Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-12-20
FLOOD WATERS FLOW
INTO THE GULF
tbs NEAREST ESTIMATE PLACES
DEATHS AT ABOUT ONE HUN
DRED AND NINETY.
THE PROPERTY Loss $l0,0OO,0OO
The Rescue ard Relief Committees
Are Now Able to Epedlte Their
Work, and Things Now
Look Brighter.

Flood victims ........... 1870
Property damage ......Sto,ooo,ooo
The crest OF the flood has now pass
cd through the bottoms Of the Colo
RADIO and Brazos rivers out into the
gulf.
The great aftermath problem of
this record breaking flood that now
faces the citizen is the feeding and
clothing OF the hundreds upon hun
dreds OF people left in the devastated
country.
Given good weather. railroad traf-
fic through the flooded valleys Of
SOuth-Central Texas ought TO be re
established within about ten days,
or within four days to a week after
the water has subsidized and the rivers
have returned TO their beds That is
the judgment of railroad men who
came out OF the flooded district Sun
day night.
With millions of tons of overflow
waters pouring their muddy torrent
into the Gulf of Mexico, the flood
stage in the upper Brazos and Colo
RADIO valleys are being steadily low
cred. as much as two feet in twenty
four hours at some points, less at
others And as the vast tide sinks
inch by inch stretches of twisted rail
road track are emerging to the eye
along the higher ground. Already
section gangs are working from the
north and south toward the centers
of the desolated country, driving piles
where bridges have been washed out,
Strengthening tracks that have been
tipped over, ripraping at culyerts and
ballasting everywhere.
SO far as known, no large railroad
bridges have gone out, and this fact
will count more than any other for
early resumption of rail traffic on the
Santa Fe, Southern Pacific and Katy
As the great flood shrinks and the
land shows its wrinkled face once
more the seal of death is on it, Here
and there in fence angles and thickets
corpses are massed, CHASTITY remind
ers of the folly of people who were
warned to flee and took no heed. and
of others who, Fastening out of the
dry floodgates, were overtaken and
swallowed up by the remorseless tides
of this savage inland sea.
But if the shadow of death hovers
over the waters, out of their cold en-
brace energies serene the figure of
Courage, and the light of its presence
is in the sodden valleys. Tragedy is
not utterly desolate when high hero
ism goes along, and the story of the
flood of 1913 is no less emblazoned
with deeds of self-sacrifice than en-
gloomed with suffering and bereave-
ment.
After doing more than $500, 900
damage, by some estimated as high as
SIS, 100000, and taking about $50 hui
man lives, the last of the Texas floods
is at an end. The Colorado river, a
terrible rival of the Brazos, has been
flowing into the gulf and stricken
cities and towns in its wake are be-
ginning rehabilitation, while thou
sands of homeless persons are being
cared for. The same conditions, but
worse, prevail in the Brazos valley
below Marlin and above the present
flood zone. Some towns in the valley
are unable to care for the great num-
Der of persons saved from the flood
Crin to
some of these towns makes the situa-
ton more pressing.
Adjutant General Hutchings, who
visited Rosenberg from Sealy, report
ed to the governor that conditions
were rapidly returning to normal. At
Waxahachie, Governor Colquitt was
inclined to think that the estimate
of $15,O00,O00 flood loss is an exag-
geration. He declared that liberal
contributions from Texas people were
sufficient to compose the situation
and that no more funds from the
American Red Cross Society would be
needed. The losses from the flood, re-
marked the governor. fell mostly on
tue SnOulueIS VI the ldlllOduS-
1t is known, however, that the State
has lost rather heavily. The total on
the State farms in South Texas has
been estimated at 100000. Losses in
the political subdivisions-borne by
counties and cities-is large, due to
the destruction or depreciation OF
roads. and the carrying away of
bridges. Farmers have lost compare
lively little in crops-as most of the
harvesting already had been done
but their property losses are consider
able
All convicts on the State farms in
South Texas have been taken to Ar
cola
The problem of relieving the suf-
fering of those who have been forced
out of their homes, penniless and
without clothing. is the most press
ing one in the flooded areas. Many
towns are cut off from rail communi-
cation and as their food supplies be-
come depleted. face the danger of
famine, In some places water sup
plies are meager and this adds an
other hardship. Nearly all the towns
in which there are large numbers of
refugees are in need of tents for the
cufferarS' shelter Of ciothinp haddiny