The Flood--Its Extent.
LOCAL MATTERS.[More...] NOTHING was talked of on the streets to-day, but the flood in Denver. Mr. Patterson, who left there yesterday noon says that up to that time, half a dozen dead bodies had been recovered. A Ferry-boat for the Platte would be ready to run by to-night, or to-morrow. The damage to the Ranches does not extend above fifteen miles below Denver. Nearly all the houses on Cherry and Plum creeks were swept off. Not much freight will be likely to come across from Denver for some days. [More...] THE FLOOD--ITS EXTENT.--From Mr. John Conner who left Denver Sunday morning we derive some definite particulars as to the bounds of devastation in Denver. It was mostly confined, in the way of carrying off buildings, to the immediate current. On Larimer street, it only took the M. E. Church, a frame building, not a brick as has been reported, the bridge, and the little dwelling belonging to Mr. Sears, opposite Sprague's Livery stable. Passing down to Blake, it carried off the News office, Stickney's large brick, in which Unthank and Andrews were doing business undermined and tumbled A. E. & C. E. Tilton's brick adjoining, though not till much of the stuff had been taken out. It is perhaps easier to tell what were left in this vicinity than what were swept away. All the buildings, below the street from A. Douglas' Queensware store to the Tremont House, except one, a frame, near the latter House. Not a brick is left of the City Hall. The prisoners were freed by Ward, who floated on the roof of the Hall some three miles when he was enabled to land. The city records are lost. Mrs. Palmer's building, and the large two-story frame adjoining were not carried away. The calaboose and the buildings on the corner between it and the Tremont, also remain in statu quo. No buildings are gone from Front st. One, situated between Cherry and Ferry, above 5th, started from its moorings during the night and floated around to near Slavin's Liquor Emporium, scarcely awaking its inmates. It was the only one moved, west of Front street. The American House, and Sprague's Livery stable were not carried off, though badly undermined. B. L. Honore's Hardware store, just east of Tilton's, was caved in, and the building and its contents are likely to prove a total loss. At one time, the water flowed on McGaa street, to Kountze's Bank.--In D. D. White's old store, corner of Blake and F, it was two feet deep. It wet the Planters' House steps. All the bed of the creek is now encumbered with two or three feet of drift wood half buried in the sand. It looks now as it did in '59, only a good deal more so. The water had subsided so that one could cross it afooot, [sic] yesterday morning, The damage to goods from flooding the stores is very considerable, though not so great as might have been expected. Many were carried away by the flood, and as usual in such cases, people were picking them up and appropriating them to their own use, when not useless. The loss in town, is heavy, though not comparing with that caused by the fire of April, a year ago. But down the Platte is where we must look for the greatest loss. It will be impossible perhaps, ever to estimate it. Ranches are covered with sand, the River has changed its bed in places, and the probability is, that thousands of acres of improved land have been ruined. Cherry Creek is not very likely to be built up again. Property on Larimer street has already advanced; and it may yet become the business part of the city. As to those lost, perhaps, their number will never be known. We believe it safe to take the lowest estimates, however, and the destruction of buildings is not so great as at first reported.
Source: Unknown, "The Flood--Its Extent," Daily Mining Journal, Black Hawk City, Gilpin County, Colorado, Monday, 23 May, 1864, page 3.
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