The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-15
TELLS OF FLOOD
Santa Fe EmpiOye Gives Story
of Pueblo Disaster.
He Believes That at Least 800
Lives We're Lost.

"Two-thirds Of the business district
of Pueblo have been totally destroyed"
H. L. Loveless, an employe of the
Santa Fe at the stricken city, declared
today. Loveless was in Topeka after
a consultation with the officials of the
claims department here, and is return
ing to Pueblo tonight.
Loveiess was caught in the lower
portion of the city when the flood
struck the city WI, Within M a few few
reached the bridge on which he and a
friend were standing, they were COM
PEELED to wade thru a deep flood
to get back to dry ground.
Blew Fire Whistle.
7"When the fire whistle was blown as
a warning for people to leave the
lower sections of the city, instead of
their leaving, crowds of other people
came down from uptowns to see the
anticipated flood, and don't think
that all of them got away again, "
Loveless said.
The district known as THE Grove"
which was made up of some OF the
Oldest buildings mostly two stories
high and of brick, was totally de-
molished.
JAS we left the district we could
see people looking out of the second
story windows there. 1t was two Gays
before they could get into the district
again. and most of the houses were
masses Of ruins There are bodies in
there that will never be found or iden-
titled" Loveless declared. He believes
that at least 500 persons lost their
lives in the flood. tho it is difficult to
estimate the number dead. Complete
lists Of the bodies identified have
never been made public, Loveless as
serts.
One shift of men working in the
Santa Fe roundhouse at Pueblo was
caught in the rising flood, and climbed
to the tops of engines which stand
twelve feet or more nigh. The men
stood on top of the engines, and were
still standing in water, where they re-
manned from late Saturday evening
until Sunday before they could be res
one of the most feared dangers of
the city at the present time is an epi-
demic, LovelesS said. The carcasses
of innumerable animals which were
drowned, as we'll as-the bodies of hui
man beings, are still in the wreckage,
and the stencil in the lower portion
of the city is very bad.
Red Gross Doing Big Work.
THE Red Cross is looking after that
and also after the homeless people, for
whom 1000 tents have been pitched
in Mineral Palace park" Loveless
says.
Things are being cleaned. up as
rapidly as possible, and there is plenty
of food there now, but there are many
things which the people still need in
their camps. There is urgent need for
everything which the Red Cross is
able to get to Pueblo"
The soldiers are still in command OF
the city, and no person is allowed to
be on the streets afterf7 clock in the
evening, without a military pass.
VIII Take Years.
1t will be years before the business
district RECEIVERS from the damage
which was done by the water and by
the fires which broke out after the
city pumping plant had been disabled
when the flames broke out in a
lumber yard, an automobile garage
and an office building at the same
time, there was no water to fight 1t
with. If a downpour of rain lasting
an hour and a half had not struck the
city, the remainder of 1t must have
burned Loveless said.
The fire lit up the whole city
When the lumber caught fire, RATS OF
it floated out of the yard on the ris-
ing current. and went down the river
blazing until it was out of sight.
by the flashes of lightning, float
ing houses were visible as they came
down the river
Train service has been resumed tc