Texas Floods Still Raging

Many People Cut Off and Left Helpless in Bottom Lands

Boats Are In Demand – Accurate Estimate of Damage Impossible at Present – Railroads are Resuming Traffic

Baltimore Morning Herald
1 August 1902

Dallas, Tex., July 31- Reports received here from the flooded district of the state make the outlook more hopeful.

The only unfavorable news comes from the Texas Pacific, near Forney, where Brushy creek suddenly rose, washing out railroad tracks and bridges, cutting of many people in the bottom lands.  Boats have been called for to rescue them.

The Texas Pacific is open west of here for through traffic, and all roads announce a resumption of traffic, although in some cases by a round-about way.

There has been no rain in the vicinity of Dallas for two days, and similar reports come from many points in the state.

An accurate estimate of the losses is imposed with the damage to railroads, the drowning of live stock, the washing away of bridges, residences and business houses.  In addition to the damage to cotton and other crops, it is safe to say that $1,000,000 will be a conservative amount.

No news has come from the 400 or 500 wood choppers who were cut off by the flood in Richland creek bottoms, but it is not now thought that any lives were lost there.

The Brazos river, after inundating rice farming lands for 300 miles south of Waco, is reported falling steadily at Waco, but rising slowly below Hearne.   It is estimated that there are from 3000 to 4000 acres of cultivated land under water near Hearne.

A rough estimate of the number of acres of cotton and other crops practically ruined in the Brazos  bottoms is 20,000.