Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-07-08
Texas VISITED By FLOOD:
Cloudburst at Gainesville Endangers
Lives Of Thousands of People
in the Vicinity.
MANY TAKE REFUGE ON HOuSE1oPS.

Early Reports of Deaths Not Com
armed-Eleven Persons known to.
Have Lost Their Lives Near Pettus
Much Damage to Property by,
ClOudburst in Minnesota.
Dallas, Tex, July 4.-Gainesville,
Tex, was flooded by cloudburst, and
many lives were endangered. At two
o'clock the city was under four feet
of water. Thousands of people had
taken refuge on house tops. Rumors
of loss of life were impossible to con-
firm, as the city was in total dark
ness. The damage will be heavy. Two
creeks which flow by the town, one OF
them passing through its center, and the
other on the west side, are each mile
wide.
At three a. m. the situation grew
desperate. The water was rising very
rapidly, and report was received that
a still greater flood was coming down
from the direction of St. Joe. The
cries Of terror-stricken people could be
heard in every direction. All around
the depot and along the main street Of
the town the water was so deep that
even horses we're compelled to swim.
Train Reported Wrecked.
1t is reported that Santa Fe passen-
ger train has been ditched three miles
from the town, on account of washed
out tracks, and it is feared many lives
have been lost. A relief train was sent
out
A telephone message from Gainesville
stated that the engineer, fireman and
express messenger on the wrecked Santa
Fe train are reported missing.
Situation Later Improves.
Later in the morning the food situa-
ton at Gainesville was greatly i'm
proved. The rain stopped and the wa
tiers rapidly receded. There is no loss
of life reported from Gainesville, and
the property damage is confined to small
stores, outhouses and truck gardens.
Reports from the southwestern por-
ton of the state indicate that the storm
was most severe. Probably Is Mex
lean farm hands lost their lives, and
the damage to farming interests, rail-
roads and country roads and bridges
will be heavy. The waters are fall
ing.
Train Goes Through Bridge.
Train No. 6, north bound, on the San
ia Fe road went through bridge ten
miles south of Gainesville during
Thursday nights storm. Engineer John
Boyce was killed and several passen-
gers are reported hurt.
Says Flood Has subsidized.
st. Louis, July "A special to the
Post-Dispatch from Dallas, Tex, says:
The storm situation over Texas is still
serious, but not so bad as Thursday and
Thursday night. The food at Gaines
vile and vicinity, that started about
midnight in series of cloudbursts in
the Red and Trinity river valleys,
has subsidized beyond the danger point.
A number of houses in the vicinity of
Gainesville we're wrecked, but all the
occupants were rescued by firemen, po-
licemen and citizens without the loss Of
a life.
A report has just reached Dallas that
passenger train on the Gulf, Colorado
& Santa Fe road between Gainesville
and Valley View, was turned over from
the tracks into body of water. 1t Is
not known whether the passengers have
been rescued.
The loss generally over the state to
railroad and other property damaged
amounts to millions of dollars.
Nothing new of conditions in south
west Texas has been received, but it is
known dozen or more lives were lost
there Thursday.
Another Report of Flood.
st. Louis, July "A special to the
Republic from Dallas, Tex, says: A
cloudburst and tornado swept over the
county between San Antonio and Cor
pus Christi Friday and news was re-
ceived late at night that II persons are
known to have lost their lives near
Pettus. There are rumors of other ia
talities. Reports of terrible loss of life
at Beeville were received early in the
evening, but late at night a round
about telephone connection was Sc
cured with Beeville from Dallas. The
Beeville operator said that some build
ings we're damaged there, but no lives
had been lost.
The San Antonio telephone Office re-
ported that there is strip of country
between there and Beeville in which all
wires are down and that it has not
been possible to hear from. The storm
was most severe in that section.
Storm in Minnesota.
st. Paul, Mimi, July "A special to
the Globe from gainesville says: A
heavy wind and rain storm struck this
town Thursday. The Great Northern
station was blown from its foundation,
the roof was blown off and $50 bushels
of wheat destroyed, also large amount
of flour. Two barns were blown down.
The loss is estimated at $4,000. At
BELGRADE and GeOrgeville several build