The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-06-06
PUEBLO FLOOD
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which people fled their homes, taking
refuge in the city hall.
Red Cross stations cared for the
homeless.
High Water in Denver
Reports from Denver early this
morning said that the river was with
in one foot of the bridge structures
in the business section and still ris-
ing. Three times yesterday came
renewal of the flood here. At O'Clock
in the morning water rose several feet
when the crest of the flood from the
, breaking of the StrattOn Park dam,
near Colorado Springs, reached Pu
eblo. In the middle of the afternoon.
breaking of the Skagmay reservoir
and beaver dam near Victor, coupled
with heavy downpour of rain in the
Arkansas watershed and in Pueblo,
caused another rise. Again last night
followed another heavy rainstOrm. In
none of the floods of yesterday, how
ever did the waters reach the level
of Friday night.
The washout of railway lines lead
ing to the stricken area created a
menacing situation to be overcome to-
day. Food supplies in Pueblo were
estimated by Red Cross officials as
being less than sufficient for three
days. Roads to the city are impass-
able for miles around Several ma
chimes have already been sent out
with blankets and medical supplies.
Water Supply Threatened
The only drinking water availa Bile
today is from lithia spring on hill
at the outskirts of the city. A heavy
downpour of rain continued all
through last night and the early morn
ing today. Military patrols were
handicapped by impossible streets,
pitch darkness, the citys electric sery
ice station having been out Of com
mission since early Friday evening,
and the unrelenting downpour. All
persons have been kept from the
streets since Sa aturday evening. Loot
ing has been held to a minimum. No
one is permitted to enter the city ex-
cept the military, Red Cross workers
and state and other officials.
Laughed at Warning
Sergeant Willoughby, of the United
States army, here to train national
guard troops, said warning of the
llOOu was given I'LL LllC blo
trict Friday night and that many per-
sons laughed at the warning, refus-
ing to leave. Later in the night he
aided in clearing back crowds from
the vicinity of the river as the water
swept into the bottoms.
Cries Of persons tapped in their
homes could be heard. he said, but
no one could assist them. He said
men could be seen running ahead OF
the waters, breaking windows and
looting. Many of the dead, he be-
lieved, represented persons who de-
clined to heed the flood warnings or
who did not understand the gravity
of the situation.
Witnesses told of having seen five
men trapped in a store. They climbed
into the balcony and as the flood
waters surrounded them they pound
ed their way through the second
story with a baseball bat. From there
they made their way to a roof from
which they later were rescued.
One body was taken out yesterday
after having been crushed between
telephone poles. Another body OF
man was found beneath the fire es-
cape of building. A woman's body
was found in garage.
The basement OF every building in
the downtown section is filled with
water and mud. Windows of base
ments were crushed in by the flood
and military officials say that bodies
may be found here weeks later, when
it has been possible to pump out the
easements and shovel out the mud.
Blame Railroad Track
Officials attribute much of the
flood tn tho h10ckin0 the HIGH
waters by railroad right of way in one
section built entirely of Stag. With
the exception OF small hole under
the tracks, the Stag withstood the on
rush of the flood and the waters
backed up to the city. washing out
the levees and leaving the lower part
of Pueblo at the mercy of the waters.
All the levees were washed out in the
flood and restorat tion of the river to
its natural bed presents an engineer
ing problem of magnitude. In the
vicinity Of the state hospital the near
est the cores pondent could approach
to the natural bed Of the river was
approximately a half mile. Parts of
the railroad yards there had been
washed away and the river had es
tablished a new channel, virtually
covering the entire section of bot
toms known as the Grove.
TOPEKA, Kansas, June 6.-The first
food wave of the Arkansas river
flood today was sweeping down from
Eastern Colorado upon Kansas. The
river at Byramen was bank-full
at nightfall last night and rising rap
idly Farmers and ranchmen living
in the bottoms early Sunday moved
their stock to the highlands.
Men on horseback are patrolling
the river west of Byramen, warning