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<br />four o'clock. ...it '""s plal~.ly e'Hcent that to those
<br />who witnessed this storm...that it waS an ,"nusually
<br />heavy one, but nOne entertained even the remotest idea
<br />tr~t it was at that very time dealing death to humanity
<br />Ilnd dastr\lction to property...
<br />...After leaving Colorado City, evidenc~s of a
<br />heavy storm were apparent...bridges were go~~ and the
<br />roads in many places were washed out. Ncarly all the
<br />track constructcd in the Pou~tain Valley...had been
<br />washed away by the torrent.
<br />At Herman's old place...t~e reporter for th~
<br />first time gained a fair idea of the force of the
<br />torrent. ...the floors ware cov~red with sand and
<br />mud, and the waterlines on the wall, at least three
<br />Or four feet... According to the story told by the
<br />occupants...they were alarmed by the rus~ and roar of
<br />the waters as they came down the qulch behind the house.
<br />In a seconds time, the terrible flood struck the house,
<br />breaking tr~ough the window" 3nd doors, washing away
<br />all "maIler articles, and piling furniture and occu-
<br />pants in a confused ~~S~ in One side of the room.
<br />The water, as they tell it, must have come through
<br />':;::c c"nyc~. i" " '~aU ~':; le"lst ~iJo: f,,~t "i'l'l>...
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<br />brother had noticed ':;he storm a,.d. t"rr.ed their faces in
<br />the direction of home. They had gone but a short dista~ce
<br />when they heard a terrible roaring, as of rushin4 waters
<br />oohindtheM, turning and looking up tb:> canyon they saw
<br />a "."U of ..""ter r"~sr.ing <oo,""n '~pon the",.. Being in the
<br />vi<:inity of the old lime kiln.. .they cla~bered up the
<br />side of the canyon and ~ought refuge on the top of the
<br />kiln, which is about 20 fep.t high, no sooner had they
<br />obtained their position on the top and a monstrous wave
<br />~truck the kiln with full force and dashir.g clear over
<br />it. ...the older boy had Obtained a firm hold...but
<br />the youngcr onc was washed off in the seething, boiling
<br />torrent...
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<br />...theroad"'as strewn with wire fence and in
<br />fact all manner of obstructions that hdd been washed
<br />down...the trees and urulerbrush w~re twIsted, brok~n,
<br />and stripped of leave~ and bark.
<br />.. .'",ith belt ~e''''' e><ceptions thcr", is not a single
<br />house in town that hilS ,.ot ~u5t"ined ~ome damage...
<br />..,~O far as could be ~~arned the li<e of but
<br />oneper50n had be"n sacrificed. ...t"'<lboys...I'..adgol1e
<br />up into Williams C~nyon...and wcre caught up there dur-
<br />il1'1 the sto",.. ... tho? ~urvi.vir.<; boy said he a"d hi..
<br />
<br />the proprietor of tbe RuxtOrt livery stable, a
<br />short distance up Ruxton Canyon, .. .saw the wat.er~pout
<br />as it broke up williams Canyon... A few seconds after-
<br />ward he heard distinctly the roaring of the water as it
<br />"adeitswayth..oughthenearcar.yon... He had scarcely
<br />ti",etoru"throughth\?baCkcJocrl,.c.cnthctorrentburst
<br />through the barn, t.J.kinq with it horses and .....a'lons. Fro~
<br />hi" lofty ar.d saf.. position he co'~ld gee "ows, f"n"",-,
<br />~."YUJl~, <<lid "t..;., p.o."'" by hi... ir. rJ.pi~ c\lcceosior....
<br />All of the hotels were ~nre or less damaged. ~h"
<br />;,'at"..dasr.ed througr, the Cliff House...at least two feet
<br />deep... '.'h..n the current "'a~ at its wor~e, co"'s and
<br />horses could be SC~n floati"g through the streets...
<br />Not only ""ore the d,,"tructions cau.ed by th"
<br />t"rrible r..""het but tile h...il 5tO".~ which "ccol'",p"nied
<br />0~ash",,1 t.hr,,",!h w;n<lows and I".hre"-tened death to evcrvone
<br />;,'ho ""ntur~>d outside. rn "=e parts of tow", hailstones
<br />as large a>; oranges fell. P.. gentlelT,a" at the Cliff Ho'~se
<br />picked up" hailstone aftH it :~ad 1'1;<'. on t:", ground
<br />sow.e little time whic~. ",~~sured :l inches lr. ci.t,,,,,,,t.,rence...
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