The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-06-05
PEOPLE STUNNED
BY MAGNITUDE OF
GREAT DISASTER
Continued from Page one)

the roof of floating house. The
mother was lost. The trio floated
until they reached water in which
they could wade with safety.
Among the refugees an aged Next
can woman cried for some one to go
after her. daughter stranded in their
home. In her hands she clasped n
bundle of clothes and a pound OF but
ter. The house was nearly covered
with water and no one would risk the
attempt at rescue.
Mourns For Phonograph
Mr.. and Mrs A. G. Verhofstad. far
past middle age, were typical OF many
of the unfortunates. Fleeing before
the rush of water they had nothing
but the clothes on their backs and
4 small box of valuables.
And I just bought s1S5 phono-
graph yesterday. walled Mr., Verhof-
stad
Joseph Rosen, clothing merchant.
narrowly escaped death. Like most OF
Main and Second streets attempting
to save his stock. The flood waters
from the Arkansas river rushed up
Main street so quickly he coul7 not
escape. In desperate effort, Rosen
broke through a transom over the
show window. Man across the street
shouted to rescuers on the second
Rosen to safety.
Deputy u. S. Marshal Fl. E. McIn-
tyrc of Denver was another who had
an exciting experience. At eleven p.
m, he returned to the federal building
after having filed a newspaper dis
Patch to Denver newspaper As he
had waded water an inch or moro deep
he attempted to change foot gear but
before he could do it water inches
deep was inside the building. In
few minutes more he and Postmaster
s. S. Bellefield waded water waist
deep in the lobby to safety.
% Girls Mnrooned
Twenty five girls are marooned IN
th&Y. w. c. A. building, which was
inSthe direct path of the water. One
whole section of the Pryor Furniture
store, in the downtown district, was
carried away when struck by TIE At
Gibson. Topeka and Santa Fe Rail-
read loading sheds which was swept
from its foundation by the flood.
The Y. NJ. C. A. tonight was housing
refugees and issuing food cards Moth
ing Is being sold without permits.
The military force continued in
charge of the situation tonight. Pris-
oners in the city jail on the ground
floors were hauled to safety by ropes
dropped from the second floor.
Scores of persons were detected
lootlng stores as the flood poured its
way into the streets last night. A
hundred shots were fired at the loot
ers by soldiers.
1t was virtually impossible tonight
to estimate accurately the number of
dead. Two morgues tonight held 1872
bodies and scores of dead were dis
covered in wrecked buildings where
their recovery was Impossible be-
cause of the mass of mud and debris
The force of the flood carried entire
buildings down the steam and it is
believed many of the dead were car
ried far down the river and many
will never be recovered
Must Rebuild Roads
Railroad officials were pessimistic
about resumption OF train services.
All the lines in Pueblo either were
washed away or the tracks were so
twisted and torn that it Will require
entire new construction of road bed
and tracks.
Tonight relief measures were under
way. The city council had appro-
priated fund of $4,000 and the
business men had contributed $125,000
to relieve the suffering.
The first warning of yesterday
flood came at shortly after 8 p. m. in
telephone messages which said that
dams near Portland We're threatened
and the water in the Arkansas river
nad risen dangerously at Wettm0re,
Portland and Florence. The fire de-
partment siren sounded 15-minute
flood warnings and within short
time every available police officer and
guardsman was sent into the West
Pepper Saucer river bottoms of West
Pueblo to warn the inhabitants.
One woman dragged from her home
before the flood crest reached the bot
toms crawled under the house and re-
fused to come out. 1t is feared a
heavy loss of life resulted in this sec
ton. although it has been impossible
as yet to conduct an investigation.
Many buildings Catch
Many business houses and-residences
were set afre by burning timber
floating from flaming lumber yard.
Boy Scouts rescued George King and
his son, Francis. from one building in
boats. Southbound Denver and Rio
Grande railroad train NO. 8. due in
Pueblo from Denver at 7:45 last night,
was held up north of the city. The
train was swept into the river. Most
of the passengers have been accounted
for, climbing to the roof of the cars
and making their way to the Nuckolls
Packing company. Missouri Pacific
train No. l. which is due to leave
Pueblo at 6:05 p. m, also was toppled