The New York herald., 1921-06-05
MUD And WRECKACE
VIEWED FROM PLANE
over STRICKEN CITY
Airman Finds Pueblo Is
Partly Submerged-Hears
of Panic and Peril.
BRIDGES WASHED AWAY
Colorado South Of the Springs
Described as Ghostly No
Mans Land.
BRIDGES WASHED AWAY

DENVER, June Am airplane view
OF the Pueblo flood disaster was
brought to Denver late to-day by Will
lam A. Kimsey, pilot, who few TO
Pueblo with staff correspondents of
the Associated Press and the Rocky
Mountain Neaos.
After circling above the stricken city
to make an accurate appraisal of the
havoc wrought by the flood. Kimsey
and his passengers landed in the out
skirts of Pueblo being the first per-
sons from the outside world to reach
the scene Of the catastrophe.
Following his return to Denver af-
ter a daring flight. much OF which
was accomplished through low hang
ing clouds which obscured the earth
the conditions at Pueblo as he saw
from the air and he heard of them
from refugees who flocked about his
plane after he landed at the State Fair
Grounds.
'Frcm an altitude of about 1000 feet"
Pueblo looked like sea OF mud and
water. The district which u know well
from other flights over. the city was
hardly recognizable on account of vast
piles OF debris.
Railroad station an Island.
"Tne railroad station stood out as an
island in O lake, but the tracks were
completely submerged. and cars could
be seen floating about The waters Of
the Arkansas were backed up on the
right bank for what appeared to be
several blocks. and that section OF the
city between tire depot ard the ap-
proximste vicinity or The Vale Hotel
was submerged.
"All of the outlying districts OF the
I lowlands appeared utterly devastated
and for miles around there was Moth
ing but vast txpanse OF mud. dotted
here and there by houses perched at
some odd angle.
IT didn't leave my plane after / landed
In the city, but number OF residents
told me OF the horrible conditions and
verified my aerial observations. They
said that there had been no chance 10
! start search for the dead and the
missing, but that the police lines we're
being formed fairly we'll and that the
situation which for hours was one of
panic and wanton destruction by looters,
was getting more controllabe.
Between Pueblo and Colora do
Springs all Of the bridges as far as
could observe were washed out and the
flooded city was entirely cut off to the
north Although I did not go south of
Pueblo J could not see any bridges in
commission in any direction out Of the
i, city.
City cut In Half by Flood.
When we got to Pueblo the city was
out right In half by the flood, and It
| appeared impossible for those on one
| bank of the Arkansas to reach those on
the other-a situation which the refugees
told me was creating great consterna-
tion. When ] was leaving 7 was told
that one of the viaducts connecting the
| two main parts OF the city would soon
be I'm commission. relieving the con-
| fusion"
| In describing the fligh, from Denver
TO Pueblo. which was successfully ac-
complshed In spite of adverse flying
weather, kimsey said:
Several times on the way down we
wero lost in the clouds, out flew ahead
on she chance there would be a hole,
and we had good luck The only towns
we sighted on the down trip were Cas-
tlerock. Monument and Fountain.
AT Fountain the tracks were under
water and a passenger train seemed to
! be partly turned over
Kimsey said the roads between Denver
and Colorado Springs were pdsss1le
and that traffic could be seen moving
elong without great difficulty. South
OF Colorado Springs. however, no said
that everything appeared like ghostly
SO Mans Land