South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-06-12
LOCAL WOMAN CITES
HORRORS OF FLOOD
Mrs. Z. ]. Humphrey De-
scribes How Water Played
Havoc With Pueblo.

Witnessing a loft. wall OF water
sweeping down the principal bust
ness street OF Pueblo. Col. leveling
everything in its path and causing
hugs property damage and heavy loss
Of life was the experience described
by Mrs. E. ]. Humphrey. S16 Ham
den CT, Mrs. Humphrey returned to
South Bend Friday night after a long
stay in the west
Il had left my two children. who
were with me in Colorado, at a mo-
ton picture house located on the
highlands, while 1 went over town
10 look after some business matters
prior 70 my leaving Colorado" Mrs
Humphrey related. Il had secured
M tickets via the Santa Fe 10 leave
that very night the flood came"
Fortunately, also. we had aban-
doned our lodging house earlier in
the day and gone 10 the home OF a
friend 10 remain until train time
The lodging house, while possibly not
in the direct path Of the flood.
would have been completely isolated
and we would have been marooned
there, without food water or light
for days had we not made our ar
| rangements 10 return 10 South
Bend the same day the Arkansas
river became turbulent
PandemOnium Reigns.
"As 1 was crossing over town, I
heard the whistles blow II was the
warning that destructive waters
were coming. I glanced down the
street and just two city blocks away,
I could see this high wall OF water
sweeping down the principal thor
oughfare. This was in the evening
I ran for high ground. 1 was wor-
ried about the children for the lights
had gone out and pandemonium and
confusion reigned everywhere.
Il returned 70 the home OF my
friends and found that the children
had likewise returned. There was
no sleep for any Of us that night
Fires broke out, and in fear that the
flames would reach US, we remained
ready 10 make for the high prairie
land.
The fires appeared 70 be worse
than they really were. That night
we cared for six families in this
house. The next day we visited the
scene OF destruction. The store
buildings were swept clean. the
shacks and houses in the foreign
quarter near the Union station were
piled on end. 1t was pitiful. Freight
and passenger trains were turned
over. tracks and ties washed out.
bridges and viaducts demolished.
Many Disregarded Warning.
Had IL not been that the flood &C.
CURED in the evening and there
were no lights that first night there
would not have been the loss Of life.
Even so, the people in the lowlands
had been warned. but they had been
warned before and the flood never
came, so they did not heed il at this
time. The world knows the result
The Pueblo disaster 10 my mind
was as CORRESPONDENCE severe as the
! great San Francisco quake and fire.
II was not until Monday after the
| flood Of Friday that organized re-
/ lief started. We were able TO get
away on Wednesday by first obtain
/ ing consent OF the military which
had taken over the situation.
1T was the most nerve racking
experience Of my life. I am glad 10
have been able 10 have seen the
flood. for in not seeing il no one
can comprehend its awfulness, but
even so am glad 10 be back in
South Bend with my husband and
family.