Arizona republican., 1916-09-11
FLOOD EXACTS TOLL IF RANCH
 AND PROJECT

Scattered reports from the north west of the valley indicated yester day that extensive damage had been done by the flood waters of Cave Creek No estimate could be placed on the harm done to ranches, orchards and the canal and lateral systems.
 The Republican has received infor- nation of orchard damage, particular ly to the E. F. Goodwin property, and of isolated cases of drowned stock and poultry and of cotton crops wiped out Within a short time the reclamation service will be able to tabulate the results of the storm dam age to it's ditches. and will probably also gather pretty accurate details of harm done 70 the crops and equip ment of the farmers.
 Reports from along the Arizona canal showed that the flow of Cave | Creek had dropped, and if there is no l further rain on the watershed, the i flood may be considered past
 Glendale emerged from the water yesterday with comparatively little | damage. but some of the merchants | have already placed estimates on their losses. showing that while the | flood was not as harmful as that of last winter, it did take a certain toll of stocks of goods which could not be removed from basements in time to prevent a soaking.
 Additional stories of damage and devastation caused by the Cave Creek flood were brought to the city yes terday from the section lying along the Arizona canal on the south. where the first force of the- flood was felt The heaviest loser is E. F. Goodwin whose losses are estimated at not less than ,O04. Mir Goodwin who has suffered a series of strokes since he has settled in this county had grape fruit and orange orchard of forty acres near the canal on this< side. The reclamation service had changed the course of the canal at that point to higher ground and had so strengthened It's banks that it was thought that they would withhold any flood waters that might gather from the north
 1 In consequence of the higher banks, i a greater volume than ever was gathered. The banks were unable to ] withstand tke weight and the water | began to be forced through in dozens | of places. Then came the break, and i that was the end of MT Goodwin's ! orchard of five year old trees which l had cost him approximately sl,0O0 an i acre; 1t was the end too of tho grow 1 ing crop which was estimated to be i worth s5.000 Every incl of soil was | swept from the Goodwin tract: great holes were gouged into the surface of l the ground by whirlpools SO that nothing is left except the solid sub soil. More tkan half the trees were washed out and carried away, and of the others the roots are left bare | Mir. Goodwin had 8 store on his
 place just under the canal The stock was greatly damaked and s400 worth of lumber which had just been
 played on the groiInd to make an ad- dition to the store room Is now scat
 tered over the country ali the way be- tween the Arizona canal and western
 Phoenix. Three and . half miles of
 fine fencing has also been swept away.
 9eighbOr of MT. Goodwin had a
 fine stand of alfalfa. He has none
 now. there Is not green thing on
 his tract. Nothing Is left but the
 hard soil A large cotton field in the
 same neighborhocd was suddenly
 swept away. A great many horses,
 cattle. sheep and hogs in that vicinity
 were drawned. All the houses in that section were Hooded. and on Sanrdav V night. the only place for the inhabi- tant of the whole neighborhood was such parts of the canal bank as had
 not beer taken out by the flood Frank +. Stewart managed to ge, out to his ranch on the Maricopa road between Seventh avenue and Nineteenth avenue, by dint of driving through great sheets of water. or the ranch itself, there was a blanke, or moisture from IS to 24 inches deep. Water flowed down the road and broke through into the fields Shortly after noon, tho water hat drained off 10 an Rppreclable exten: but was still running two feet deeI down Fifteenth avenue.
 In a statement for The Republican last night. Mir. Stewart said that il
 would be two weeks before the dam
 age could he repaired. The chic
 sufferers from the flood were the ditches. which had iust been cleaned and now needed another overhauling The flood leveled hanks and dropped
 immense masses of silt in the canals
 Pordcrs were broken down and some
 cross fences carried away As far as
 he knew, there had been no loss oi
 stock due to drowning
 The break in the Grand canal
 through which Cave Creek flood water
 reached Phoenix night before last, wa.
 located yesterday. IL IS about a milo
 west of Nineteenth avenue. Ii loosed
 the flood waters on Grand avenue
 near Alhambra. and passing the rail
 road, registered it's presence for ter
 niles on the Yuma road west of the
 ciiy limits.
 Ranchers are keenly aroused over
 the continued damage to the pro-
 lect~ by Cave Creek floods Ii has
 been proposed that concrete levet
 be built to defect the flood water | westward into the New River wash
 This would odvlate all tho trouble. |
 is said. No figures have been com ] piled as to the possible cost of sucf
 a project. With millions beirg ex-
 of the east and south, and other mil 1 lions for harbor Improvements wher' | no harbor Improvements are vitall, I needed, Arizona people are becomini
 alive to the reed of representation il
 congress on this matter. But mar lthat is living in Arizona is of few
 votes and fiIll of desire.