The Washington times., 1905-07-03
OVER A THOUSAND
LIVES ARE LOST
IN MEXICO FLOOD
Fate of Guanajuato
Like That of Johns
town.
TOWN BUILT In A GORGE
Disaster Either Due to Burst
ing Dam or to a
Cloud burst.
TOWN BUILT IN A GORGE

MEXICO CITY, July 3.-Communiea-
ton with the deluge-swept city OF
Guiana iuato is still interrupted. but de-
layed reports received this morning in-
dicate that over LOCO people lost their
lives in the food. No estimate can be
made of property loss.
Besides the city of Guanaiuato several
nearby hamlets We're engulfed by the
flood which followed a terrific down
pour of rair.
The gold and silver mines all through
the mountains have. been flooded
1t is not known whether the dam at
La OLA has been broken.
After the clondburst and deluge sew
eral OF the dead were found lodged in
the trees and wedged in the rocks
Relief parties are now en- route from
here for the scene of the disaster
Town Built in a Gorge.
Guanajuato lies in a great gorge in
the mountains 100 miles northwest OF
the city. and is one of the most progress
stve cities in Mexico. Much American
and English capital is invested there.
The town is built in the gorge and the
streets are deep and tortuous. The
houses are built of brown stone and
terraced up from the streets. Above the
city is the La Ola dam. WHICH holds
hack The mountain streams and affords
the city water supply.
On Friday night the rain began to
fall heavily. and 1t soon increased to
torrents. The streets became flooded
and within a few hours the swollen
streams on the mountains poured their
flood upon the city. The lower streets
became raging rivers, which burst open
the windows and doors, driving the in
mates to the second floors. Some who
braved the torrent were drowned.
All of Saturday the downpour contin-
ued and the water rose to the second
floors. The upper streets became filled
with water and terror-stricken people
sought safety in flight to the mountain
Men and Women Fought Madly.
Men and women. waist deep in the wa
ters. fought madly against the floor.
Some were carried away and drowned
Some sought safety in the tops of trees
while others, who feared to leave their
homes, spent agonizing hours on their
knees praying that the dam would not
break.
The flood came roaring down the
mountain canyon on Saturday. wrench
ing scores of houses from their founda-
tions and tumbling them TO the ground
like houses of cards.
The climax came on Saturday night.
The city was in darkness, and the rain
was still pouring down when there was
a roar from above, and the waters in
the streets leaped by bounds. Many
houses with their occupants were car
ried away. No one knew whether the
La Ola dam had broken. or whether
there had been mighty cloudburst
Rescue Parties Formed.
Tt is believed that the telegraph opera
tors in the city were all killed, because
Z before even the wires fell no one an
swered the calls.
After the FINAL flood rescue parties
left for the food-ridden district on mule
back, as the railroads were washed
out and impa ssable. The rescuers re-
ported that many dead were found
lodged in the trees and wedged between
rocks The cloudburst extended through
out the entire valley, but. the life and
property loss to hamlets near the
stricken city has not been ascertained.
1t is known that the town OF Naraftlo,
below Guanajuato, was completely sub
merged by the flood and destroyed. A
northbound passenger train on the
Mexican Central ran into washouI
north of irapuato and left the tracks.
Several lives were lost
May Exceed Thousand.
President Robinson, OF the Mexican
Central, says that the loss of life in
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