The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-04
Fatalities Estimated From
 200 to 1000.
PR0PERTYL0ss i.ooo. .ooo
TerT0r-Stricken Mexic1nS
 Flee to Mountains.
Irresistible swesD ef the wa1sss Toe1 Everything Defefe It, and 1esno h the Streets Was One
 e1 Censtsrnatien.


 Guantajualo, Mex, July 3-Loss e life variously estimated at mora tAnn 200 and less than 1000 persons ano property damage to the extent of over a millions dollars have been caussd bv the flood which has swept over thte town as the result of a cloudburst. red- eral telegraph service has been IT. stored and the authorities are rapidly bringing order out of chaos.
 Great suffering Is prevalent, but na4 Is being received from surroundm9 towns, and a semblance of normal oon- ditions, 1t Is believed. will soon be reached.
 Burial of the dead is progressing ray- idly. although many bodies are tncuehs are difficult to locate. The disaster that has come upon this city is unpar. aIieled in its long history. during whieh many floors have been recorded tn thu past. Guantajaula. owing to its sifue- tion in a great ravine or gorge, hAs oeea subjected to hoods sweeping down Iron the mountains. and much loss or iife storm which began Friday night AnA continued through Saturday was unprs- cedented in violence.
 By o'clock Saturday afternoon clouds banked up black and threAten- ing in the north east and within leeo than twenty minutes rain came down n torrents and the water surged doWn the high streets with great vioisnce- Part of the river which was built over with masonry burst through, augmeut+ ing the flood and the scene became one of terror and consternatfon. The peo- ple made haste to gather their vaiuAnlee and flee, and many did SO at the risk or their lives, for the streets in the lower part of the city were 1lled with rush- ing waters. and the roar Of wind ana rain added to the panic. With one rush, the mighty food burst it's bounds solidly built masonry and houses bein9 undermined and many buildings fe1l with a crash. Their inmates in many cases were crushed beneath the faAtsnS masonry. Tn. those houses near the river the water rose rapidly and the inhabitants went to the upper floors and eventually to the roofs. where they re exposed to the full force of the storm. Many people thus seeking refuge in their own houses went down in the crash Of then dwellings.
 From the center of the city the flood rushed to both sides of the town and the people madly rushed out to hee to the mountains, many being caught ana swept away.
 At the time when the storm seemed likely to abate and before it's greatest intensity was felt. there was great crowd of merrymakers in the fia1a- Gaming operators had scarcely time 10 set up their tables and place their mon- ey thereon when the flood rushed down on them. sweeping away booths. money and tables Many people were then and there drowned. Each man fought nie way out of the flood. tramplinG down whoever came in his way. and thus many women and children perished. A large number of people had sought refuge in the church of San Diego. but soon were crushed to death under It's falling walls. The priest who was ad- dressing words of hops and consolation to the people was killed
 Four hotels and some large shops were demolished or badly injured. and some of the noblest mansions Tn the city were wrecked with all their rich furniture. The large building occu- pied by Dwight Furness as the Amer ican Consulate was flooded to the sec ond story windows. The street car line between this city and the town of Marafit was wrecked. much Of the track being washed away while the mules were drowned.
 Thieves at Work.
 The SecOnQ uOOE OL tiC ii1tSA OAAAS-$ is under five feet of water. The gov ernor and state and city authorities have worked day and night trying to preserve order and to control the bands of thieves who are hazarding their lives in the work of yillasfng shops and mansions The oid electric plant was destroyed but the new plant was saves. The Federal telegraph lines were interrupted for some time but the service is now resumed, though the water stands two feet in the building.
 < Tho bodies of people drowned are being carried to the houses in the higher streets and the spectacle ts one as the streets are hiled with mourning survivors looking for their dead Estimates of the loss of life diner greatly, ranging from two hundred to over one thousand. and te Is probable that many bodies will be found under the ruins of houses
 The catastrophe was caused by cloudburst and as the city Is situated on the mountain side and partly in the valley 1t would be impossible to avoid a disaster
 The famous Laolla dam is intact, though at one time 1t was believed to have burst. The money loss is hard to estimate and may reach over a mfi- lion dollars.
 Many people are still camping in the The authorities and the Federal telegraph officials have done everything possible to maintain order and keep communication open.
 Seven Killed, 34 Injured.
 Mexico City, July 3.-The bridge on the Mexican Central Railway at Kilo- meter 317, between Irapuato and Silao. fell as the southbound passenger train was passing early Sunday morning. The baggage and third class coach fell into the river.
 seven passengers were killed and injured. No ftrst-class pas- senRers were hurt.
 To Meet in south.
 Charlotte, N. C.. July S.-The Amer lean convention of instructors of the deaf will convene at Morganton Sat urdsv and remain in session one week. The members of this convention will