Semi-weekly herald., 1911-11-02
AN EPISODE OF THE RECENT
FLOOD.

| FLOOD.
I'm the night of Oct. 5, between
and O'Clock, on the strength of two
telephone messages, one from Super
intendent w. I. Shelton of Shiprock
and the other from central at Farm
ington, sent from the mission all
alone to take care of the live stock
and property. At this time the river
was overflowing its banks, but did not
look in any way dangerous.
After seeing all depart safely,
returned to the telephone to learn
later news. The phone was dead. In
Il few minutes Mr.. Weston returned,
assuring me there was no danger.
went back to my room and dozed off
to sleep.
IAN hour later Mr.. TIce returned
and unhitched the horses and placed
them in the barn. Later, he was out
driving stakes by the river side.
| asked him if the river was rising.
mot much" was the reply. He and
Mr.. Weston then returned to the re-
ception room where there had been
a fire all night, and were soon sound
asleep. This was 3 o'clock or later
At o'clock the waves woke us by
dashing in the house. Mr.. Weston ran
for higher ground. He got out by
swimming a little and then catching a
drifting brush. When he reached the
shore he was so chilled that his legs
gave out and he lay down in an old
stone hogan. An Indian woman found
him, and placed her blanket over him
and notified the women and children
who had gone to Mrs. Eldridge's. The
children and Frank Damon went down
and made fire and warmed him. By
the aid of their support he made his
way to Mrs. Eldridge's, where he was
rubbed with alcohol and was soon able
TO be up.
.Alr. Tice went to the barn and
brought the horses. By the time he
returned the water had risen fully two
feet more, and the heavy logs began
to lodge between the buildings. / as
sured Mr. Tice there was no possible
chance to get out with the wagon.
The stream back of us was full six
feet deep, full of driftwood and run
ming very fast. One of the horses
was good saddle horse, also good
swimmer. told him he had better
try to swim the horse out. He made
his way through the current that was
running between the buildings, to see
if there was any way for him and
the horse to escape. (Our place was
wired in. The gates were made of
barbed wire.) The water rose so rapid
ly that he was unable to get back to
me and the horses. He was soon
forced to the top of the house for ref
uge, and 1 likewise to the top of an
other | tied the horses to lath at
the back end of the house.
''The buildings were being rapidly
undermined from the upper side. They
began to fall about sunrise. In two
hours they were almost gone. Only
the back shed remained of the one /
was on, and it was almost under
mined. | passed from the shed to
one of the horses backs; the other
had pulled loose and was gone. The
horses had on wagon harness. I was
leaning over the horses neck unfas-
tening the hame-string when this
shed fell on us, knocking me off and
the harness swung to my left foot. l
kicked loose from the harness and
swan to the mouth of the La Plata
which was about four hundred yards.
Feeling myself sinking / took hold of
an old trunk. | was then about mid
current. The waves turned the trunk
over on top of me. After getting
back on top of the trunk saw a plank
a little ahead of me. | turned the
trunk loose and swan to the plank
which proved to be piece of step.
At this time / was only a short dis
tance from shore, having nearly cross
ed the river. / made a desperate eff
fort to reach it but was thrown on
my back twice with the plank in my
face. Seeing that could not get to
the shore ! drifted down stream about
mile to a cottonwood tree. | took
hold of the tree and let go my plank.
climbed the tree and took off my
coat and shoes and threw them to
some debris lodged in between trees
below. Later rode a log to this de-
bris. While in this tree suffered
from cold. My eyes, ears and mouth
were full of sand. My nostrils and
lungs were partially filled with mud
dy water.