The Washington times., 1921-06-07
FLO0DC|TY
bA 7 LING
SMALLPOX
AND FEVER
Decaying Flesh and Famine of
Pure Water Makes Sanitation
Work Difficult.
BY JOSEPH C. COYLE,
international News Service.

PUEBLO, June AFTER four
days Of terror and suffering. Pueblo
was astir today in an optimistic
mood.
Citizens nerves have been re-
stored, as all fears of further floods
have been allayed.
The raging, angry waters of the
Arkansas and Fountain rivers are
subsiding and courage prevails.
PUEBLO SLEEPS sOUNDLY.
For the first time since Thursday
night sleeping citizens were not dis
turbed by alarms OF floods. The roar
of the raging waters was replaced
by the hum Of motor patrols and the
buzz of attempted business resump-
ton.
The total number of dead bodies re-
coyerd and identified early today Is
thirty y-one, but estimates OF the death
toll range from 200 to 500.
The day broke fair and warmer, and
despite the favorable effect these
weather conditions had upon the
people, IL opens another meance that
may prove more disastrous than the
floods
Disease, contag1on. and epidemic
are the dangers.
An anti-hy campaign has been
started but II 10 almost hopeless
Dead animals are buried under
wreciage in many parts of the city.
and the stencil from the earcasses
pervade the community.
The water supply Is KffN fnads-
quate and water may be used only
for cooking or drinking.
EPIDEnCs sTARTED.
Sanitation experts OF the United
States Public Health Service are
putting forth every effort to prevent
the outbreak OF epidemics- Small
pox. diphtheria and typhoid fever are
reported in several towns
John p. Cornell, in charge OF ssut-
tary work, expressed the hope early
today that the threatened epidemic
could be syerted- but he said that
the debris, decaying vegetation and
massed wreckage, under which we're
hundreds OF dead animals, may be
too much for his men to cope with.
Willis H Parker. city comm ssion-
er, stated today that the Pueblo
property loss will approximate s2O,-
600 900 and that loss OF life is inn
possible of an accurate estimate. He
believes that at least 800 perished.
Hundreds OF persons were trapped.
Parker stated that the present
urgent needs of the city are gas.
water, lights and communication
service, though the last mentioned
was rapidly being restortd today.
There is no difficulty at present in
obtaining food, but keeping II in con-
dition without ice, and the Eemine Of
water At to drink makes a serious
epidemic possible" he said.
MONEY soRELy NEEDED.
Parker also urges that money be
sent to Pueblo at once. Food can
be gotten in all right" he said, but
the lack of financial assistance viii
hamper the work of relief"
Parker declared that stories OF loot
ing were exaggerated.
Pueblo Is rising from the disaster
in relief work that II has no tin>a
TO mourn its misfortunes
RECONSTRUCTION BEGINS.
Pueblo today started the work %
reconstruction Scrapers are at work
on the streets and the mud and do
bris in general is being csrted away.
with the issuance OF an order hy
Lieut.. Col Paul r.. Newton. ts charge
Of the city under martial law, sr~fs-
ing every sbIe-bodfed msn In the city
for labor, the work of cIesris9 up
f. progressing rapidly.
Gasoline engines are being pressed
into service on all available pump~
for clearing Easements OF the stores
and buildings in the flooded area
The order. which puts every sbis-
hssasadv man IN ~.oSk IN fhA sanA3tr1as