historic monterrey, mexico devastated 1909

Historic Monterey, Мехico Devastated 1909

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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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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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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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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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The electric light plant was soon put out of commission, adding

total darkness to the horror of the situation.


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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 monterrey, mexico devastated 1909

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