The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-31
Neany One Thousand Bodies Have Already Been Re-
 covered and Buried
NEARLY 10000 PEOPLE
 ARE QUITE DESTITUTE
Evidences Of the Terrible Destruction Are Seen on Every Hand and Government Is Rendering
 Every Aid Possible.


 bodies recovered and buried in Monterey Up to nightfall. 2oOO Is now the estimate of the city authorities of those who lost their lives throughout the valley of the Santa Catsrina river The number of homeless, many destitute, is placed al l5. GOO and 20ooO
 The Santa Catarina at Monterey has subsided sufficiently to permit passage into the district lying to the south and s visit to that section by a correspondent Of the Associated Press revealed an ap paling condition. People who had been saved from the flood of Saturday morning had been without food until today, when on some cables small amount ot bread and beans was gotten across. The river was still running swiftly and in order to get across it was necessary to wade through half mile of water so as to avoid the strong current which would still sweep man from his feet
 Once on the south side of the river, evidences of the terrible destruction wrought by the flood were to be seen on every hand. Five blocks of the district were as though they had never existed and in the remaining portion of the dis trict bodies were being taken from the ruins and buried by a party of gendarmes sent across for the purpose
 At o'clock 400 bodies had been recsv- cred and were buried on the hillside south of San Luisito. thus, with the same nun. Der buried yesterday, making in all 800 bodies which have been recovered in Mon terey alone.
 Thus far no Americans have been re- ported lost and it is not expected that any of them are missing, as few foreign families resided in the flooded district.
 Reports Are Meager.
 Reports from the country up and down the valley are meagre and hard Go obtain. as all telegraph communication has been cut off in these districts. but from what has been learned the number of dead has been placed at 20o0 and the homeless at between 15.00O and 10000 per sons. Most of those people are in desti. ute circumstances and relief is badly needed.
 Reports from down the river state that many bodies have been recovered, but there are many that will never be &C., counted for as the Santa Catarina bed is filled with quicksands and many of thoso lost have no doubt disappeared in these sands.
 The authorities doing all in their power and the federal government has sent $50,0o0 in money and provisions for the relief of the sufferers Contributions | have been received from San Antonio and New York city firms which have agencies in this city have authorized their repre- sentatives to contribute literally to any fund being raised for relief in this vicin- ity.
 Many houses have fallen from the ef- fleets of the continuous rains which havo occurred in this city during the 72 hours ending at noon Sunday. During this time As inches of rain fell in Monterey and up the Santa Catarina valleys.
 Old Building Gone.
 One of the buildings destroyed was the San Francisco church which was the oldest building in the city, 1t having been built in 1572. The barracks of the rurales was washed away and much military equipment lost.
 The railroad situation continues un- changed. although the officials stated to- day that they expected to get train out north tomorrow evening The line to Laredo is the least damaged of any of the lines entering the city, and for this reason will be first open to traffic.
 Wire communication has been cut off or badly interrupted since Friday night and the federal company reports that at 6 o'clock tonight they were 600 messages behind Most of these are answers to friends making inquiries for people In this city and messages from relatives all over the United States, and it is not known when the regular service will be re- stored in this section.
 The railroad property loss is estimated by officials of the lines at q, 900, ,O00 which added to the loss in this city makes nearly $21. .0o0,000 worth of property damaged here and in this vicinity.
 Relief for the Sufferers.