Omaha daily bee., 1921-06-05
l32 Bodies
Recovered
From Ruins
Receding Waters Show Many
Persons Thought to Have
Perished Are Safe-Flood
Administrator Named.
Thousands Are Homeless

turned over last night in the rail-
road yards at Pueblo and many
persons were killed, according to
information received late today by
the Denver Post.
The trains were Denver & Rio
Grande No. 3, which left Denver
for Pueblo at 3:5s p. m. yesterday,
and Missouri Pacific No. 2, which
left Pueblo at last night, accord
ing to the newspapers information.
No estimate of how many per-
sons were killed was received, but
it was said the trains were both
filled with passengers.
Pueblo, Colo, June 4.--Estimatei
at 3:l5 O'Clock, OF the dead in the
flood here indicated that the num-
Der would not exceed 500 and might
be lower. The property loss still
was set at above $l0O00,00O
Receding waters disclosed the fact
that many persons believed to have
perished, had escaped.
There are three morgues. One is
located on the north side, where
bodies are being taken. Two others
have been set up on the south side
of the city, where bodies will be
taken as soon as conditions permit.
At $50 O'Clock. 1872 bodies had
been taken from the flooded district.
Capt John L. Fitzgibbon, COM
manding the military, has given or
ders to shoot all looters.
Thousands of Mexicans, with pos
sessions on their backs, were wan-
dering through the city this after
noon, with nothing to eat and no
place to sleep. There was no sss
or drinking water available. The en-
tire eastern section oi the city VAS
isolated. The south Side also was
cut off from the business district.
Business Men Marooned.
A big party of Pueblo business
men, who assembled for dinner at
Minnequa club last night, still were
marooned there today.
The Red Cross was organizing to
aid sufferers. Refugees were being
taken care of in schools, court
houses and churches.
c. w. Lee of the Charles Lee
company was named official food ad
ministrator this afternoon. He will
have charge of rationing the food Of
the city.
The flood waters cover the entire
section from Second street to the
Mesa. This includes a large portion
of the business district.
Frank Pryor, of a local furniture
company, spent last night on one
standing wall of his four-story build
ing, which collapsed. Rescuers were
endeavoring to reach him this after
noon.
Plane Circles City.
Signals were set out at 6 o'clock
last night but due to the fact that the
waters came UP with such sudden
ness it was impossible for hundreds
to escape.
llC IiOOQltS VI IOuuidin
river early this morning made the
situation worse as it is supposed to
have caused still greater loss of
life.
Suggestions have come from
prominent citizens that the imme-
date need of Pueblo are tents. fresh
water, food, bedding and milk for
the babies. The past hour or so,
an airplane has been circling the
city, apparently seeking landing
place.
1t is believed to carry an Asso-
ciated Press correspondent en-
route here from Denver.
Reports Reach Denver.
Denver, Colo, June with the
latest report from Pueblo, which.
however. remains unconfirmed, to
the effect that the death toll OF the
flood which swept that city last
night might possibly reach several
hundred, details of the terrible havoc
wrought by cloudbursts through the
eastern half of Colorado began to
come into Denver at noon today.
From all over the stricken area.
which embraces all that part of the
state lying east OF the Rocky noun
tains, come reports OF homes washed
away, people by the hundreds fee
ing to high lands, thousands Of head
of live stock drowned and millions
OF dollars damage done to crops and
property.
Just before noon a special rep
resentatives of The Associated Press
left Denver in an airplane in an at
tempt to reach Pueblo.
Rain Still Falling.
Rain was still falling this morning
in northern Colorado and southeast
ern Wyoming, but it had ceased in
other parts of the area. After what
is characterized as the heaviest June
rain III this city in 20 years last
night, Deuver today is gong about
its business under murky skies.
Weather forecasts indicate continued
showers for Denver and the eastern
slope OF Colorado, while unsettled
conditions are predicted for the
western slope.
The precipitation at Pueblo was
reported at 2o2 inches.
Denver & Rio Grande train No. 3
turned over while standing still
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