The Colorado statesman., 1907-07-13
A nIn!!n DIVnor
IA GLUUU BUKSI
WALL OF WATER RUsHES DOWN
CLEAR CREEK CANON.
PASSENGER TRAIN HELD UP
Worst Flood for Many Years, but No
Lives Are Lost as On Former
Occacions

Golden, Colo.-Not since 1896 ha,
Golden had such a big flood as came
down Clear creek shortly after 6
o'clock the evening of July 9th. Con-
siderable damage was done in the city
and 10 the ranches in the Clear creek
bottom.
Ene Hood originated from a cloud
burst In the mountains near Black
Hawk and swept everything in its path
Until II reached Roscoe, at the head of
the old placer works on Clear creek,
where 1t was augmented by another
flood coming down the gulch at that
point.
Wnen the water came out of the
canon just west of Golden it was like
solid wall, between ten and fifteen
feet nigh, carrying logs, whole trees,
railroad ties and other debris in the
first rush.
In the city the water was so. deep
that 1t overfiowed the creek banks and
made new course for itself down
Eleventh street, doing considerable
damage. Although no buildings were
washed away, all the houses on the
lower side of the street were flooded
with three or four feet of water and
most OF the furniture of the lower
stories was practically ruined.
The water also got into the store
buildings on Ford street, between
Eleventh and Twelfth. The people N
that part of town were compelled to
leave their homes and seek higher
ground.
The south approach to the iron
bridge on Washington avenue was
washed away, letting that end Of the
bridge drop into the creek. Shortly
before it fell 1t was crowded with pep
rle, but the cracking of the timbers
and braces gave them warning, SO that
all got off.
The Ford street bridge was COM
nletely submerged at one time, but IL
Is still standing, although greatly
weakeneS and covered with debris.
The Colorado e Southern railway
tracks in the canon are badly washed
out and it will probably be several days
before trains can be run to mountain
towns.
The passenger train called the
Mount Mcclellan special, which is due
here at Cos p. m, is stalled at Forks
Creek station, as also is the George.
town freight.
The passenger train for Black Hawk
vas stalled at Cottonwood and Con-
cuctor Pete Reed walked to Black
Hawk, five miles, to report and get
provisions to take back for his passen
gers, who were camping in the cars.
Railroad men say they now believe
there will be more damage from the
tracks being covered than from wash
outs.
1t is reported that in one place on
| the Black Hawk line the track is COW
| el ed from ten to fifteen feet deep with
dirt and rock for a distance of nearly
zoo feet.
The first damage to the track is
ebout mile west of Golden, near the
mouth of the canon, and it is impos-
sible to state to what extent the rail-
read company has suffered, but there
must be several miles of track, more or
less. washed out further up the canon
In the narrower places where the road
bed is low.
The gardens along the creek below
Golden have suffered to a considerable
extent.
The last big flood in Golden was in
the evening of July "a, 1906. AT that
time several people were drowned and
the railway tracks were washed out 80
badly that the mountain towns above
here were without train service for
wore than a month.