The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-05-25
A SEVERE FLOOD
SWEEPS STATE
Heaviest Losses in Texas are
Reported from Fort Worth
and from Waco.
SEVEN PERSONS PERISH
Hundreds Narrowly Escape Drowning
at Fort Worth and Much Proper
ty Is Destroyed Railroad
Business Paralyzed

Dallas, Texas, May 25.-While it
has been remarkable for the few
lives lost by drowning and accidents
likely during similar disasters, the
flood and windstorms that have
swept central, northern and central
Western Texas during the last forty
eight hours have also been remark
able for the suddenness with which
they made their appearance and the
quick work of destruction that they
have in each instance performed,
causing untold financial losses to
crops, drowning hundreds of head
of livestock, paralyzing railroad traf-
tic, sweeping bridges, embankments,
leyees, fences, outhouses and even
hundreds of dwellings from cities
like Fort Worth and Waco, while
thousands of other homes have been
invaded in less alarming extent, to
the suffering of the people and the
damage to their household effects.
In Fort Worth alone the damage
is estimated at probably in excess of
a million dollars, and, while seven
people are reported to have been
drowned, their bodies have not been
recovered
A cyclone at Newark, Wise county
Saturday night marked havoc in the
business part of the town, but no
lives were lost.
Reports received from Fort Worth
last night said that nearly every
railroad leading into Fort Worth
was crippled. Through passenger
trains on the Rock Island are now
turning back at Chickasha, but ax-
pectations are that trains will be op-
Grated as far as Waurika today Be
tween Fort Worth and Waurika the
track is washed out in many places
ranging from 100 to 1900 feet, tele-
graph wires are down and traffic will
not be resumed for at least a week
The line to Dallas also has a wash
out and week will be necessary in
which to make repairs.
On the Frisco a washout and lost
bridge has been suffered between
Brownwood and Brookessmith, and
another washout at North Fort
Worth, but all trains are expected
to be running on schedule time to-
day. A serious washOut occurred on
the Cotton Belt between Carrollton
and Grapevine, where a portion of
the track and an abuttment of a
bridge are missing
! Through trains on the Texas and
| Pacific west have been temporarily
abandoned
The Joint track leading ont of
Fort Worth has been partially des-
troyed mile north of that city and
repairs can not be made until the
h. 3erI
Repairs have been made on the
Rock Island tracks, which were cov-
cred by the falling OF the fill at the
Seventh street viaduct, which has
made traffic on the Denver an i'm
possibility. Repairs are expected to
be completed by tonight.
A washout occurred on the Katy
between Fort Worth and Denton 1t
will probably be impossible for trains
to be operated on schedule time to-
day. Through cars on the Interurban
between Fort Worth and Dallas were
not running Sunday. Cars were op-
Grated between Fort Worth and
Handley only.
The high water of Village creek
covered the tracks east of Handley
for more than a mile and all efforts
to operate cars beyond Handley PROV
ed futile. Hopes are being entertain
ed that operations may be resumed
by tonight. The full extent Of dam
age to the tracks is not known
Hourly trains were operated by
the Frisco from Fort Worth to North
Fort Worth. and through that source
employees of the packing plants will
be cared for today, and until street
car traffic is resumed, which may be
several days hence.