The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1921-06-09
PUEBLO, COLORADO
NOW UNDER WATER
PUEBLO INUNDATED; LOSES Es.
TlMATED AT 100000, OTHER
COMMUNITIES IN DANGER
Rains Rapidly Swelling Arkansas River
Causing Worst Flood In History OF
County Communication Cut OFF:
Loss Of Lives Not Heavy

Denver, COlO.-Four persons dead,
TWO missing; property damage mount
ing into the hundreds of thousands (;
Pueblo partially inundated and cut off
from telephone communication since
1880 O'Clock Friday; Marshall lake dam
threatening to break and wipe out the
town of MARSHALL several towns In the
northeastern part Of the state flooded
and without lights and power-this was
the situation as the result of cloud
bursts In eastern and central Colorado.
A rainfall varying from inch in
Denver to and inches in the north
ern part Of the state and In the noun
tains, before night had turned noun
tain streams into torrents, filled irri-
CATION reservoirs to the danger mark,
driven scores of people from their
homes and caused an enormous loss
In livestock and crops. At midnight
the rain was still falling in torrents.
Pueblo was under water early Fri.
day in the most disastrous flood in the
city's history according to a special
dispatch to the Rock Mountain News.
The damage according to the dispatch,
will reach $4,O00,0O0. Every basement
from the Arkansas river to the Thatch-
er building is full Of water, and boats
were used to rescue marooned persons
from the federal building.
Pueblo is under water in the worst
food in its history. The last word
from this city on the Arkansas river
came shortly after midnight. A dis
patch to the Rocky Mountain News
was interrupted with this note from
the Western Union OPERATOR:
II am beating It now. The water is
under my feet"
The river was normal at o'clock ;
at 5 1t was out Of its banks, and at 10
every basement in large part Of the
business district was full. Postmaster
Bellesfield estimated the damage to the
potoffice at 100000.
Very little rain fell in Pueblo, but at
Swallows, fifteen miles west Of here, a
cloudburst sent wall of water down
the river.
Fire added to the horror OF the sit
uation, the lumber yard OF the Newton
investment company bursting into
flames which lighted the inundated
areas for miles.
The crew Of Denver and Rio Grande
train No. 2, which arrived here at 0
o'clock last night, said that when they
pulled into Pueblo the water touched
the car steps.
All night trains Of the Denver Rio
Grande and Atchlson. Topeka and San
Ia Fe roads TO Pueblo were annulled.
At the union station II was said no
trains would leave for Pueblo before
g. o'clock In the morning at the earliest.
Efforts were made to get In touch
with the telephone operator at Mar
shall, Colo, where an irrigation dam
threatened to break, engu!flng the
town. The operator had promised to
stick to her post and send word II pos
slble II the dam should break. The
last report, at IL p. m. last night, said
the dam might go out at any time.
A heavy rain was falling.
The lake, a private irrigation pro
ject, covers 800 acres OF land and is
slxty-three feet deep. The 200 resi-
dents Of the mining town, about TWEEN
ty-five miles from Denver, are spending
the night fully dressed. ready TO fee
Breaking OF the dam would wipe out
the town.