The San Francisco call., 1909-08-29
Uncle Sam Appealed To for Aid
From Storm Ravages Over
Wide Area
Buildings CrumbIe Away Like
Sugar Before Onslaughts
OF Rushing Waters
Rail and Wire Communication
Almost Entirely Cut on From
the Stricken Zone


.MI Eight hundred persons have
= been drowned as a result of the
flood, which still continues. Fifteen
thousands people are homeless and the
damage is n5t less than $l2,o0o,0oo.
The city is in darkness.
Among the loses are the Monterey
steel company, S1.OOo,ooo, and the
Mexican srneIter and land company,
$4,000
The city begs aid from the United
States.
The storm struck inland from off
the gulf over the states of Tamaulipas
and Nuevo Leon, after devastating
part of the isthnus OF Tehuantepec.
Wide Area Devastated
1t is reported that the city OF Bag
dad, state of Tamaulipas. has been
badly damaged Nine bridges and
more than so miles Of track have been
washed out on the Pan-American rail-
way. Two Indian villages in Tamauli-
pas has been wiped out and the light
house at Tampico swept away. No
damage was done to shipping IN the
harborss OF veracruz and Tampico.
The Santa Catarina river at Monterey
is six feet above the food stage and
still rising. The storm Is the most
disastrous Mexico has experienced in
recent years.
Latest reports state that 125 miles of
track on the National railway have
been washed away in Nuevo Leon and
Coahuila- Railway oficials here admit
that 2S miles OF track and II bridges
are gone and all available wrecking
tneins are being sent north.
River Submerges City
For the last As hours a veritable del
uge of rain has been falling which. to-
gether with the flow Of water from ad-
jacent mountains into the Santa Cata-
rina river. so swelled that stream that
it reached a width OF a mile and a
half and completely overfowed certain
portions OF the city OF Monterey. wreck
ing houses and causing serious loss OF
life.
The scene in the flood swept section
of Monterey tonight is one of utter
south side have completely disappeared.
For 72 hours rain has fallen in un-
precedented volume throughout this
section, and the Santa Catarina rose
gradually all day Friday. the crest of
the food reaching Monterey early
today. At first it was thought that
there would be no loss OF life. but the
fore attained and swept buildings from
their foundations by the score. The
electric light plant was put out OF
commission last night and complete
darkness was an added horror.
Cries of the drowning could be heard.
but the onlookers were powerlsss to
aid
indescribable. All through the flooded
district groups could be seen huddIed
on the tops of two story buildings, en-
tirely surrounded. by a seething mass
OF water. One by one these houses dis
appeared with their human freight.
Nothing could live in the wild current.
which was running at the rate OF 20
miles an hour.
Buildings CrumbIe Away
Buildings of Monterey are in most
cases built OF adobe and when struck
by foods literally dissolve. In many
instances inhabitants are reported to
have been caught nthe falling mate
rial and drowned
Monterey is a city of approximately
10000 inhabitants. 1t is set in a val
ley between huge mountains and is
traversed b ythe santa Catarina river
According to advices from federal
telegraphie authorities the wires south
are paralyzed. Only one wire is work
ing south Of Laredo. and communiea-
tion with Monterey was secured over
this wire via Ciudad Porfrio Diaz and
Chihuahua, a circuitous route.