The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-07
Damage by Mad Waters Of
Gila River VIII Reach
About a Million Dollars
TRAINS DELAYED BY
MANY WASHOUTS
Great Difficulty Is Found
in Saving People From
the Devastated District

MoRENCI, Ariz., Dec. e-The Cliff
ton Hood was the most disastrous ever
known there, over half the town being
damaged About twenty-five build
ings were swept away, and between
fifteen and twenty people drowned.
mostly Mexieans.
The water In the river is stin very
high, being two feet higher than ever
before.
People left their houses and slept
ON the hfIIsides around campnres.
The Chase Creek district was almost
wiped out. Great damage was done
by the breaking of the concentrator
dam I'm Morenci, and the Coronado
Railroad between Clifton and Metcalf
was almost entirely washed out, and Il
win take four weeks 20 repair The
damage 70 the track
During the excitement several Msx-
leans were shot for looting stores and
houses. The smelter and works OF the
Arizona Copper Company were badly
damaged The Herald printing once Is
a complete loss. and the Era printing
Office was buried half way in mud and
concentration tailings- The wash OF
the water caused nearly all the adobe
buildings in the city to collapse
Franzs store. the ella Bank. the Cliff
ton Hotel and several warehouses. all
adobe, partially collapsed
DAMAGE CLOSE TO MILLION
The damage is estimated at close to
a million dollars. and 1t is believed that
the town probably will have TO be
moved to higher ground
The Arizona and New Mexico Rail-
way was badly washed out. ana IT
will take several days 10 get train
out. Telephone and telegraph wires
are all down and only temporary serv-
ice wires are now in use.
Patterson's Addition is stiIl under
water and has been almost entirely
ruined.
The rain lasted four days. naerting
the snow in the mountains. The town
of Morenci proper was not damaged
Two men were swept through the
street at Clifton and saved themselves
by catching the awnings Of store and
breaking through the plate-glass
front. Patientst In the hospital were
placed In a car and sent TO higher
ground before the Hood reached the
building.
Monday night in Clifton was a VERT
table night Of horror. as practically
the entire population stood upon the
hills unsheltered.
BENTs OF BRIDGE SWEPT AWAY
PHOENIX. Ariz-. Dec. s.-rhs Hood
reached here Wednesday. when the
Maricopa and Phoenix Railroad bridge
over the ella. twenty miles south OF
here, began to weaken. II IL piling
structure over half a mile long. Last
night the food continued rising slightly
and tearing away the 1oosened timberz-
This afternoon eleven of the bents. or
a total OF considerably over 100 feet.
had gone down stream and more VIII
probably follow The railroad oom-
pany is preparing to construct a steel
bridge at this point and has a large
force OF men and machinery ar the
scene. ready to repair the damage
quickly when opportunity permits. but
nothing can be done until the wafer.
which passes with . swift current. re-
cedes considerably.
No mail can reach here from the
South or Southern California for about
a week. unless 1t Is diverted 90 the
Santa Fe via Los Angeles A report
that the Laguna dam. under construc-
tion by the Government across the Col
orado. is threatened. has no vsrihcation
here. though it is quite possible.
In the vicinity of Phoenix the dam
age TO irrigation systems will not ex-
ceed $4,000. while the benefits to
farmers from timely rains will be four
times that much In addition, though.
the Phoenix and Eastern Railroad
bridge across Salt River at Tempe has
dropped into the stream. suspendfnx
traffic on that line. except for Q daily