Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-07-03
TEXAS FLOOD DAMAGE WAS NOT
ovEREsTIAATED.
RAILROADS STILL TIED UP
LOSS OF LIFE NOT so GREAT AS WAS
FEARED AT FIRST.
Twelve Persons, Mostly Negroes,
Known TO Have Been Drowned
Hundreds of Dead Horses
and Cattle Piled Up at
Month of BrazOs.

AUSTIN, TEX, July 2.-Reports from
the Brazos bottoms to-day reveal a deplo-
rable condition. The waters are still very
high, but are slowly receding, and it is be-
lieved thai the worst is over in that partic-
ular section of the state. The International
& Great Northern railroad this morning
started out a large wrecking force to work
in the water between here and Hearne to
replace the track and bridges, and 1t an
nounces that it expects to have train
operating by tomorrow at the latest. 1t
has several bridges to be replaced, and
much of its track has been under water.
The Houston & Texas Central does not ex-
pect to get its trains running for six days
yet. Its track is four feet under water
for much of its way from Hearne down,
and as it has had a number of bridges
washed away and cannot get at the creeks
10 replace them, owing to the raging tor
rents, 1t will Of necessity have to wait until
the waters subside.
The estimated damage to the country
tributary TO the Brazos valley of $4,000,0O0 is
none too high, as reports received to-day
loss and suffering reported yesterday. 1t
is not believed that the loss of life will be
anywhere near as large as reported. and
will be principally among the negroes.
Reports from along the bottoms state
that hundreds of people have been rescued
during the past two days by means of i'm
known drowning, some party has indis-
creetfy upset a raft after getting on it,
with the result that the entire load was
thrown into the water. In this way have
six CT the twelve persons known to have
been drowned met their fate.
The rushing waters are rapidly accumu-
latfng hundreds of dead horses and cattle
at the mouth of the Brazos. Reports from
there to-day are to the effect that they
are floating out into the gulf there by the
hundreds. and many hundreds are stranded
ia the eddies along the lowlands adjacent.
There were heavy rains to-day to the
south and west of here. and the rivers in
that section are booming tonight, hut nc
fatalities have been reported. There was
no additional rainfall reported along the
Brazos. however, , and it is hoped that the
a week for the waters to recede.
BRYAN, TEX, July 2.-Reports from the
Brazos river continue to show that the
of corn and cotton which were laid by
are under water, and the loss cannot be es
timated until the floods recede. Those wht
have visited the river bottom at the Jone.
iron bridge, nine miles south Of here, re
port that horses, household effects, bedding
trunks, COWS and hogs. alive and dead
down: Parties who went out to Investigate
the flood situation between the Big an,
Little Brazos rivers above here report tha
the two rivers met Friday below Hearne
forming vast basin of water coyerin.
largely plantations on which are gins
stores and residences. The same condition.
liiS DOllOul DtyOIu Ine Big bra
zos. The river is spreading out opposit
and beyond Bryan, principally on the Bur
leson county road.
William Thomas and Patrick Ward hav
returned after a twenty-five mile tri
through the overfiowed district between tn
Big and Little Brazos rivers. They wen
TO a number of neighboring towns in thei
boat, rowing over fields and through tn
plantations. The water was twenty-eigb
inches Inc deep ip front of the stores at Steeies
The Hearne & Brazos railroad is prob
ably submerged its whole length, and muc
of II washed away. The people have bee
gathered together at the gins by the plan
taton owners, and are reported safe. Tn
same plan appears to have been pursue
across the Big BraZos in the bottom an
there 'w"re only one or two instances G
drowning. One of these was negro name
julie Chapman, who was drowned on tn
Little Brazos while trying to get to hi
standstill for twenty hours