Semi-weekly herald., 1911-10-09
TORRENTS AND HIGH WATER CAUSE LOSS OF HALF
MILLION DOLLARS IN THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY

wheat field of o. L. Smallwood looked
like lake, and his loss will be large
The Geo. N. and S. w. Raymond
ranches escaped the flood, none of
the land being covered, the only dam
age being in way of irrigating ditch
es and fumes.
The lower part of Henry Ambold's s
ranch was covered but no special DAM
age.
The j. S. d. Hopkins ranch bo a
large extent took on the part of a
lake and it will take some time to tell
the actual damage to grain and hay,
suffered by Mr.. Hopkins and j. w.
Carter. who was renting.
The Hermosa became a raging tor
rent early in the day and the Nc
Claim family, occupying the store near
the bridge, was compelled to move and
Roy Kerr, occupying the new resi-
dencc between the bridge and the de-
pot followed suit. Tho water sur
rounded the Hermosa depot and rush
ed over the track distance of two
or three blocks. Large trees proba-
bly, saved the Hermosa wagon bridge.
Water cut d channel to the north of
the bridge, rushing down the wagon
road from the Buchanan orchard. The
river also left its bank on the south
side and rushed down through the
Kerr and Mead orchards, being a foot
or two deep at the Kerr barns. A
water spout in the hills above the
Gaines ranch sent flood through his
buildings while, all along the valley
every small gulch sent down its
quota Of water.
Mr. Baker and his family, running
the store opposite Trimble Springs,
I and Mrs. A. E. Arlington, were noti-
fled of the irving rising and at
o'clock in the morning moved to Trim
bic Springs. Charles Handy and fam
lily also moved and there was nothing
but wide expanse of water from
Hermosa to Trimble Springs across
the valley. The bridge at the Wa
ter Fall ranch went out. Yester-
day afternoon the volume of water
coming down at that place was so
great that it divided into three wa
ter falls and at point 100 feet south
of the regular channel the road is
washed out with great boulders ex-
posed. With help Mr.. Raymond was
able to place some long four-inch
planks across the road at the Water
Fall ranch and led his horse across
the torrent. From that point down
all grain and hay not stacked was
carried away. Mr.. Thompson, who
bought the Firebaugh place, lost six
ty-five acres of wheat in shock, and
four hours worked with boat to res
cue his horses, getting four out last
night and fortunately found two 9TH
ers alive this morning which he res
cued by boat Four wheat stacks
owned by Mr. Adamson were swept
away along with that in shock. In
fact, all grain along the bottoms was
carried away. About mile this side
of the McDermott ranch a mud and
water slide came down the noun
tain yesterday forenoon filling the
road with boulders and mud several
feet deep distance Of 100 feet, some
of the boulders in the road weigh
ing ton. Mr.. Raymond experienced
considerable difficulty in crossing, the
horse getting mired and he was COM
PEELED to get off and wade through
the muck, leading the animal. From
that point on the road is all right
Mr.. Raymond says he does not think
there is railroad bridge left between
! Hermosa and Silverton and very lit
tie track. All yesterday forenoon spec
tators at the Wallace bridge noticed
continual stream of railroad tie
and bridge timbers, with twisted iron
floating down and this kept up unit
late in the afternoon, indicating tn
roadbed is practically gone. At Her
mosa the railroad bridge is in place
but the culyert to the south went ou
and new channel was cut along sid
Of the track and drift wood piled OIL
the track for distance of quarte
Of mile. While the track is no
washed out between Hermosa ant
Trimble Springs 1t is slowed arount
in places Just this side of the Mar
tincz ranch, the first one this side o
Trimble the water had receded suffi
cient to show the track had been NOV
ed for quite distance 200 feet to
wards the side hill. The track, witt
the rails and ties hanging together
was also set up on the side hill nea
the Carbis ranch. From that poin
down to Animas Cit the valley is stil
so completely flooded that no sign o
! track, ties, rails or bridges are visibl
and it is likely several miles wi
have to be rebuilt. It is known tha