Omaha daily bee., 1921-09-11
List
Estimated
About 250
Hundreds Injured When High
Waters Strike Texas City
Property Damage
Runs Into Millions.
Relief Work Under Way

Corpus Christi, Tex, Sept. TO-
Bodies of 20 Mexicans were recoy-
cred from swollen streams at Nc
Allen today. according to a dis
patch to the Corpus Christi Caller
tonight. Tie telephone plant
manager at Harrington says that
the Rio Grande river and tribu-
taries are all far out of their banks.
San Antonio, Tex, Sept. TO-
Forty persons are known TO have
been killed and hundreds injured in
flood waters which swept down upon
this city early today. Police esti-
mates, however, place the total death
list as high as $50. The property
damage will run into the millions.
The continued swollen condition OF
the three streams which caused the
flood has made the work of recover.
ing bodies difficult. Great piles o,
drift wood, lodged in trees and
against bridges, when removed, It
was feared would reveal many dead.
Other bodies also are believed to
have floated down stream.
With the water of the San Antonio
river, the Alazan and San Pedro
creeks, back in their banks only
few hours, relief work and sanitary
precautions are we'll nnder way. A
relief committee has begun caring for
victims and city health officers are
engaged in a rigid clean up of the
city to prevent disease.
This work will be continued Sat-
urday night and Sunday.
Two Thousand Homeless.
Two thousand persons are home
less.
The electric light and street rail-
way power plant was1fooded and it
will be several days before service
will be resumed. The water supply
was cut off anc it will be "a hours
before it can be resumed.
Telephone service is disrupted.
Troops from Fort Sam Houston
are patroling the city and 4ss:a4ilig in
rescue work.
Business Section Flooded.
Water from the San Antonio
river, which winds through the city,
and from its tributary, Dimes creek,
flooded the business section Of the
city for many blocks to depth of
from 10 to IS feet. San Pedro creek,
on the west side of the city, which
runs through the Mexican district,
overhowed and joined the waters
from the river and swept through
the southern part Of the city.
Water stood Is feet deep in the
lobby of the Gunter hotel which is
block from the river. The flood
reached to the Alamo plaza on the
east, which is five blocks from the
river.
The power house will be out Of
commission for at least "a hours.
Street car service is suspended in
definitely.
Mexican Section Hit
It is believed that the greatest
loss of life occurred in the Mexican
district. Residents in that sector
were unable to get out though aided
throughout the night by firemen and
police and soldiers from Fort Sam
Houston.
Both banks of the San Antonio
river are strewn with the wreckage
of houses. A number of automobiles
were swept away.
Throughout the night the east ard
west sides of the city were cut of
from each other and it was only at
daylight that the waters had re-
ceded sufficiently to permit crossing
by one bridge in the northern Sec
ton.
Newspaper plants were flooded,
but the San, Antonio Light succeed
ed in issuing an extra on the hand
press at 6 a. m.
Alarming reports of loss of life in
the valley of the San Antonio river
south of the city are coming in. but
the Light is unable to confirm them.
An unprecedented rainfall, which
began at midnight Thursday and
continued throughout Friday and
Friday night, caused the food. At
least eight inches of rain fell during
this period. Early last night there
was heavy rainfall in the valley of
the Olmos creek, north of the city.
Water from the creek rushed INTO
The San Antonio river and joined the
surface water which was pouring