The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1921-06-10
ARKANSAS FLOODS
COLORADO CITY
PUEBLO is COMPLETELY RUINED
BY OVERFLOW WATER FROM
ARKANSAS RIVER.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LOSS
Flooded Section Includes Large Por'
ton of Business Section-Many
Persons Pay No Attention
to Flood Warnings.

Pueblo, CoiO.-Fio6d waters Of thu
Arkansas river sweeping through Pu
eblo Friday night and Saturday
caused deaths that total into the hun
dreds and property damage in exces:
Of $10,000,000, according to reports
The Red Cross organized to aid suf
ferers, and c. w. Lee was named fooC
administrator to have charge OF ra
tioning the food available in the city
The railroad yards were left filled
with Undiscovered debris and broker
and overturned equipment, increasing
the damage by more than a million
dollars. Business houses, inside anC
outside, were covered with Shiny mud
and in many cases even brick build
ings were undermined and wrecked
Frame buildings in the path of the
food were swept away, in many cases
carrying their inhabitants with them
No Attention to Warnings.
While the food warnings had been
given, many persons did not heed
them, and to this is ascribed large
part OF the deatn loss.
Thousands of Mexicans, with their
possessions on the backs, were wan
dering through the city with nothing
to eat and no place to sleep. Not
even drinking water was available.
Frank Pryor, Of a local furniture
company, spent one night on the stand
ing wall of his four-story building
which collapsed.
Richard Philbins was rescued from
a telephone pole, where he had spent
the night. He was riding horse
when the waters overwhelmed him
The horse was drowned, but Philbins
managed to swim to the pole.
While the greater loss Of life ap
pears to have been in Pueblo, reports
Of damage to property come from
many sections Of southeastern Colo
RADIO. Streams, sent out Of their
banks by cloudbursts in the i iiil6un
tains. carried ava farm buildings
and drowned many head of cattle.
Bridges Swept Away.
Railroad and highway bridges were
carried away, and miles of telegraph
and telephone lines were laid low.
In Pueblo damage was increased by
fires in the business section, started
by lightning and unQuenched for lack
Of water pressure.
The flooded section OF Pueblo ex'
tended from Second street to the
Mesa. 1t contains large portion of
the business district.
Starting shortly after 5 o'clock, Pu
eblo's fire whistles sounded the food
alarm. At that hour both the Arkan
sas and the Fountain were rising rap
idly from the cloudbudst that prevailed
during the day. Hundreds OF persons
took warning and gathered few be
longings, seeking safety in the hills
around the city Others did not heed
the warning. Many of these paid
with their lives.
The floods swept into the city
proper about o'clock. Police and
guards drove crowds back from the
main bridges, where they had taken
refuge. In a half hour water was
pouring over the top of the ratings
OF bridges, and the main business sec.
ton was inundated. Street cars
stopped; electric lights went off.
In the darkness could be heard the
roar of the onrushing waters, and the
crash of falling buildings. A rain was
falling to add to the discomfort
Here and there with the flashes OF
lightning spectators could see small
houses floating about. Over in the
railroad yards passenger coaches and
other equipment lay overturned, and
out OF the night came the cries OF
stricken women and children appeal
ing for help.
Scores of men risked their lives to
bring women and children to safety
The Colorado Rangers, the police and
the Colorado National Guard bent to
the work of rescue. Scores OF per
sons alive in Pueblo owe their lives
to the bravery of the men Of these
organizations and scores of volun'
teers.
City Cutting Expenses.