The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-08-31
MANY LIVES LOST
Eight Huadred Mexicans Perish
in Flood
MANY ARE HOMELESS

Great Loss Of Life and Property at
Monterey, Mexico, as Result OF
q Great Donwpour OF Rain, Which
Caused the Overflow Of o Large
River.
Word reached Laredo, Texas, late
Saturday afternoon Of one OF the
most disastrous floods that has ever
been experienced in Northern Mexl-
CO, caused by the overflow OF the
Santa Catarina river. There has
been great loss of life and property
in and near the city of Manterey. IL
is estimated that eight hundred per-
sons were drowned, fifteen thousand
made homeless, and at least w.
100000 in property destroyed. Inc
flood struck Manterey between one
and two o'clock Saturday and swept
everything before it.
A yeritable deluge OF rain nao
fallen for several days, which, TO-
sether with the flow of water from
the adjacent mountains into the
Santa Catarina river, so swelleo tne
stream that it reached a width or
a mile and half and completely
oyerfowed certain portions of the
city of Monterey, wrecklng houses
and causing loss Of life as 1t ram
paged on its mad course.
Not a train reached Laredo, IeAas'
which is quite near Monterey on sat
urday, and telegraphic commun1ca-
tion was badly crippled between the
two cities. In Monterey the tele-
nhone communication Is Impossible
the electric light plant is half unaer
water and out Of commission tne
antire street car service which de-
pends upon the electric plant lot
its mower is paralyzed, and the wa
ter works has been damaged.
information reaching LAREDO
through reliable sources states ina.
On severe was the food that the
inbabitants in the vicinity OF the
flooded tream barely had time 10
flee for their lives; that tue on
rush Of the waters carried away
their chattels and in many cases
drowned the occupants of the 'Jac-
ales of small huts used by the nj -.
t,yesa. It is said that q chaotic con-
dition exists, and that the plazas
are crowded with the poor, homeless
natives, who were providentially al
lowed to escape with their lives.
The food conditions are not alone
neculiar to the vicinity of Monterey
but extends as far south as Sal
tillo. although no great damage oe-
vond inconvenience to the citizens
and minor damage to the roaadoeo
OF the railroads is reported south
of Monterey. Telepraphic commuhl-
cation is partially interrupted but
If was learned Saturday night over
a working wire that there has been
no loss Of life reported to the south
of Monterey.
The reports reaching Laredo as
to the life loss in Monterey are 50
varied that it Is impossible to state
with certainty what the catastrophe
really amounted to. The number
losing their lives in the flood waters
of the Santa Catarina river has 0een
placed as high as 500, but 1t is
thought that this number Is gross
exaggeration. However. 1t Is Ger
tain that the flood was the most ter
r,ble in the history Of the Oldest in
habitants and that the loss OF iite
will be great.
Monterey is city Of approximate
" 10000 inhabitants, and Is located
1ss miles south of Laredo. It is,
set in a valley between huge noun
tains, and is traversed by the Santa
Catarina river.
According to advices from the
Federal telegraph authorities all
wires south Of Laredo and communi-
cation with Monterey was secured
over this wire via Cuidad Portiro
Diaz and Chihuahua, a circutious
route.
The town of Golondrinas, with
1000 inhabitants, eighty-fiVe miles
from Laredo, was entirely flooded
and several kilometres of track on
the National railway washed away