Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-31
LOOTEUS WORK
BEHIND FLOODS;
DAM GOES OUT
American Marines Ordered to 0tay
Valley to Suppress Ghouls
While New Torrent
Rushes Down.
MoRENA DIXIE THOUGHT GONE
Twenty-Five Bodies, Some Mutt
lated, Are Assembled by
Rescue Crew.
DEATH LIST ABOUT SIXTY

DEATH LIST ABOUT SIXTY
SAN DIEGO (via Rodio to San
Francisco), Jan. 30.--Lotting des-
cribed by Rear Admiral William F.
Fullam. comanding the Pacific re-
serve fleet, as "the worst l have ever
otsy valley today. while sailors and
marines from warshlps in San Diego
bay toiled to recover the bodies OF
the fifty estimated victims of the
Lower Otsy reservoir flood.
At sundown twenty-nine bodies,
some mutilated, had been gathered
together. A new flood poured down
the Tiajuan river today. standing
four feet high near its mouth which
is at the foot OF San Diego bay.
Officials here said that II un-
doubtedly indicated the bursting OF
the Morena dam, sixty miles back
in the hills, On a chance that the
$4,000. 0O0, 200 gallons OF water i'm
pounded by the dam would tear a
new channel for the river across the
Coronado strand into the sea. resi-
dents of imperial beach. a hamlet
three miles north OF the river on the
Strand. were order to flee for their
lives.
Reports late last night that the cloud
burst in San Luis hey and San Pas
qual valleys probably cost no more than
ten lives, reduced tho probable total
death list in this region 60 about sixty.
six Rodies Identified.
OF the twen-nine bodies recovered IN
the Otay valley only six have been iden-
titled. They are:
BEGA. CARLOS, employe of the Daneri
Winery.
DUDE. John JAM1soN. rancer.
DUDE, Mrs. Margareth, his wife.
GALLIGER, WILLIAM GEORGE. pipe
man at Lower Otay dam.
MosTo. JOSEPH, employe Danerl
Winery.
MosTo. ROSA. his daughter.
The Lower otey valley was an armed
camp today. Marines and sailors from
tho battleplfip Oregon and the cruiser
Miiwaukee and South Dakota. patroiled
all approached and penetrated into the
valley with order 70 shoot looters on
sight Each carried twenty rounds OF
ammunition. The marnes under Captain
Charles T.. Westcott, jr.. camped In the
valley The sailors under Ensing Hamil-
ton o'Bren OF the Milwaukee. took quar-
ters In the little brick school house at
otay city. The United States destroyer
Lawrence acted as base ship anu hos
pltal squad from the Milwaukee oper--
ated in connection with both ships.
Japanese Gives warming.
First news reported collaps OF the
Morena dam came through Andrew
Frvast, city engineer OF Coronado and
chief engineer of what are known as
the spreckels interests In this vicinity.
Frvast, trying TO reach the Mexican
town OF Tijuana today. met Japanese
running along the bank OF the Tajuana
river
Get back" cried the Japanese in broken
English. Tell people lots water COM
ing"
Ervast could see a four-foot wave COM
ing down the river. He turned his auto
mobile and spread the warning. George
Cromwell, city engineer of San Diego.
ond other said that nothing but the break
ing Of the Morena dam could cause
the flood.
That the dam should go out was gem
orally unexpected II stood 2s5 feet high
In a narrow gorge and was built OF
masonry and concrete nodded with iron
rods. The top OF the dam was twenty
five feet wide and II was braced with
loose rock on the down stream side. The
rock fili on the upper side OF the dam
was derricked and hand-placed. A water
supply was drawn from the reservoir be-
hind the dam by tunnel through solid
rock and was conducted through a little
watershed into creek which fed tho
Lower otay dam. the one that first went
out. The natural channel for the water.
however, was down Cottonwood creek
into the Tia Juana river. II was sug-
gested by some that cloud burst might
have brought today's flood. but engineers
said not. The sun shone here and fair
weather was reported in the limited area
with which communication was possible.
All Are Turned hack.
Federal patrols turned back would-be
slehtseers and adventurers who hoped 10
get into otay valley by way OF Coronado
strand and military and naval authorities
kept tight grip on the situation. The
strand IL a Ions spit like like thumb.
which forms the southern wall OF San
Diego bay and offered the only means OF
3 ingress into the valley.
! Fifty farm houses. according 20 per
/ (continued on Page Two. Column sIx.l
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