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.

1
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
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 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, Мехico 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