Historic Monterrey, Mexico Devastated 1909

Historic Monterey, Мехico Devastated 1909

Historic Monterey, Мехico Devastated 1909 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers1

Monterey (Mon-ta-ra), Мех., founded in 1599, the capital of Nuevo Leon, on the San Juan, a tributary of the Rio Grande del Norte, at the head of a large and beautiful valley 85 miles east by north of Saltillo, stands on a plateau 1,626 feet above the level of the sea; has well paved streets; houses of stone in the Moorish style, with flat roofs, and is the most important place in northern Mexico. Near it are gold, silver and lead mines, and as a railway center it commands a large trade.

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Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (U.S.) Historic Monterey Mexico devastated en Locomotive Engineers Monthly Journal Publicado por Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, 1909 http://books.google.com/books?id=lCscAAAAIAAJ&printsec=titlepage&hl=es#PRA5-PA1014,M2

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Historic Monterey, Мехico Devastated 1909

In the early part of the war between that quarter, while the main body of the army were to make a diversion against the center and left of the town by batteries erected during the night. In the morning these batteries opened upon the city, which replied by a heavy fire from the citadel and other works. The lower part of the city was assaulted and entered by the Americans and a Mexican work of great strength captured after hard fighting by a brigade under General Quitman. General Butler also entered the town at another point with the First Ohio Regiment. Meanwhile, General North carried the heights south of the river and the Saltillo road, and turned the guns of the United States and Mexico, Monterey, which occupies a strong natural position and was well fortified by art, was held by about 10,000 regular Mexican troops. In August, 1846, General Taylor with a force of 6,625 American troops, mostly volunteers, marched from Matamoras to attack; and on the 9th of September he encamped within three miles of the place. Ten days were spent in reconnoitering, and on the afternoon of the 19th of September General North was ordered to march with his division around the hill occupied by the bishop's palace and to take a position on the Saltillo road, and to carry the enemy's detached 2

Historic Monterey, Мехico Devastated 1909

works in the Mexican works in that quarter upon the bishop's palace. The Mexicans evacuated the lower part of the city during the night and early next morning General North stormed the height overlooking the bishop's palace, and by noon that stronghold itself was taken by the Americans and its guns turned upon the flying defenders. The houses of the city being solidly built and capable of defense, and the streets strongly barricaded, the Americans were forced to take each house in succession by breaking through the walls till they reached the principal plaza. The conflict lasted till the 23d, the Mexicans contesting every foot of ground till nothing remained in their possession but the citadel. On the morning of the 24th General Ampudia capitulated and was allowed with his army to march out with the honors of war. It was a small town then of perhaps 15,000 souls, but in 1900 had grown to 72,5002.

On August 27, 1907, in the quiet of the night, the most disastrous storm Mexico has experienced for many years came to this section of Mexico, the water rushing down the mountain side to the valley, 2

Reference Enciclopaedia Americana

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Historic Monterey, Мехico Devastated 1909

swelling the Santa Catarina River, which rushed down the valley at floodtide, striking the old historic town of Monterey at 2 o'clock in the morning, and the rush of completed a situation of horror witnessed by those of the 75,000 inhabitants who were out of the water's reach, that cannot be described.

The greatest loss of life occurred in the suburb of San Luisito, situated on the opposite side of the river on lower ground and inhabited by many of the poorer class, whose houses were one story adobe and seemed to melt with the great rush of water, and the occupants were swept from the roof or buried beneath the ruins.

We are indebted to Bro. Joe Wood, F. A. E. of Subdivision 614, Monterey, for the photographs from which the water was so sudden and great that a large number of the inhabitants could not get to safety in time to save their lives.

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Historic Monterey, Мехico Devastated 1909

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Historic Monterey, Мехico Devastated 1909

The electric light plant was soon put out of commission, adding total darkness to the horror of the situation.

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Historic Monterey, ĐœĐľŃ…ico Devastated 1909

The flood increased until it reached a height never before known.

The river reached a width of a .mile and a half and the current was so swift that assistance could not be rendered those who sought refuge in and on the tops of the houses in the submerged part of the city, and the roar of the onrushing water, the falling buildings, and the cry of helpless victims, accompanying half-tone illustrations were made, and he writes that 4,000 lives were lost in and about Monterey, among them the wife and son of Bro. B. F. Slater, of Div. 453, and that 90 blocks of buildings were washed away in Monterey, the loss running into millions.

The railroads lost heavily in roadbed and bridges, the farmers in stock and crops; but Monterey is an important commercial center of commerce and mining, and with the help which was readily extended to them, evidence of the destruction of August 27 and 28 will soon fade, leaving little behind but the memory of those who lost their lives. Editor.

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Historic Monterey, Мехico Devastated 1909

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