The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
Traffic Of All Kinds Inter
rupted by Colorado Floods.
Orders Issued to Accept M
More Peris ID able Freight.
BRIDGES WASHED OUT.
Three Passenger Trains Are
Being Held at Syracuse, Kas.
East Bound Train Due Here To.
day Held at Las Vegas.

The high waters in Colorado and New
Mexico have developed the most SER
ious problem the railroads have had to
solve in that vicinity for a long time.
More rains yesterday and last night
have washed out several stretches of
track and the officials of the Santa Fe
at Topeka do not look for the line to
be opened for traffic inside two or three
days.
General Freight Agent J. r. Koontz
mas issued instructions that no cattle or
perishable freight shall be accepted for
shipment over the New Mexico division
until further notice. 1t is hoped to
have the line opened inside three days
| at the longest.
Passenger trains Nos. l, and 4, OF
| the Santa Fe which passed through To-
peka yesterday are tied up at Syracuse,
Kansas, where one of the Harvey eat
ling houses is located. No. is at Dodge
City. East bound No. 6 which should
pass through Topeka today is tied up
| at Las Vegas.
The water from the mountains which
did the damage in the city of Trinidad
was carried down the river, emptied
into the Las Animas river and although
precautions were taken by the Santa
Fe at Las Aninas by weighing the
bridge down at that point, the water
tore out the approaches on either side
and trains cannot pass that point until
repairs are made.
Two pile drivers were put to work
there early this morning, one on each
side of the bridge and it is announced
that the repairs will be completed there
by tonight which will permit trains to
be sent to and from Denver.
| General Manager, H. u. Nudge VINO
left here yesterday on passenger train
No. 1, with Chief Engineer Storey did
not reach Las Animas until after the
approaches were washed out. he ieIt
No. / at Syracuse and went on west to
the scene of the trouble on a special
train.
| Nearly all the division superinten-
dents OF the western divislons ~ were ,
| time card meetings and were return
ing tyestarday, They are With Mr.
I Nudge. and will be unable 20 reach
| the scene of their respective divisions
until after the difficulty is remedied-
The officials of the Santa Fe here
/ stated today that extra large forces
had been mobilized for repair work at
/ encountered, and that repairs will be
made as rapidly as possible
] The other railroads are in trouble
1 as bad as the Santa Fe. The Den
yer & Rio Grande and the Colorado &
Southern are completely tied up.
The Santa Fe officials think that no
other damage was done to Santa Fe
| property at Trinidad aside from the
destructon of the depot and the loss
of Pullman coach and a chair car
which were swept away. and the wash
d q X.
/ passenger cars will be recovered.
| The Trinidad depot was built at a
cost of $4,000 instead of $1,000, as a
typographical error made it appear in
1 the State Journal yesterday.
/ Trinidad, Col, Sept. 30.-The loss
caused by the flood which struck here
| and devastated the whole valley of the
| Las Animas river will amount, it is
believed, to more than 1 million dol
/ lars. So far as known there was no
loss of life, but there were many mar
row escapes.
The flood was caused by the heavy
| rain which has been falling for two
days. AT o'clock last night the
storm assumed cloudburst proportions
and at O'Clock this morning the Las
Animas river went over its banks. At
$3.50 o'clock it was impossible to get
within block of the liver bed at any
point, and Commercial street was
the business district Meantime the
electric light and gas plants had been
| flooded and the city was in complete
darkness Hundreds of citizens
| thronged the streets on the edge of
the submerged district, carrying lam
| terms and doing their best to provide
| those driven from their homes with
shelter. Warning of the flood was
] given when the river left it's banks by
revolver shots and the fire alarm. fol-
lowed by blowing of all the locomotive
and shop whistles in town.
| Citizens upon RATS made of sections
streets rescuing families who were in
danger. The new Bacca hotel, a two
story structure, just nearing compile
| ton at a cost of $4,000, on the river
ate it's way through fifty feet of
ground to the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe depot, which was carried
away. The Gardenas hotel, adjoining,
barely escaped a similar fate. an acre
| of ground being washed away near it.
The Rio Grande railroad bridge at
Ell Moro is out and the Atchison, To-
peka & Santa Fe right of way in many
places has been washed out. Railroad
traffic is entirely suspended and busi-
ness here is paralyZed.
1t was reported today that the food
was due to break in the city reser-
voir, but this is erroneous. The ressr-
voir is safe.
The city is divided by the Las AMI
wagon bridges. When all of the
| bridges washed out many residents
were unable to reach their homes or to
communicate with their families be-
cause the telephone service had been
/ wrecked.
A messenger from Ell Moro. three
| miles north, arrived on horseback and
/ reported that 25 men, women and chill
| which the river was slowly eating
/ away. A relief party left here imme-
diately and rescued them.
Believed No Lives Were Lost
| Ir1n1dad, ColO., Oct. 1.-AlthOuSn
reports continue to be circulated to-
| day that several families have been
| missing since the flood swept through
the city yesterday no bodies have been
| recovered and the police officials an
| nounce that they have no reason to
| believe there was any loss of life. The
| property loss will approximate nearly
| million dollars. being even greater
| in many instances than at first sup