The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-09-01
HUNDREDS PERISH
IN THE BIG FLOOD
Over the Low Lands of
Northern Mexico.
MAD WATERS C AUGHTpEOPLE
In Dead of Night and Their
Adobe Houses Melt
ed Like Sand.

Monterey. MeA., Aug. 2S.-From 200
to 300 lives We're lost and $2,000,000
worth of property was destroyed here
last night and to-day as the result Of
a flood which turned the Santa Cat
arina river into a dozen Niagaras
One thousand persons escaped death
in the middle Of the torrential night,
dressed only in single garments and
carrying children and all with them.
When dawn came the river was
terrifying spectacle; scores of houses
had been swept away like chips. Hun
dreds Of persons We're swept away
in houses in the midst Of a current
which caught them unawares in the
night.
There is not one chance in thous-
and that they escaped. One by one
these houses, built of adobe and stone,
are collapsing and carrying tenants
to death.
No train has come into Monterey
for "a hours. Railway and telegraph
lines are down, and many miles of
track are washed away. The fate of
trains and passengers is not known,
but it is feared many persons are in
danger.
1t is estimated that 20 inches of
rain fell in ~ hours. Waterworks
and electric light plants are out of
commission and street-car wires have
fallen into the streets.
1t is greatly feared that pestilence
will follow the flood. Police and
soldiers are doing their best to re-
lieve the sufferings but the WISH
tation was so unexpected that no for
NAL organization was prepared to com
bat with the situation.
Poorer classes from the river dis
trict are huddled by thousands in
churches. hospitals, public places and
city buildings, waiting for the rain to
stop. They are hungry and thirsty
and blindly waiting for something to
end their distress.
II is feared that up and down the
valley many lives have been lost.
The American Consul. Mr.. Philip C..
Hanna. is doing everything possible
to relieve the suffering. The con-
sulate was damaged to the extent
of thousands of dollars by the water.
There is not house or hotel in
Monterey but is leaking through the
roof. 1t is the heaviest rain and
the worst flood in the memory Of any
one living here.
For the past As hours a veritable
deluge OF rain has been falling. which,
together with the flow of water from
the adjacent mountains into the San
ia Catarina river. so swelled that
stream that It reached a width OF
mile and a half and completely over
flowed vast portions of the city Of
Monterey, wrecking houses and caus-
ing loss of life as it rampaged on it5
mad course.
The buildings of Monterey, like
those of many other old Mexican CT
ties, are in the majority of cases COM
posed of mud and mortar. These
adobe buildings, when struck by the
flood, veritably dissolved, and in maj y
instances the inhabitants are report
ed to have been caught in the falling
material and rendered helpless and
drowned like rats in a trap.
The flood conditions are not alone
peculiar to the vicinity Of Monterey,
but extend as far south as Saltillo.
although no great damage beyond In
convenience TO the citizens and minor
damage to the roadbed of the rail-
roads is reported south Of Monte
rey.
Monterey is a city Of approximately
1000 inhabitants, and is located l6S
miles south Of Laredo. Tex. 1t is set
in a valley between huge mountains
and is traversed by the Santa Gaia
rina river