The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1914-02-26
SEVEN DIE IN FLOOD
Worst Storms Ever Known Sweep
Southern California.
Damages Estimated at 1880, 900
Los Angeles Suburbs Short of
Food, Lights and Water.

Los Angeles With loss of probs-
bly, more than 1850, 900 and total
Of seven human lives in four days,
Southern California began to recover
Sunday from the effects of the worst
storm in its history.
Swept by wind and rain for three
days. most of the territory between
the Tehschapi mountains and the Mex
lean line was flooded, but with the gun
shining at intervals Sunday the situa-
ton improved considerably and, while
nearly all of the towns affected re-
manned isolated, progress was made
toward re-estabIishing wire and rail
communication
According to an estimate made by A.
c. Hansven, assistant city engineer,
Los Angeles was damaged to the ex-
tent of at least 81, 500, 900. One hun
dred and fifty Thousand dollars repre-
scented the damage to city streets
alone The remainder represented
losses sustained by railroads and by
citizens who lost their homes, which
were swept away by the floods, with
all their household effects
Except in the vicinity of Pomona,
this county, where young groves suf-
fered severely, orange growers report
ed comparatively little damage.
Ranches and email farms we're inun-
dated, but no reliable data could be
obtained as to the losses sustained BY
them
The flood situation about Los An
geles became acute early Saturday
night and conditions were greatly ag
graveted at the same time by gale
which reached veIocities of from 3S Il
so miles an hour at various points in
land and along the Pacific ocean shore
Poles and towers carrying powe
lines and the wires of telegraph an'
telephone companies went down and
with railroads and suburban trolle,
lines already out of commission, tn
situation became at once one of com
plete prostration- For nearly fou
hours there was no streetcar service
and during the entire day the city ha
only brief periods of communicate
with the East Surrounding towns
with few exceptions, remained entire
ly isolated, without communication b
wire, railroad or trolley
Railroads report that the collapse o
big bridges over the Los Angeles rive
in this city and the washing out of bi
spans elsewhere made it uncertai
when traffic could be resumed Bt
large gangs of men were sent out
work in continuous shifts in efforts
repair damage as quickly as possible
More than 100 homes were destroy
ed in Los Angeles alone by the to-
rents that rushed through the Los Al
. geles river and the Arroyo Seco.
the floods in these waterways subside
household goods and other propert,
including everything, from stoves
pianos and beds, were left stranded G
sand bars.
After steel bridge over the rive
buckled and broke, the Southern p
cific and Santa Fe railroads sent heay
: cars loaded with scrap iron and hea,
. boulders plunging into the flood
efforts to divert further inroads !
storm waters. which threatened raj
road tracks skirting the river bank
: The sweep of the floods was so stror
at times. however. that these barriel
were turned aside
Besides numerous houses that to
pied off the caving banks. the river
usually dry bed called a river
courtesy-swept away the Los A
geles pigeon farm Extensive cot
tumbled into the stream before da.
light and thousands of pigeons wei
drowned.