The Washington herald., 1909-08-30
DEATH LIST GROWS
IN FLOODED AREA


reach Camargo tonight or early to-mor-
row. II Is feared that 1t will cause an
unprecedented overflow Of the Lower Rio
Grande, on the Texas and Mexican sides
Millions of dollars worth OF irrigation
canals and bitches will be destroyed If
this should happen.
ArrOyOs Now Great Rivers.
Arroyos that are ordinarily dry are now
great rivers Of water. some Of them
spreading over the country for miles.
The Soto la Marina River. which empties
into the Gulf l5O miles south Of here. is
also on a bad rampage The hurricane
also caused the waters of the Gulf 10
sweep over the islands along tire coast
and inland for some distance all the way
between Matamoras and Tuxpam.
Considerable damage was done at Tam
pico and in that vicinity. The terminals
OF the Mexican Central at La Barra. SIX
miles east OF Tampico were partly de-
stroyed The Tampico-Monterey division
OF that road is out Of commission on ac-
count Of washouts.
Scores OF towns. situated in the in
terror. far removed from railway and
telegraph communication. have not been
heard from 1t IS known that they suf-
fered the brunt OF overiows, and the
fate OF their inhabitants is problem
atical
Refugees from several villages situated
adjacent TO the Gulf coast east and south
Of Matamoras arrived here to-day and
give thrilling accounts Of the destruction
OF their homes by wind and water.
VIII Go Down in History.
FL Paso. Tex. Aug. 29.-The devasta-
ton OF Monterey by the flood OF 1909 will
go down In the history OF Mexico as one
OF the most terrible calamities that ever
visited the republic. The dawn OF to-day
only served TO show that the conditions
were worse than imagined last night.
The death list viii run between 500 and
1000. according TO the most conservative
estimates. Al noon to-day more than 400
bodies had been recovered. and the river
was still rising and the rain still falling.
This evening the water rose into the
business section, and did further heavy
damage to merchandise stores. Il Is
not believed that any lives we're lost to-
day. however. as the people who were
not caught in their homes and drowned
last night and the night before We're able
20 get out OF the way Of the flood
The damage is estimated at from S5,000,
900 to S1OO00000. and as It Is increasing
with the rising Of the waters the latter
figure Will probably be more nearly cor
rect. Il is the heaviest loss. both in life
and property. ever sustained in the re-
public OF Mexico.
The death list has appalled, the people
Of Monterey. They are as II they had
been stunned by the terrible blow. and
seemingly do not know what 70 do The
heavy guard OF troops that had been call
ed 20 the city on account OF the Reyes
activity has been ordered out 10 police
the city. and martial law reigns. Politics
has been forgotten. and Reyes Is reported
as hurrying back 20 the city. Appeals
have been sent out for aid.
Food Supplies Destroyed.
Much OF the food supplies OF the city
were destroyed by the rising waters. and
the city is not able 20 take care OF its
destitute. Even with money az hand
there IS nothing TO buy, or least not
enough TO take care OF the sufferers.
and supplies viii have 70 be sent in
from surrounding towns.
Appeals were wired last night 10 Mexico
City for aid. and these were repeated
over the republic by the national Off
cials.
No Americans were drowned 30 far
as known.