Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-07-13
THE WORST IS OVER.
The Brazos River Rapidly Falling
and the Flood Receding.
The Loss OF LIFE EXAGGERATED.
ACcOr riding to the Galveston News Only Two
Lives Have Been Lost In the Flood
Property Loss Enormous
roads IN had shape.

Galveston, Tex, July 7.-Reports
from a special correspondent of the
News indicate that, while the property
loss BY the recent floods has been enOr-
nous, the loss of life has been greatly
exaggerated. According to the News
only two lives have been lost in the
lower Brazos food. Every year the
Brazos and Colorado valleys suffer
from foundations. Up to the present
food the greatest destruction from the
annual foundations was in 1885 This
year the high water mark Of 1885 has
been surpassed in Washington, Waller,
Austin, Fort Bend and Brazoria coun-
ties in southern Texas. The Brazos is
falling rapidly in the central part of
| the state, the scene of last weeks flood.
The food reached the southern part
of the state Sunday night and Monday.
The planters had received ample warn
ing, but many negroes remained in the
Hrazos valley, believing the water
would not reach higher than in 1855
From 1900 to 1000 colored people were
caught in the valley Of Austin, Waller
and Fort Bend counties and were
forced to take to the trees and house
tops. An appeal was made to Houston
for boats, but Houston had sent all
boats available farther upthe river last
week to Calvert and Bryan. Gov. Sayers,
at the suggestion Of Congressman llaw-
ley, appealed to the war department
for permission to send government life
saving boats from Galveston. pernis-
sion was granted and special train
left yesterday afternoon for the flooded
district, carrying several government
and a number Of private boats, 1t is
believed that nearly all the people
lodged in trees and on housetops have
been rescued but the boats sent from
Galveston yesterday will patrol the
flooded district and make a thorough
search for straggers. So far as is
known, but two lives have been lost in
the lower Brazos flood
Cotton is entirely washed out in some
places, but, on the whole more good
than harm has been done by the food
to crops, Cotton will be replanted in
most cases. Corn is not an entire loss.
Those who are looking for big de-
crease in the Texas cotton crop will be
disappointed. There is plenty of time
to raise cotton before January, 1900
The next trouble will be at Velasco,
the mouth of the Brazos, which point
the floods reached yesterday. The
town may be cut off from communities
ton with the world for day or two,
but no loss Of life is anticipated, be-
cause the people had two days notice
that the food had broken loose above
and was coming down. The revenue
cutter Galveston left here last night
for Velasco to rescue those really in
danger ut that point The sending of
government boats to the flooded dis
trict was advisable, although it is be-
lieved nearly every person in danger
has been rescued. The donation of
the war rations was most timely, as
several thousand homeless negroes will
have to be fed for ten days, The food /
situation is now well in hand The
destitute will be fed and given work
on railways until the food will permit
them to return to their homes.
RAILROADS IN BAD SHAPE.
Dallas. Tex, July THE railroad
situation in Texas BECAUSE of floods is
so much worse than it has been hereto
fore that the Gulf, Colorado a. Santa
Fe had to abandon its through trains
from st. Louis and Kansas City at Dal-
las and Fort Worth respectively The
Santa Fe had, until last night, by run
ming on roundabout way, managed +
to get through to Galveston but the
new washouts in the lower Brazos
country stopped even this traffic. The
abandonment of the Santa Fc trains
sewers the last link of anything like d.
rect connection between northern and
southern Texas. To reach these points
now it is necessary to travel via Shreve-
port, La. The flood damages to rail
road property in Texas is now con.
servatiyely estimated at S3, 900, 900.
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