The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-30
Death and Destruction.

Laredo Tex August 29.-Last night In Monterey was one of death, desolation, darkness and sorrow.
 The flood waters of the Santa Catarina river continued on their rampant course throughout the night and to add to the horror of the situation the rain commenced to fall and caused untold suffering to the thousands of homeless persons who had congregated on the various plazas, their only homes in the extreme emer- gency.
 The destructive flood, due to the con- tinued fall of rain for the past 96 hours, swept everything before it and hardly vestige Is left of what was a few days ago a conglomeration of small huts swarming with families belonging to the poorer classes. The loss of life. which cannot be accurately estimated for days perhaps weeks-was among the poorer classes and is variously placed at from 400 to 1000 souls.
 The crest of the flood reached it's apex in the early hours of the morning be- tween 1 and o'clock, and many families were swept away to watery death with hardly a chance to fight for their lives. With the onrush of the water pande- monium regned, and as the poor wretches were swept from their homes, on the tops of which many had sought shelter, never for moment anticipating that the water would reach an unprecedented height, pitiful appeals for assistance could be heard rising above the roar of the on- rushing waters by those on higher ground, but who were powerles to" render aid or any kind
 Without Shelter.
 Last night every effort was made by the kind-hearted citizens to shelter the women and children. Their homes were thrown open to the sufferers, the police station, many of the hotels and private clubs as well as the rooms of several organizations were placed at the disposi- tion of the authorities and for the greater part the women and children were cared for However, many of the men were compelled to sleep in the open in the various plazas. Both Zara Goza and Hidalgo plazas were alive with people throughout the night and vast throng congregated in this vinicity, which is on high ground, in order to witness the rampage of the miniature Niagara as it swept onward after completing it's wor< of destruction.
 Already many bodies have been recov- ered but 1t is impossible to accurately state the number. It is learned from a semi-reliable source that the police rec ords show that 400 bodies had been recov- cred up to noon today.
 Scores upon scores are still believed to be lodged at various points along the
  are recovered, and many will never be found.
 Pitiful Scenes. Pitiful scenes are reported among the women and children. Many women have been separated from their hus- bands; others from their children, without knowing of the whereabouts of one another, and scenes of the most profound grief are witnessed on all hands, as mothers. husbands and chill dren lament for their loved ones. At il o'clock this morning rain was still falling and to add to the disaster the Santa Catarina had worked out for itself a new channel. dividing into two raging streams and separating in such a manner that another and modernly constructed part of the town was threatened
 It was said that warnings had been sent out to many of the hotels and business houses throughout the very