Evening star., 1923-05-15
Reports of Dead Run From
None to Fifty in Still Iso-
lated Resort City.
TORRENT SWEEPS DOWN
FROM MOUNTAIN SIDES
Flames Break Out in Ruins
Stores and Homes Crashed IN
by Water.
ny the Associated Press.

hy inc hSsoSlate0 l,reSo.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. May 1S.-
Hot Springs Mt Noon today was en-
deavorinK to exfrirate itself from
debris and ruin left by flood. fire
and wind. which last night wreck-
ed the business district of the city
with damage to property which IL
expected to run into the millions.
Several persons are reported to
have been killed. hut thus far re-
ports Of fatalities have not been
verified. 1t fs not expected, how
ever, that the death list will ex.
ceed three or four persons. While
monetary loss is roughly figured
In the milliOns, no accurate esti-
mnte In available mt this hour.
Several persons nre reported to
have been killed, hut thus fur re-
ports Of the fatalities have not
heen verified. 1t ix not expected.
however. that the death list will
exceed three four perSOns.
While the monetary loss is
roughly figured in the millions, no
accurate estimate fs available at
this hour.
MEMPHIS. Tenn. May 15.-Hot
Springs. Ark. famous resort and city of
many disasters. was stricken last night
of the three mountains which form Il
triangle about the city and by fires
which broke out in the wreckage. Re
ports seeping out generally plac" the
loss of life AT seventeen. alti ough
one report. relayed over railroad
telegraph lines To Shawnee. Okla. es-
timated the number killed as high as
fifty.
Says No Lives Lost.
a telegram received from the
Western Union manager at Hot
Springs at 1880 O'Clock this morning
said. so far as known no lives had
been lost, but that Marquette Hotel
and Il number of nearby buildings
had been destroyed. No accurate es-
Innate of the property damage was
available at that hour.
Wire communication with Hot
Springs from Little Rock. Ark. was
restored for "A short time early to-
day, but the brief news bulletin sent
before the wire went down Dealt with
the attack of the raging water which
swirlel four to nine feet deep through
the entire city. splitting 1t into three
parts. and with the fire which fol-
lowed. IT was stated in that mes
sage nobody was in the morgue at 2
O'Clock This morning. but II was in
HCated that the city could not pos
sibly have escaped without boss of
life.
Relief on Way.
Red Cross officials from st. Louis.
Mo. headquarters of the southwest
ern division, are en- route to Hot
Springs. with instructions from James
l.. Fieser, vice chairman. at Washing
ton. To use all available disaster re-
lief workers of the organization and
draw on the Red Cross emergency
relief funds if necessary.
Hot Springs virtually Is isolated
and the meaGer information available
is had mostly from members OF train
crews who left the stricken city be-
fore the foods reached their peak, or
mitted over telegraph wires, which
fall almost Immediately.
Water Sweeps Down NOuntaina.
From all sources. as widely sepa- :
rated as st. Louis. Kansas City and
Joplin. Mo-; Musk Ok lahoma City
and Shawnee. Okla. and TeXarkana
and Dallas. Tex, along with the mite
of Information Hot Springs was able
to send to Little Rock early today. IL
Is gathered that after eighteen
hours of rainfall the water coursing
down the mountains at whose feet
Hot Springs nestles shortly before
dusk became dangerous current
and rapidly increased its menace.
1t is thought that perhaps a cloud :
burst added to the avalanche of water
that hurtled on the city. Hundreds
Of inhabitants of the imperiled and
submerged areas were reported to
have escaped by fleeing to the noun
tain slopes. From there they sought
to observe the extent of the disaster r
through the darkness rendered III )re
somber by the unceasing downpour
of rain and smoke rising from the
burning districts.
Homes Crushed In.
Separated from friends and family.
scores spent the night on the hill
sides. the reports said.
The one brief news bulletin direct
from Hot Springs devoted para
graph to generalization of heroic
rescue work. Everywhere was con-
fusion and terror mingled with
herculean eXertion. as many were
dragged from the mad waters in which
noated the contents of homes and busi-
ness houses
Stores and homes were crushed in
by the rushing torrent, automobiles S
with their occupants were whirled
away and at least half a hundred
negro dwellings in the southern sec
tion of the town We're borne Off on
the crest of the plunging stream.
Fire quickly burst out and before
the f1remen. impeded by the high
water. could fight it effectively al
most an entire city block had been
destroyed and reports declared that
number of persons were killed in
the flames.
REPORT g OR z DEAD.
LITTLE ROCK. Ark. May 15.-Frag-
mentary reports received by the
Little Rock Democrat from Hot