The Prescott daily news., 1908-05-27

IL Will be lmpOSSlDle, however, aC- cording to Capt. Gale of the Nellie Maurine, to make another trip to West Dallas proper. on account of the rapid fall of the water. He was afraid to risk another trip, for fear Chat his boat would be seriously damaged by the numerous snags, which heretofore have been deep enough under the muddy flood to protect her bottom After consultation between Judge Lively, Chief of Police Brandenburg and Com missioners Pippin and Eaton. 1t was decided to take the load of supplies to Oak Cliff, and carry them from there to West Dallas by wagon.
 At noon to-day. although no official measurement had been taken, the wa ter showed fall of some five feet from sthe~high mark reached yesterday. even ing. This was a registration of 52.6 feet: at noon 1t was estimated that the water stood about <S feet and was still falling slowly. Everybody, however, was asking about the reported fiye-foot rise which Is said to be coming down from Fort Worth. It was believed that the present fall in the water would have brought the level to such a depth by the time the coming rises gets here. if it is coming that no higher mark than that already seen, Is to be exper- fenced.
 With the receding of the flood, how ever. q new situation has been pre- sentsd Sheriff Ledbetter. upon ad- vices received by persons who cams over from West Dallas in boats. dis patched Deputies Will Allen and J. J. Ledbetter to that section of the city early this morning to look into the re- ported pillaEins by vandals of the de- serted homes of the unfortunate people. Neither of the deputies returned on the Nellie Maurine at noon. and no re- port has been had from them as to the existing conditions Sherif Ledbetter gave the deputies no positive instruc tions. but they will deal with the, inhu- man criminals as best they see fit.
 It was also reported that the same conditions existed in the low lands in tho Caroline street districts, between Caroline street and the river where more than 500 homes were inundated. It was reported that many boys and men were swimming about the muddy water, entering the deserted houses and pillaging them of anything of value that they could find. ..
 There is no way to cope with these conditions fin the city proper or in West, Dallas, either for that matter, OK cept for the officers to take boats and do what they can to stop the depreda- tions. .s
 Many expressions have been heard of the manner in which these miscre- ants should be dealt with, some per sons going so far as to say that they should be shot as similar criminals were dealt with during the Galveston flood.
 Early this morning the Texas and Pacific Railway company had pile driver and full crew on hand at their demolished bridge across the Trinity river Hundreds of heavy timbers were unload at the side of the track, ready to be used fin the reconstruction Of the 500 or 600 feet of trestle work, which gave was yesterday under the impact of the mighty flood. It will be i'm possible, however. to do anything in the shape of repairing the bridge until the water has receded great deal 1ur- ther This preparatory work IS bemg done merely to be in position to start the work at the earliest possible mo- ment
 After anchoring the broken portion of the long bridge this morning, the pile driver gang cut 1t loose from the main steel span across the river proper so that the strain on that portion or the bridge would be lessened, and Tn order that the timbers and the steel in the wrecked portion might be utilized l in the rebuilding.
 "On two county bridges alone, said County Engineer Jack r. Witt this morning. T can sit here and figure more than $50, 900 expense in rebuilding | We shall get to work the very first thing on the wooden approach to the Commerce street bridge which was cut loose yesterday and floated down stream. This approach from the west side is 195 feet long and will be put back in practically the same shape 1t was before, except of course, that being now. it will be much stronger The 1 section which was lost yesterday has