The Colorado statesman., 1905-06-10
FLOODS IN COLORADO
STREAMS OVERLOOKING BANKS
Exceptionally High Water in Arkansas,
Grand, Animas and Other
Rivers,

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-
eblo and other places In the south
western portion Of the state reached a
higher point than has ever been
known during any continued flood in
the history of the state.
At Salida, Glenwood, Grand Junction,
Rifle and other stations along the
Grand and Arkansas rivers bridges are
washed out and streets submerged.
Three monster dams were washed
out near Glenwood, adding millions of
cubic feet of water to the already
flooded streams.
So far no loss of life has been re-
ported and the property damage is also
little.
A Carbondale dispatch last night
says: A wall of water twelve feet
high swept down the Crystal river val
ley shortly after noon to-day. 1t did
thousands of dollars damage to the
roadbed of the Crystal River railroad,
flooded all the ranches in the bottoms
and poured itself into the already over
flowing Roaring Forks creek.
The flood came from what is known
as the Thomas creek dam, a natural
lake on the side of the mountain far
up on the side of the mountain. The
enormous amount Of water flowing
down from the melting snow forced
out the natural dam, which has stood
for probably thousands of years.
The whole front of the lake simply
slid down the mountain. Thomas creek
empties 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 corrals.
A dispatch last night from Durango
says: The Animas river has risen six
inches above the high water mark of
1884. Many of the ranches above Du-
range are under water and the rail
road is covered with from two to three
feet of water for a distance of three
miles this side of Trimble Springs The
occupants of the Home ranch, one of
the largest ranches in the valley, had
to move out, the water being two feet
deep in the house. A few other ranch
men had to move to higher ground.
Traffic on the Silverton branch OF
the Rio Grande was abandoned to
day, owing to mud and rock slide a
short distance this side of Silverton,
but it is expected that trains will run
tomorrow, transferring where the
track is covered by water. Transfers
are made by farm wagons a distance
Of about five miles.
The wagon bridge across the La
Plata river at Hesperus is reported
gone and about four miles of the wa
gon road between Hesperus and La
Plata City has been washed out and
mail and passengers are transported
on horseback. This is a serious mat
ter, for the Bonnie Girl Mining Com
pany soon will have a great plant o.
machinery to take over this road. Two
bridges across Pine river have beer
washed away, one at Ignacio and the
other farther up the river.
The Rio Grande Southern is il
worse shape than ever. While the
management expects to reach Mancos
from this end tonight, the bridge hav
ing been repaired, it will be a. week OF
more before through service can be es
tablished, owing to the track between
Dolores and Rico having been washed
out for distance of 1000 feet.
The Arkansas river at Salida lasi
night was reported higher than at 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 thar
at any time within the last twenty
years.
Unusually high water is reported al
Pueblo and Florence.
At Hot Sulphur Springs as Mr.. A. O
Tale and a small boy named Higgins
were trying to ford Fraser river neal
Fraser postoffice Sunday, their team
was washed down stream. The bo,
and one horse were drowned. Mr.
Tale and the other horse succeeded in
| getting out.