Washington telegraph., 1921-06-03
PUEBLO INUNDATED
BY FLOOD WATERS
THE ARKANSAS RIVER SWEEPS
ACROSS CITY, CAUSING
HEAVY LOSS.
RED CROSS AID SUFFERERS
Food and Water Reported as Scarce,
and Hundreds Are in Need of
Shelter and Medical
Attention.

Shelter and Medical
Attention.
Pueblo, Colo.-Flood waters OF tho
Arkansas river sweeping through Pu-
eblo Friday night and Saturday
caused deaths that total into the hun
drsds and property damage in excess
OF SIO,000.O0O, according to reports
The Red Cross organized to aid suf.
ferers, and {. W Lee was named food
administrator to have charge OF ra.
tioning the food available in the city
The railroad yards were left ftned
With mud covered debris and broken
and overturned equipment, increasing
the damage by more than a million
dollars. Business houses, inside and
outside, were covered with Shiny mud.
and in many cases even brick build.
iugs we're undermined and wrecked
Frame buildings in the path of the
food we're swept away. in many cases
carrying their inhabitants with them
No Attention to Warnings.
While the food warnings had been
given, many persons did not heed
them, and TO this is ascribed a large
part OF the death loss.
Thousands OF Mexicans. with their
possessions on the backs, were wan
dering through the city with nothing
to eat and no place to sleep. Not
even drinking water was available.
Frank Pryor, of a local furniture
company, spent one night on the stand
ing wall of his four-story building
which collapsed.
Richard Philbins was rescued from
a telephone pole, where he had spent
the night. He was riding a horse
when the waters overwhelmed him.
The horse was drowned. but Philbins
managed TO swim to the pole.
While the greater loss Of life ap.
pears to have been in Pueblo, reports
Of damage TO property come from
many sections OF southeastern Colo
RADIO. Streams, sent out OF their
banks by cloudbursts in the noun.
tains. carried away farm buildings
and drowned many head OF cattle.
= Bridges Swept Away.
carried 5~s sssA ; H%9E7hEtdges % 7gs gg NsEs Ss
and telephone lpes we're laid low
In Pueblo dam &c was increased by
fires in the busiess section, started
by lightning and equenched for lack
OF water pressure.
The flooded secbn Of Pueblo e1.
{ ,opdad from, Caport a.uo.. g.. A.
Mesa. It contains alarge portion of
the business district
Starting shortly afH 5 o'clock, Pu.
eblo's fire whistles souded the food
alarm. At that hour 9th the Arkan.
sas and the Fountain Vere rising rap.
idly from the cloudbudsthat prevailed
during the day HUNDREDS Of persons
took warning and gathersd a few be.
longings. seeking safety IL the hills
around the city. Others did not heed
the warning. Many Of these paid
with their lives.
The floods swept into the city
~roper about 7 O'Clock Police and
| guards drove crowds back from the
main bridges, where they had taken
refuge. In a half hour water was
pouring over the top Of the railings
OF bridges, and the main business sec
| ton was inundated. Street cars
stopped: electric lights went OF
In the darkness could be heart the
roar OF the onrushing waters, and the
crash of falling buildings. A rain was
| falling to add TO the discomfort.
Here and there with the flashes OF
lightning spectators could see small
houses floating about. over in the
railroad yards passenger coaches and
other equipment lay overturned. and
out Of the night came the cries o
stricken women and children appeal
/ ing for help.
Scores OF men risked their lives Il
bring women and children TO safety
The Colorado Rangers, the police ant
/ the Colorado National Guard bent u
the work of rescue. Scores Of per
sons alive in Pueblo owe their live
| to the bravery of the men OF thes
organizations and scores of volur
teers.