Rocky Ford enterprise., 1905-06-09
FLOODS IN COLORADO
STREAMS OVERLOOKING BANKS
Exceptionally High Water in Arkansas.
Grand, Animas and Other
RiNerN.

Rivers.
Denver. June 6.-From every portion
Of the western slope. and from north
ern New Mexico and Arizona. are re-
ported greater floods than have been
experienced In years.
The Arkansas river yesterday at Pu'
ebio anu other places In the south
western portion Of the state reached .
higher point than has ever been
known during any continued Hood In
the history Of the state.
Al Salida. Gienwood. Grand Junction.
Rifie and other stations along tho
Grand and Arkansas rivers bridges are
washed out and streets submerged.
Three monster dams were washed
out near Clcnwood. adding millions OF
cubic feet Of water 10 tho already
flooded streams.
SO far no loss Of life has been re-
ported aud the property damage Is also
little.
A Carbondaie dispatch last night
says: A wall Of water twelve feet
high swept down the Crystal river val,
ley shortly after noon to-day. IL did
thousands Of dollars damage To tho
Toadbed OF the Crystal River railroad.
flooded all the ranches in the bottoms
flowing Roaring Forks creek.
The flood came from what Is known
M the Thomas creek dam. a natural
lake ON tho side Of the mountain far
up on the side Of tho mountain. Tho
enormous amount Of wafer flowing
down from the melting snow forced
out tho natural dam. which has stood
for probably thousands of years.
Tho whole front OF the lake simply
slid down the mountain. Thomas creek
cmptics into the Crystal river about
two miles above the large ranch Of
Eugene Grubb. The water flooded all
the bottom Of Grubb's place. cleaned
out the fish ponds and carried away
the corrnis.
A dispatch last nisht from Durango
says: The Animas river has risen nix
inches above the hi.h water mark OF
1854. Many OF the ranches above Du'
range nrc under water and the rail-
road Ii covered with from two TO three
fee, of water for n distance Of thrc.
miles this side Of Trimblc Springs. The
occupants OF the Home ranch. one Of
tho largest ranches In the valley. had
to move out. the water being two feet
deep In tho house. A few other ranch
men had TO move 10 higher ground.
Traffic on tho Silvcrton branch OF
tho Rio Grandc was abandoned to-
day. owing to mud and rock slide n
short distance this side OF Silvcrton.
but II is expected that trains will run
tomorrow. transfcrrin. where tho
track In covered by water. Transfers
nro made by farm wagons a distance
OF about fiyc miles.
The wagon bridge across the In
Plata river mt Hcspcrns In reported
gone and about four miles OF the wa.
gon road between Hcspcrus and In
Plata City has been washed out and
mail and passengers are transported
on horseback. This Is n serious mat
ter. for the Bonnie Girl Mining Com.
pany soon will have great plant OF
machinery 10 take over this road. Two
bridges across Pine river have been
washed away. one Mt lgnacio and the
other farther up the river.
The Rio Grandc Southern is In
worse shape than ever. While the
management expects to reach Mancos
from this end tonight. the bridge hav-
ing been repaired. II will be n week or
more before through service can be cs-
tablished, owing to the track between
Dolores and Rico having been washed
out for distance OF 1000 feet.
The Arkansas river Mt Salida last
night was reported higher than ut any
time In the last sixteen years because
OF melting SHOWS on the continental
divide.
A Buena Vista dispatch says: Owing
to the recent warm weather the snow
is melting rapidly on the range north
OF the city and the Arkansas river and
all of the creeks are higher now than
Mt any time within the last twenty
years.
Unusually high water is reported at
Pueblo and Florence.
At Hot Sulphur Springs as Mr.. A. o.
Tale and small boy named Higgins
were trying to ford Fraser river near
Fraser postofhce Sunday. their team
was washed down stream. The boy
and one horse were drowned. Mr..
Tale and the other horse succeeded in
getting out.