The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-07-07
IN THE FLOODED DISTRICTS.
SITUATION REPoKTED WORSE
ABOUT sEALEY.
Rumor Current Of Another Disas.
ter Near Richmond, Texas, but
No Particulars Obtainable.

ST. LOUIS (Mo.), July GA special
to the Post Dispatch" from Dallas,
Texas, says:
At IL a. m. to-day, short dispatch
was received from a lineman at Dewey,
just across the Brazos River from
Sealey. 1t read:
river railing slowly since o'clock
yesterday afternoon Conditions here
terrible. Everything in the country
swept away. A large number of lives
lost IN the bottoms. It looks like star
walton for those left. The situation has
not been exaggerated. Will be several
days before line repairs can be made
with anything like system"
This telegram was received over a
wire spliced from Missouri, Kansas and
Texas railroad and Postal Telegraph
Company's lines, and was the first that
had been working into Sealey and
Dewey for three days. The wire only
worked five minutes and was then lost.
Efforts to connect since have failed.
Shortly after this information was
received by wire, Deputy Sheriff
SwearinEer, at Sealey, said over the
long distance telephone:
There is no improvement in this Sec
ton of the flood district If anything,
the situation is growing worse. No re-
lief boats have yet reached here from
Houston or Galveston. Sealey and
neighbOring towns have about ex-
hausted their resources for relief. An
other negro family was seen from here
drowning, cut off from land about two
miles, this morning. Several lives have
| been lost since last night among the
refugees on the mound near old San
Filipe. A number of negroes fell into
the water from tree tops from sheer
| exhaustion after hanging three days
and nights.
"A rumor is current here of an awful
disaster near Richmond. below here.
in Fort Bend County. AS we are cut
off from all that southern section, we
cannot tell definitely what has hap
pened, but the situation naturally must
be as bad as here, if not worse
GALVESTON (Tex.), July Gre
ports from a special correspondent of
the News" indicate that while the
property loss by the recent floods has
been enormous. the loss of life has
been greatly exaggerated. According
to the News only five lives have been
lost in the lower Brazos flood. From
1,500 to 1900 colored people were
caught in the valley in Austin and Fort
Bend Counties, and were forced to take
to the trees and housetops.
A special train left this afternoon for
the flooded district, carrying several
Government and number of private
boats. 1t is believed that nearly all
the people lodged in trees and on house
tops have been rescued, but boats sent
from Galveston to-day will patrol the
flooded district and make thorough
search for stragglers.
The War Department has author
lied Governor Savers to distribute TO-
600 army rations among the flood suf-
ferers, the rations to be furnished the
Governor from San Antonio. In adj
dition Houseton and Galveston have
sent several carloads of groceries into
the flooded district. It is believed
there is now food enough in transit to
feed the negroes until the waters re-
cede and they can return to plantation
work. The donation of the war rations
was most timely, as several thousand
homeless negroes will have to be fed
for ten days.