Gilpin observer., 1910-08-04
DESTRUCTIVE
FLOOD IN BLACK HAWK

What will go down in history as
the most destructive flood that ever
visited this end of the county, oc
CURED at one o'clock today. For more
than an hour water poured from the
clouds in all directions. 1t rushed
down the hill sides, through the
streets Of Central and then on
through Black Hawk raging river.
Black Hawk was torn up by the
flood Of last Thursday and had not
been able to repair the damage to
fumes and streets when the deluge
Of today came. With the fumes fill
ed to the top with rock and sand in
places and gone completely in other.
there was nothing to direct the rush
Of water, SO it went down the main
street Of the town three and five feet
deep. The street was left in such
condition that only an airship will be
able to reach the mill city until the
deep washouts are filled in.
Timbers, rock and sand and all the
refuse collected in the course of the
flood was washed into Black Hawk.
Stroehle's Boiler works, which got
the full force of the water, was COW
cred two and three feet inside with
sand. John Stroehle was sitting in
the office when the great body Of
water came down. He managed to es-
cape through window. 1t is a good
thing for him that he was able to
get out as when the water entered
the office it came with such a tre-
mendous force, the chairs and other
furniture spinned around like tops.
The blacksmith shop Of r. F. Beck
was flooded as was also the Obwerg-
er house-in fact Olsen's, the Gill
pin hotel, Waldhart's, the Colorado
house and all the buildings in the
lower part of the town were flooded.
Sand several feet deep was washed
on the platform Of the depot and the
weight of this was SO great. the top
of the flume caved in, carrying the
railroad track with it.
Lower down the creek, great dam
age as also done. The dam Of the
New York mill was ripped out and
the water went through the building
of the Denver Mining & Reduction
company. This place was flooded and
when the water receded, 1t left a
covering of sand over the floor Of
the building two and three feet deep.
None Of the machinery was disturbed
but 1t will require force of men
several days to haul out the sand.
Still further down the creek havoc
was wrought. A body Of water came
down the side hill near the Penn mill
and dirt and rock was piled up noun
tain high. This lodged mostly on the
c. & s. tracks.
The one to suffer the greatest loss
as result Of today's deluge will be
Thorvald Crook in Black Hawk. A
wall OF water came down the noun
tain back of his place and forced in
the side Of the building-popularly
known as Crooks Palace" For the
time being, at least, this name is
very inappropriate. The damage done
to the building and the bar fixtures
will run between $4,000 and $1,000.
Then. too. the damage to the wet
goods will be more than a trifle. The
interior Of the building is filled with
brick from the wall, dirt and rock.
Fortunately for Mr.. Crook he had
time to get out before the water tore
down the wall.
The Colorado & Southern suffered.
It is hard for a flood to visit this
section unless some damage is done
to the railroad. The track is covered
in places on the high line, at Black
Hawk and below Black Hawk. Just
how far below Black Hawk, the track
is washed out or covered with dirt
is not known. A message from Forks
Creek this afternoon conveyed the in.
formation that while the water came
down there in an immense volume
going over the "Y" bridge, no dam.
age was done. A work train was sent
out from Denver at four o'clock this
afternoon and unless the railroad suf
fered more than Is known at this
writing, a train will be able to get
through by tomorrow afternoon some
time.