Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-04-28
A Mighty Wave of Water, Six Feet
High and Mile Wide, Sweeps
Down the Cottonwood Valley
and Strikes Guthrie with
Terrible Results.
A GREAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE PERISHED
Every Bridge Swept Away, Communi-
cation with the Outside World En-
tirely Cut Off, Many Business
Houses Under Water and
Country Around Guthrie
Submerged.

Kansas City, April 2s.--A special to th'
Star from Guthrie, O. T., says: The ter
rible food in Cottonwood river @uests II.
engulfed west Guthvie, shortly after sun
rise this morning. There is reason tt
believe that fully a score of per
sons are drowned. Hundreds were
driven from their homes, and many houses
were swept away. It IS the most appal
ling disaster that ever befell Guthrie
Cottonwood river is small stream
scarcely more than 40 feet wide, that
winds in many curves between its banks
in west Guthrie, which lies in level valley
of the river. terrific rain fell all yester.
day afternoon, and the greater part of last
night. The river was already full from
heavy rains several days ago. No great
alarm was felt last night About a. m .
the river began to rise as if by magic. 1t
jumped four feet in 20 minutes. This
part of Guthrie is thickly populated
mostly by colored people. Many began
carrying their household goods to places
of safety. Few had made more than one
trip when they were forced to flee for
their lives. The river burst from its
banks, and raging sea, half mile wide
swept across the valley, carrying houses,
barns and fences before it. To add to the
horror of the situation the main supply
pipe of the water works system burst
where it crossed Cottonwood, in the
southern part of the city, and allthe water
in the reservoirs poured into the river.
RETREAT OUT OFF.
During the night a bridge leading
across the river to the city was swept
away. Many people were absorbed in
watching the rising waters, when the flood
from the reservoirs came down in solid
wall, and cut across the farm land near
the main land, cutting off people from
escape. They fled from their homes to
the higher parts of the newly formed
island. The river by nine O'Clock was
30 feet higher than the usual level. II is
believed that there was much loss of life
in that part of the city, but the people
are 80 bewildered as to make it impossible
to secure facts. House after house was
swept away. The debris jammed
against the strong bridge near Helms ice
plant and it was soon carried away.
Hundreds Of men and women could be
seen in hopses beckoning for help.
MIGHTY WAVE.
St. Louis, April 28.-A brief dispatch
from Guthrie, O. T., says: At 6 O'Clock
this morning mighty wave of water,
ak feet high and mile wide, swept down
the Cottonwood valley, and struck this
city. deafening roar went up as the
water crushed houses, and drove people
from their homes. At the first rush,
every boat and bridge was swept away
All the country west Of Guthrie Is sub
merged. Twenty business houses have
ten feet of water In them. The river is 80
feet above it's ordinary level. Hundreds
of people are in trees, but cannot be
helped. Several men in trying to swim
the current to reach four women and
baby in tree, were carried away. A
woman wading from home with baby
on her head was swept away and lost. II
is believed that more than score of ne
groes are drowned. Persons who have es.
capped, estimate that fully so persons have
been drowned.
TERRIFIC DOWNPOUR.
Guthrie, 0. T.-The heaviest rain in
years fell throughout this territory yes.
terday and last night, the continuous
downpour kept up for several hours.
All creeks are up to the danger point,
and some are out of their banks. South
west of Waterloo in this county, water
spout occurred, and half dozen farms
were inundated. Near Clifton, Lincoln
county, scores of farms have been swept
OF everything, and many cattle and horses
drowned, Near Cushing, Payne county,
dozens of people have been driven from
.. - Ioaan oonntn sa,araI !. 80
s,;d,as ~ tha G;morron apa OottonwooS
rivers, have been abandoned, and trains
IN every w olre0elon' a,e aeIayso oy WASH
ou's. 1no nooA Aoiouu olluso osol sne
Noftn oanauia. lisel nas muveo several
lncnes ouS oi nus ene wasel Delng up 70
the rails. Az " neno One llgnsnlng stlucK
ene frespySeiian cnurou sPl!o, aua also =
negro scnool, ,nouse, khoUklng ene on,i-
dren rign5 ana ie1t' out Klliing none. no
fatalities nave oeen rePoreed from any
point. The total rainfall since Saturday
noon amounts to ll.2S inches. IL Is still
raining hard.
WIRES ALL DOWN.
Wichita, Kas.--At / O'Clock the Western
Union reports that every wire communi.
eating with Guthrie has gone down.
o.pa,rn noun rup p.p,na
uusnrie, y. Lmen, women ana SI.'. VnIi-
oren ciung " HOUSES ano 'lSe 'oPe, wnne
many were cal1leu aown ~ laPlos q
tne ssreain on noae,ng Iousos or Smaller
porsions o. .nels oslone.ngs. Many were
AnooAe aHos "a 1890. - 49, -. 80;
REM anu u1owlou' ponc Az ao's q y ~
ooo ooos 1TU. Tha main ras,dspcs. .' ana hns;nsss
@ no,.;on Of Hnthrie was nnharmed.