The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-30
Santa Fe Depot Swept Off by
Flood at Trinidad.
Harvey Eating House Threaten.
ed With Destruction.
CARS AND TRACK GONE
Water Higher Than Ever Be-
fore Known There.
General Manager Nudge Has
Gone to the Scene.

age is reported to have been done a
Trinidad, Colo, last night by a doot
in the Purgatoire river. All wires il
the vicinity are down and communica
ton with the city is entirely cut off
All bridges in and about the city ar,
/ said to have been washed away and M
trains can get in or out on the Santa
Fe, Denver & Rio Grande and Colo
rado & Southern railroads. The lates
report received before all the wire.
were lost said that the Santa Fe depo
had been washed away and the Har.
vey hotel was threatened with destruc.
tlon. So far as known there have beer
no lives lost.
Trinidad is the county seat of La.
Animas county and the center of ar
extensive coal mining region. Its
population numbers about 5000.
! AT the Colorado & Southern train
dispatcher's Office in this city it was
said that the last news received from
Trinidad was that the city reservoir
| had gone out early this morning II
could not be learned whether any loss
of life resulted or what damage was
done.
Railroad men said it had been rain
| ing very heavily in the vicinity OF
Trinidad since Wednesday night.
The cloudburSt occurred at o'clock
this morning. At Ell Moro, six miles
north of Trinidad, considerable dam
washed away.
From what can be learned the water
reached height never before at
tanned, and considerable apprehension
age cannot be ascertained, but will be
many thousands of dollars. All wires
are still down but forces of men are
endeavor1ng to repair them.
The reservoir reported as bursting
is located north of the town on very
high ground.
The Trinidad reservoir which is re-
ported to have washed OUT said Chief
Southern railroad, lis nine miles above
Trinidad. 1t was built two years ago
and covers 40 acres of ground. Be-
tween the reservoir and Tr4Ridad the
country is taken up mostly with farms
and railroads and there are not a great
many people residing there. We have
not heard of any loss of life"
The following. report was received at
the office of the Denver & Rio Grande
at noon from the general agent of the
company in Trinidad: -.
The Colorado & Soutahern bridge
has gone out The company has also
lost 1000 feet of track east of the depot.
The ground beneath the track mas been
washed away to a depth of from 80 to
40 feet"
At the Santa Fe offices here it was
positively stated that the cars which
were washed away were unoccupied.
General Superintendent Coughlin, of
the Denver & Rio Grande, said he mad
received information that trains could
not be run on schedule for four days
as hundreds of feet of track to say
nothing of the big bridges near Trini-
dad, had been washed out. The mud on
the tracks, one message said, was from
to 4 feet deep.
Another telegram stated that the San
ia Fe yards were covered in several
feet of mud.
The flood swept five city blocks in
iFafA Ao6 oV1I 1ac- &c ocfs 4aI >
$500,0O0.
Traffic at a Standstin.
Santa Fe, n. NJ, Sept. 3O.-Railroad
traffic in New Mexico IS at a standstill,
owing to heavy rains yesterday and
last night. Every one of the three rail-
out, the Santa Fe Central at Estanca,
Clark, and near this city, the Denver
& Rio Grande between this city and
and between Embudo and
Antonito, and the Santa Fe between
Las Vegas and Albuquerque. No train |
has arrived since yesterday afternoon
and all the wires are down. The |
waShoutS are the worst west of Albu-
1uerque and between Albuquerque and |
Ell Paso. All telegraph wires in this
city are down. Many bridges were
carried away by the flood last night |
No loss of life is reported, but prop |
erty damage throughout the territory
Is heavy.
Reports Received at Topeka.
The reports of the damage received |
in this city tally with the report sent |
0ut by the Associated Press at Denver.
General Manager H. U. Nudge, who |
lad planned to make a trip of inspec-
ion over the portion of the lines
which underwent the damage, begin
hing next Sunday, decided to start to-
lay and his private car was attached |
% passenger train No. L at 1880 this
afternoon, and he will be at the scene !
IF the trouble tomorrow.
1t was stated at the general man
iger's office here today that the rains
washed the track off the
'oadbed for a distance of two miles
lear Albuquerque yesterday, but that
force of men was at once put to
work on that portion of the track and
hat it has been repaired.
The trains which have reached the
vashouts this forenoon, it is stated,
lave been blocked, but that passengers
AVE been transferred around the
vashouts and trains made uD and sent
,ut in each direction for the benefit
# the travelling public.
The statement was made at the gen
raj nager's office that a large force
amage to the track at Trinidad and
hat passenger trains leaving here to-
lay will find the line cleared and OPEN
d by the time they reach Trinidad.
Depot and Cars Washed Away.
The washouts at Trinidad are worse
han anything which the Santa Fe has
experienced in the west this year.
The Trinidad depot was almost COM
letely demolished. Only one side of
ne building escaped being wrecked
'hree hundred feet of track in front of
he depot were washed away and two
assenger coaches standing in the yards
ear the depot were washed away by
ne force of the current. The Harvey Il