Semi-weekly herald., 1909-09-09
Several families residing along the

move, also several In Mexican flats.
The Florida.
Yesterday the situation on the Flo
rida was grave. The river started to
rise early in the afternoon and came
up SO rapidly that 1t oyerflowed the
banks and spread In an overwhelming |
flood over the fields of the ranches.
Increased by u cloud burst conditions |
soon became alarming. Between 4
and O'Clock the ranch belonging to |
Dan Place was surrounded by sheet |
of water that was steadily rising.
For safety Mr.. Place and his
family hastily gathered up the neces-
sites of life and few things they
we're anxious to save and took refuge
In the school house, where they spent
the night This morning the water
had subsided there being but two
inches so that the family returned to
the house for breakfast.
At Thornton's the water was high
around The house. and for time 1t
appeared that they too. might have
to seek higher ground. The barn.
chicken houses and pig pens were all
surrounded, the chickens all disap-
peared. and some OF the pigs were
saved by swimming. Others were
washed away. Five acres of timothy
which Mr.. Thornton had to the north
of the house was completely destroy
ed. About fifty to seyenty-five feet of
The county road between MIR. Thorn
toms and the school house, was wash
ed out, the water carrying big slice
of the bank. AT that particular point,
the river turned out OF It's course, ap-
| parently for no other purpose than
to destroy the road.
Two OF the county bridges, the one
at Cash's and also that at Clanton's
are out, and three private bridges
belonging respectively to Messrs.
Thornton, Place and Martin. The wa
ter fell two feet during the night,
but by noon had raised five inches
from the early morning level.
Pine River Section.
Owing to the telephone line being
out we are unable to get word re-
garding conditions on Pine river since
yesterday when the stream was re
ported high. No doubt the sane high
water prevails but II is to be hoped
bridges have not been taken out.
Latest from the Animas Valley.
Il s. w. Raymond was moored In Du
range over Sunday, being unable tc
return by train as expected. This
morning he secured saddle horse
and arrived at the ranch about the
noon hour. He says the valley is In
q deplorable shape, especially from
the Home ranch down past McCoy's
l-all ander water of the dirtiest kind
| The bridge opposite Trimblt
Springs, while in place, is not cOnsid
cred safe and no one is crossing.
The bridge across the Hermosa a
tine Kerr ranch. reported to have beef
washed out, is all right with no ar
parent danger unless water becomes
obstructed by drift wood. Yesterda.
and all night the stream was n rag
ing torrent. water running down th'
road some of the time. The strean
Overflowed below the railroad tract
and between water from the Hermos,
and the Animas the lower part o
the Hopkins ranch is under water
Water from the Animas swept acros
a portion OF the Ambold ranch an,
washed considerable land In the river
Nr. Raymond says grain on tn
ranch and other places along the lin
where ground is not covered by waite
is not down as bad as he expected
AROUSED AT AN EARLY HOUR
The Animas began rising about L
o'clock. About 1t began dashin
over the foot bridge at the electri
light plant and then the engineer bley
the whistle for some time for helI
There was hearty response and
lot OF driftwood was removed The
the people began devoting their al
tention to assisting the occupants @
the houses above the stone bridge
among them being Captain Arbuckl
of the Salvation army who toiled 70
hours. The water is said to have bee
mt Its heighth about 4 o'clock. Il
some of the shacks the water thi
morning was two feet above the eros
panel of the doors. In another hous
the water mark was about eight inche
above the floor. Pieces of wagons an
debris of all kinds is floating abou
the flat.
WebtoWn.
Webtown is completely under waite
and the occupants of the houses wer
compelled to move during the nigh
and this morning as there is not
spot above the water which is rushinl
through the grove.
The smeIter Closed.
The Animas caused the smelter con
siderable trouble. flooding the puml
rooms and running over the engln,
floor. The water passed over the re
tanning wall and flooded the lawn nea
the office building. All the low land
considered high from a river stand
4 l.ae .l.I ~