The daily progressive-miner., 1916-02-25
OTAY OR BUST
 -0tay did Bust
DETAILS AT FIRST HAND OF THE FLOOD WE HAVE
 HEARD ABOUT

The Progressive-Miner is indebted
 to Mir. and Mrs. P. c. Shark. we'll and favorably known residents of
 ketchikan, for the details of the
 flood that occurred at San Diego at the breaking of the Otay Dam, and about which telegraphic news have only given partial details.
 The article, which is very inter esting, was written by Mir and Mrs. Sharks son, who was one of the Navy Relief Expeditionary forces sent to the scene of the disaster, only cover the first few days hap penings after the Otay Dam broke, The article follows:
 1.-The order reed for the starting of the Expedition was sent out from the Flagship at HOO pm, Jan. 2s, 1916.
 After being outfitted at each of their respective ships, motor sailor from each the Milwaukee, Oregon and south Dakota and motor dory from three of the destroyers as- sembled at the South Dakota and left at about 9:45 am, Ensign Bryan in charge, Asst. Sur Conklin, Boatswains Roberts and Benson ac- eompanied the expedition, Capt, Samson, Pilot of San Diego and a Mr. Chase were with the party, each sailor carried from nine to twelve men and the dories carried from five to seven men.
 Leaving the South Dakota the boats were picked up opposite the Pacific Coast S. s. dock. by the Lawrence and lowed to the mouth of the Otay river. from there on the Pilot directed movements. After making our way up the river for about a quarter of a mile a dead body was discovered lying on the north bank of the river, partially covered by silt The Milwaukee's sailor (which was in the lead) an- chored,a punt was launched from the Oregon boat and with the aid of dory the body was dug out of the mud and placed in the punt. Here our first obstacle was encount- cred, the anchor had caught and it was necessary to send a man into the water to clear it. At this point the river was just neck deep, run ming swift and muddy, it took about fifteen minutes to clear the anchor, We then proceeded to the remains of the trestle of the Mexico and San Diego R. R. and all boats tied up. Dinner, with dead body alongside in punt-) After dinner Ensign Bryan split the party into squads and sent them in all direc- tions searching for dead bodies 1.-two more were found during the after noon). Part Of the party he took with him, starting to Otay across the river which at the point reached was, at this time, about three miles wide. Boatswain Roberts took one party, heading them north, then east he was the first to reach the opposite side. Ensign Bryan de- tailed men at different points to act as pioneers so that upon reaching the opposite side of the river his party had dwindled from about twenty to about eight men. He and Dr. Conklin with these men were the first to reach the main store in Otay, all houses and piles of rubish were searched en route for dead bodies. Along this route the great havoc wrought by the wat CT co1lS be plainly seen, all sorts of furniture and parts of houses and barns being caught by different ob- staeles which were strong enough to withstand the terrible rush of water, which 1t is said by eye wit nesses was from fifteen to thirty feet high, until it hit the embark ment of the San Diego and Ari zona R. R., this retarded the onrush and the water spread out and back, thus doing it's greatest damage as 1t then covered a great area which it had not touched in it's first mad rush. On it's downward rush it again swept everything ahead of it. Carrying houses and barns and other small out houses down San Diego bay and out into the ocean. ] It was necessary that night for the ships in the Bay to keep their searchlights playing on the water l in order that the steamers might not hit and be swamped by some float ing or partly submerged parts of barns or houses
 1 Upon reaching the store Ensign Bryan interviewed the town mar