Arizona republican., 1921-10-31
36 DEATHS IN F[()O[) .[)|SS '!SSTER
Scene of Desolation and Ruin All That Remains of Model Mining Camp at Britannia Beach.
F I F T E FEN INJURED
Fully Half of no Cottages Carried Away by Friday Flood Following Week of Heavy Rains.
Republican A. p. Leased wlre1

VANCOUVER, B. C., Oct 3o-
 Thirty six persons are known to be dead, and perhaps more are missing and fifteen are nursing serious in- juries as a result of the disastrous flood which plunged down a steep mountain side Friday night and transformed the Model Copper Min ing settlement of Britannia Beach in to a scene of desolation and ruin.
 Fully half of the 110 neat cottages were carried away on the crest of the flood. Others were smashed to pieces by the onrushing waters and most of the remainder were still par tially submerged tonight. Four chill dren are dead and ten others are re- ported missing. Ten of the dead and all of the injured were brought to Vancouver last evening. All in- jured are expected to recover.
 An energetic search for the missing was made today but the work was slow because of the difficulties in clearing away the wreckage. Ie is considered doubtful of the bodies of some of the missing will ever be re- covered as they are believed to have been washed into the muddy waters of the Howe sound
 Manager J. Domaine. of tlse Brit annia mines tonight described efforts made by those on duty at the mines three miles back from the beach to warn residents. When the railway fill, which caused the accumulation of water in the hills gave way and released a roaring torrent into the creek. a warning of the disaster was sent over the private telephone lines of the mining company. This mes sage was received by Miss Eileen Paterson, telephone operator at the compressor plant in the village She rang everybody connected by tele- phone, relaying the miners message. {. For Gods sake get out of your houses; flood coming"
 Before the warning could be under stood and circulated, the waters crashed down, sweeping away trans mission lines and plunging the viI- lage into darkness.
 The waters had fallen ? LOGO feet in their three mile journey down the mountain and smashed straight through the center of the settlement. Britannia Creek now runs through the village itself which is under sev- eraI feet of water strewn with wreckage.
 The only undamaged buildings on the residential side of the town are
 
 theater and amusement hall, and a few houses. On the other side. store, hotel and several mill shops were standing.
 The lighting system was restored today in the south side.
 Squamish, a town eight miles north of here also is flooded but the dam age is not great.
 Britannia Mines. had communica- tion with the outside world over it's own private telephone lines and these were rarely used at night.
 Gaining tremendous momentum by the fall of 2,000 feet in their three mile journey down the mountain, the flood waters, released by the bursting of a railway fill. smashed through the center of Britannia Mines, car- rying away fully half of its nearly six score houses. Railway tracks and bridges were destroyed, completely cutting off Vancouver and the main land from railroad connection with the eastern part of the province. The flood came after more than q week of heavy rain accompanied by snow in the higher attitudes. The warm weather. following the heavy precipitation caused the rapid melt ing of the snow on the mountain top and a consequent aggravation of the swollen creeks and streams.