The Ordway new era., 1921-06-24
Bodies Are Still
Being Recovered

Mrs. Arthur Darr is the sole sur
yivor of a family of six. The recent
food took from her four children
and her husband. and she battled
with the river current and debris to
save her life and the lives of her
children.
The Darr family resided on a river
bottom farm south of Ordway. They
( were caught in the flood and Mrs
Darr and the four children, ranging
in ages from one to six years, took
refuge on the roof of small build
ing which soon was swept into the
river. One by one she saw her little
ones swept from the building into
the seething waters to disappear for
ever. AT last only the baby in her
arms remained. In telling the story
she said. Il was clinging to mH
little one when we too were swept
into the river and the house floated
away. l swan frantically through
the water and finally caught up with
the house again, but when l drew
myself onto the roof, my baby was
dead" AT this point tears came to
her relief and she could 60 no furth-
Ell. She>finally got onto log and
worked herself to the north side OF
the river where she was rescued.
During this time the husband and
fnther had been marooncd in a tree
and had witnessed the loss Of his
family. According to another man
who was Eear him he lost his mind
+, ON the strain. He became frantic
and tore the hair from his head by
handsful. A little later he leaped
to his death in the flood, being un-
able TO stand the strain sny longer.
Stnah ie iurhs Of -r,;n
Darr is compelled to bear, She is
about 26 years of age and is said to
be a good swimmer. This probably
accounts for the fact that she is still
alive. The only bright spot in the
entire tragedy for her was the find
ing of her baby The La Junta pa
pers state that with all her sorrow
she was happy at the finding of this
one child. What weight of grief
she must have born to make the find
ing or the little decomposed and al
most unrecognizable body of her ba-
by cause for happiness. One paper,
in its comment ON this tragic Incl
dent, says: Those of us who have
been complaining and grumbling OF
our little losses and inconveniences
should hide our faces in shame in
tie presence of this tragedy. This
was real trouble and loss. Not on
ly her husband and children gone,
but everything else they owned
When rescued she did not have even
clothing to cover her-nothing re-
| manned but her life. Those of us who
are inclined to grumble at our slight
misfortune should remember the sto-
ry of Mrs. Darr and instead of COM
planning, should feel thankful that
our lot lies along pleasant lines.
La Junta-Four bodies were taken
from the river in this county yester-
day, all of whom were drowned as
result of the great flood which swept
down the Arkansas river on Satur-
day, June 4th. The body of Logan
dargis was found in pile of drift
| wood about three miles east of La
Junta yesterday morning. Logan
Hargis and his cousin Lewis Hargis
were drowned in the evening of June
8th when they attempted to swim the
river. Both bridges at La Junta were
washed out at that time and the two
boys having interests across the river
desired TO get on the other side when
| they were caught in the swift current
and drowned. The body OF Lewis
was found several days ago
The body of Arthur Darr was
found near Rocky Ford yesterday.
Darr, with four of his children were
drowned on the afternoon of the flood
when their house was swept away,
the mother of the family being the
only one saved. The body was found
in the sand along the river, only one
FOOT showing. The only means of l.
Identification was tattoo on the
mans arm. The body of one of the
Darr boys was also found yesterday
near Rocky Ford. One of the Darr
children was found at Las Animas
soon after the flood, and there are
still two bodies of this family in the
river.
! The body of Elizabeth White, of
this city. who was drowned at the
same time Mr.. and Mrs Frank Lewis
and Mrs. Frank White, met their
death, was found just before noon
yesterday about ten miles down the
river under pile of driftwood The
body was discovered by the child's
grandfather. The bodies of at least
half dozen other people from this
county, who were drowned during
the flood, are still in the river.