The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-08-16
TUCUMCAR| BUSINESS SECTION FLOODED BY
F|vE.|NCH RAIN SUNDAY NIGHT. $4,000 LOSS

Five and one-eighth inches of rain
fell here in less than three hours Sun
day night between seven and ten. Dam
ages to the amount of $50, 900 is esti-
mated in Tucumcari. Farming dis
tricts were greatly benefited as the
rain was not so heavy and did not
wash vegetation to any great extent.
The large lake east of town which has
had no water in it for two years. is
now nearly full and reaches nearly to
the Amarillo road
The first rain came from the east
and soon passed over the city. a few
minutes later the wind changed and it
began raining from the west. The
water poured down in torrents for
about an hour and it continued for
nearly three hours. People took ref
uge in store buildings and in the pic
ture shows. When the rain quit at in
tervals the marooned folks attempted
to go home. When they came from
the buildings they found water run
ming in the streets from two to four
feet deep. Some of the men formed
themselves into rescue parties and car
ried the fairer sex across the deepest
water until they saw it was useless.
Then the ladies took to the water like
ducks to the pond. Those who could
not swim just waded the deep wa
ter whic! was running through every
street, alley and lot in town. One in
stance was n man, woman and small
boy who lived in the south part of
town. The man carried the boy on
his back. He was quite tall and at
places he was obliged to wade water
above his waist. The wife was not so
tall and at times the water was up to
her arm pits. There were many cases
similar to this.
Down town the flood water was
running more than foot deep on the
sidewalks. II broke into Sands Dor
seys Drug Store and was up over the
lower shelf in the show cases. Every
body was excited as nothing like it
had ever been seen in Tucumcari be-
fore. Down at the Glenrock Hotel
near the depot they closed the front
doors and thought they had every
thing safe, but the water found its
way into the back yard and broke in
the back doors, and the whole lower
floor was inundated with water which
rose to hight of eighteen
inches running into the lower dresser
drawers in the lower bed rooms. The
Office which had recently been enlarg-
ed, repainted and the floor covered
with linoleum was ruined and the
linoleum cracked where mud had got
ten under it.
At the Elk Drug Store water was
noticed running into the basement and
some of the boys began carrying out
goods. While working in the cellar
the lights suddenly went out owing
to the flooded conditions at the pow
er plant. Mr.. Potter was left in the
basement and could hardly find his
way out. The water was pouring in |
through the outside entrance and the |
water was within foot of the floor |
above making it difficult to keep his |
head above the water while searching |
for the stairway. Many other thrill
ing events were experienced by those |
who chanced to be caught down town. |
Many autos were left stranded in the |
streets and the owners were obliged |
to walk home or spend the night with |
friends.
Monday morning found dirty job |
awaiting those who were unfortunate
eoungh to have goods stored in base
ments. Nearly every store floor was
covered with water and mud and the
easements were completely filled ana
the goods stored therein will be big
loss. Joe Israel was perhaps the big
gest loser as his basement was filled
with merchandise, some of which had