.. Trull of the Santa Fee GA being
questioned by a HERALD reporter this
morning as to his views on the situa-
ton, sad he was not seeking nOtoriety
neither did he care to pose a public |
censor, but said that the situation at
the canal head gate was reported
Wednesday to Mayor Magoffin who
agreed to cooperate with the railway
company in doing everything to pre-
vent an overflow OF the canal levee |
The work of enlarging and strenthen-
ing the dam thrown across the levee
a bout two weeks ago was commenced F!
early yesterday morning, and as large |
q force of men as could be Sc cured was |
put tO3wOrll, and the mayor was called |
upon TO furnish six or eight teams to
handle the Scrap2rs. Mr. Ballinger |
reported for work with one team but !
pos lively refused to ormit the team !
to do the work required. The water
in the river was rising fast, and it was
evident that it would in the course of
a few hours, come over the top of the
levee near the head gate, Messengers
were sent to the mayors office, urging
that teams be sent quickly ID assist in
saving the dam. But at 3 p. m. the time
at which the water came in over the
top of the levee, no teams had been
sent out. The par tally constructed
dam could not Withstand the flow of
the water, and the overflow was the
result. 1t was my opinion that the