The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-02
TEXASS TRICKY STREAMS.
DRY GULCHES That SUDDENLY BE-
CONE RACING TORRENTS

Beds That Have Beeh Dry for Years Trans
formed In n Moment Into Floods Mile,
Wide, Carrying Death and DeAtructioI
with Them-Lives of Cattle and Men Lost
AUSTIN. Tex, June 25.---The most PREACHER.
Gus streams in the United States are those o
western Texas. For the most part Of the year
and occasionally for a period extending over
several years. these rivers and creeks are
merely dry beds Tho older inhabitants. who
have prohted by past experiences. are ac-
ouainted with the character OF the streams and
know that at any moment n torrent OF water
may rush down the dry Ted and overflow its
banks sweeping to destruction everything be-
Tore IT, 1t /, for this reason that never
sees " COW " and hunting camps located near
the creeks and rivers 81 the section referred TO.
1t Is not only wise policy ~ pitch camp on
high ground. but it has ais been proved that
cattle and sheep should he kept out Of the low
country when on the trail. Instances are
known when herds Of thousands Of head OF
cattle have been swept away 10y q sudden food.
The recent high waters in the Nueces and
Hondo rivers and Los Moros Crock washed
away many thousands of cattle. horses and
sheep Los Moros Creek Is ordinarily dry
stream. For several years no water whatever
has fiowcd In it, bed on its upper course. The
now settlers vi that locality looked upon 1t "a a
dry arroyo What was the surprise OF these
unknowing ones few mornings ago when
they awoke 10 Nud in place of the dry bed Of
the insignificant creek raging river five to
seven miles wide. its width varying according
TO the character of country through which tho
stream passed The terrible food came down
upon the unsusrectng people without warning
There arc many dry beds west u here which
mark the course OF former large streams. It
IL related by old Inhabitants that during the
period OF about twenty years. from 1898 to
1913. there were frequent aud terrific rains in
western Texas and that many OF the little water
courses mat are now forgotten were large
tonic from Germany II young man named C. ii.
Guenther. He was a miIlcr by, ira e, ana soon
after reaching this state began to look
a srist mill He vent to what IS now
large colony Of Germans had located hut a
lew years before. On his wUv to that colony
he came upon a stream Of large voiume and
he picked out Il mil site on It's uank and pro-
' cseeueI to erect grlstni!l. He ran the mill for
aan years. wner he Waicrs OF the TtGeam He
closed down aud finally abandoned. The ruins
o. that mill stand to-day. ana there are aUso-
water flowing in the he'd OF that dry arroyo. 1t
has been dry for more than thirty years.
OF the Nueces and Hondo rivers in sudden
floods even within the past ilftecn years
sportsmen came to western Texas with camp
ing OUTFIT: They located their camp OH the left
6ank OF IL" Nucrrs. not far from the town OF
among them beng T. l.. Eesseur. u wealthy
sugar planter. Tho first night they we're in
camp IA mountain Of water roed down the
Nueces Valley from the hills above and swept
everything before 1t. All the members II tho
hunting party were drowned. the southern
Pacific Railroad Drd ge was washed out. and
1housandS OF dollars damage was done to farm
-, Tom Kersen, a veteran Indian fighter and
texas ranger, now residing IN this city. has II
VIVID recollection Of one OF The big SEES - ola
~ = m . "a N F1l hot
IT, ~ happencd; tor It probably savoa the nves of
poral In Capt. Halls ranger company. was sent
on scout after band of Comanche Indians
Concho. Nueces and Eondu rivers kerseR had
sew. seven men with him. and. although they knew
,han they We're lSety to into force OF In
fears Tho trail of the Indians was struck
near Ty where the town of Sabinal is now.
hersen said to THE SUN correspondent. and
It was easy to see that there were not less ;han
iorty redskins ia the party. The trail was
about eighteen hours old when we first struck
1t. 1t was about the middle Of the forenoon
and we calculated that we could overtake the
band by evening OF the next day unless they
should become suSpic Gus and scatter. The
trail was followed br.skly all that day and tho
travel was kept up as long as the moon gave
light that night. I he trail began to grow warm
IN literal sense, shortly al the middle OF the
following DAY. when we came upon The cmbers
OF their campfire Of he previous night BY this
time we were near the Dry trio. which at that
The country is very rough and the Indians
were following the valley Of tho dry stream
forth at that time We hal observed heayV'
he nor Of hans snH the to
horizon, and as we cautiously pursued the ras-
caly band We thought that heavy shower Of
rain was probable.
1t was probably ! clock in the afternoon
when hen we suddenly lost the trail Of the Indians
the country there had never been travelled by
human being or animal of any kind. The
opening OF "a deep gorge which entered the
narrow valley Of the Dry rio. We instantly
tb that that the h indians had discovered W and
their trail. We also know that the Indians
would ATTEMPT to ambush us and the chance OF
party close together and We made a
%qrv tSs B SS5ou FRO fer 'nS sn or course
without discovering any evidence that tho In
alans had passed that way. | then suggested
cut to the arrova or gorge that intcrsected the.
main channel of tho Dry FRO with Il view of
ascertnining whether the bond had passed up
that way. The country was almost level above
the GorSes which led into the Dry Frio. and o.,
the elevation We had n commanding view Of tho
III the channels Of the waterless streams
We had reached ths bank of the deep gorge
when !. sudden. loud roar attracted our atten-
ton. Looking up tho gorge we saw great
mel, filling il to height Of probably fort Yeet
We were. thanks To Providence, out Of reach OF
the terrible food which swept along below us.
roaring like some huge monster On the oppo-
site sido OF the gorge. about Fifty wards IRON
where we were sitting our horses. as the
Hood swept by. was ii long. shelving rock which
overhung the channel below. This rock was
located about twenty-five feet from tho
bed, Of the gorge and was several hum
dred feet long. AS the wall of water passed
us we heard the uneart hly yells Of Indians. and
looking across the seethinG barrier of water we
saw II sweep the shelving rock and take into
It's depth the wrigG ling bodies of all the mem
beers of the Comanche band whom we had been
following. The bodies of these were scattered
FRO passed. all the way down to the Nueces
l don't think single member Of the band
escaped. You see, they had staked their
horses Ia barranca, two miles above and had
gathered on this shelving rock for the purpose
OF ambushlng we passed either M or
down the bed OF the gulch in search Of their
trail. We would have been in the gulch and
Undoubtedly every man OF US would have been
Killed in another l.teeu minutes but for the
timely arrival nj ha