The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-05-05
a SCORE OF LIVES LOST.
CIoudburst Brings Devastation and
Death TO Guthric. o. r.

0uLnFle. u l., April 29--A csOau-
burst 20 miles north of Guthrie at six
o'clock Wednesday morning turned the
already flooded valley of the Cotton
wood into deluge and sent wave of
water six feet high sweeping with ter
rife force toward Guthrie. The great
wave came down the valley like a cat
aract and broke upon the sleeping city
without moments warning. 1t came
with mighty roar. crushing houses
in its path. and swept across the low
lands of West Guthrie. leaving death
| and devastation.
The Cottonwood river is small
stream scarcely more than 40 feet wide,
that winds in many curves between the
banks of the West Guthrie, which lies in
the level valley of the river. About six
o'clock in the morning the river bee
gan to rise as If by magic. Higher and
higher it came. jumping four feet in
30 minutes at seven o'clock. The first
| wave was followed by others in quick
| succession. until the whole swelled into
bank of water from six to eight feet
high. Many had already begun carry
| ing their household goods to places of
safety. but few had made more than
one trip when they were forced to fee
| for their lives before a raging. resist
less torrent that no power of man could
| hope TO stay.
| To add TO the horror of the situation,
the main supply pipe of the water
works system burst where it crossed
the Cottonwood. in the southern part OF
the city, and all the water in the reser-
voir burst into the river. In the south
ern part of the city long arm Of land
is formed by the widening of the river.
| On this land lived hundreds of negroes
During the night the bridge leading
across the river to the city had been
swept away. The people were alb
sorbed in watching the rising waters,
when the food came and the reservoir
came down in a solid wall and cut
| across the arm of land near the main
| land, cutting of the people from es-
| cape. They fed from their homes TO
the higher portion of the newly-formed
| island. In half an hour the noun
| tain of water had done its work and
practically spent itself. The air be-
came hideous with the crashing Of
| houses and the cries for help of the IN
fortunates.
Guthrie, O. T., April 3O.-In the food
stricken valley of the Cottonwood river
Thursday was devoted TO heroic efforts
towards the rescue of those unfortu-
mates whose lives were still endangered
and for the relief of the hundreds OF
destitute and hungry. 1t now seems
| a certainty that the loss Of life in the
Geluge will not exceed 20. All day
missing people, supposed TO have been
| drowned, have been found clinging to
bushes or driftwood down the stream
on the west bluffs or scattered in farm
houses for miles.
The scene in the food-swept dis
| trict was one of desolatioD. The river
| fell rapidly during the night. and when
| the sun rose the awful extent of the
damage done to property could be seen.
The river is still bank full. but the water
had receded from most of the mum
dated district. There was confused
mass of debris and overturned and de-
| raolished houses scattered over the va
ley where Wednesday night was sea
| of water. The banks were Uttered with
the dead carcasses of horses. cattle, hogs
and chickens Whole blocks where
stood a home in nearly every lot were
stripped bare; huge trees. torn up by
their roots. were scattered everywhere;
great gulches had been washed out of
the streets. gardens were devastated.
fruit trees leveled. lawns and flower
| beds cleared off level as table and
fences completely gone
Five hundred homes were swept
away and the contents were ruined
One hundred and fifty houses were
wrecked. 20 streets devastated and
| ruined and 1000 people are homeless
| and half as many more destitute. Prop
erty damage exceeds 100000. Sys-
tematic relief is now carried on and
| ferries are now working across the
river, SO that supplies can be sent to
all. and many were being brought TO
the unframed part of the city, to be
cared for in private homes.
New Orleans. April 30.-Severe rain
and windstorms throughout the low
er Mississippi valley did great damage
to levees. causing ugly sioughs in many
of them and entailing great suffering
among those refugees camped on the
levee without shelter Of any kind.
Appeals have poured in to the relief
committee from all quarters for tents.
and the relief committee has applied
70 the war department for them. Near
" half the people in the overfowed sec
ton of Louisiana are altogether with
out shelter or e is insufficient.
Labor Organizations at War.
Washington. April %. The general
executive board of the Knights of La
- Iaoloral AGAINST