, 1921-06-09
ESTIMATED $4,000 HOMELESS-NUMBER
LOST IN DISASTER WILL NEVER
BE NOWN.
MILLIONS in PROPERTYLOST
EPORT SHOW HEAVY RAINS CAUSE ENOR-
NOUS LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY
OVER ENTIRE TAT

Denver, June O.-Friday, June =, was
n dark day in the history Of Pueblo,
Colorado's second city. Flood waters
from the Arkansas and Fountain riv-
ers devastated the business and lower
residence sections OF the town, sweep
Ing away hundreds of houses and caus-
ing great loss of life. Reports TO date
show property loss will run into mil
lions, while constantly dead bodies
are being found, until the death roll
shows upwards of 200. Flood waters
fill a large portion OF he city. and
Saturday and Sunday as they receded
new horrors were revealed. In some
places the water was reported seven
teen feet deep.
Publo's MO depot was in the cen
ter of the flooded area, which cached
from the high cliffs on which the bet
ter residence portion OF the city is To-
cated at Seventh street to west of the
station. Practically all in that lower
section is destroyed. From Friday
night to Sunday the city was without
light or water, street cars stopped,
fires became frequent and with no
chance to fight them. o consumed
many business and residence blocks.
The flood vas augmented by a sec
ond c%loudburst Saturday which
wrought greater havoc. Sunday. with
the breaking of Beaver dam, eight
miles north of Florence, and n terrific
cloudburst about 3 p. M, the stricken
city is In n most pitiful condition. The
Arkansas river rushed down again and
the receding waters were given fresh
impetus. 1t is Impossible to tell the
extent Of this dire disaster.
Pueblo is under martial law, the
Colorado National Guard and Colorado
Rangers being in complete control If
the city. Looters have been arrested
by the dozen and several shot. Armies
of rescuers worked day and night to
save persons caught in the flood and
who could not reach safety before the
great nine-foot wall Of water struck
the city.
Denver K Rio Grande train No. 3
and Missouri Pacific train No. II were
cnught in the flood and both turned
turtle. As each carried numbers If
passengers, 1t is not now known how
many persisted.
Railroad and wagon bridges are out
north, south and west Of Pueblo, and
II is difficult to get relief to the
stricken city. Denver sent a special
train of clothing, food, blankets and
other necessary equipment Saturday
night. Red Cross nurses and helpers
accompanied this train with Il full sup.
ply of emergency material. The Sal
walton Army, FitzsimonS Hospital,
Fort Logan and many others put forth
every effort to supply necessuries for
the thousands of homeless.
Forty-one u~ndertakers from Denver
took special train for Pueblo Sunday
morning to assist in caring for the
dead. Trinidad sent n carload of pro
visions, Victor, Colorado Springs and
other towns responded nobly to the call
Of the distressed city.
Governor ShOup took up his resi-
dence at Colorado Springs in order to
be as g the scene of disaster as pos
sible. First hand reports TO him by
Representative liver Daley and State
Pure Food Inspector W. Il. Cannon on
Sunday morning shows that the total
number Of dead would never he known,
that scores of bodies will never be
found. either because they are buried
uader tons of sand or destroyed In
some of the fires that ragged. and
caused this statement to be issued by
the governor:
The Pueblo flood is much worse
thar h disaster attending the earth
quake and fire In San Francisco. The
exact number OF dead may never be
known. Scores OF bodies may never
be recovered"
Every possible assistance has been
rushed to Pueblo in an effort 10 relieve
the situation rs much as possible.