Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-15


poured down from the mountain
sides and at the crest stood 10 feet
high in the main section of town.
Fronts of stores were crushed in
rs the swirling torrent raced
through the town. Asphalt paving
was unturned and considerable other
damage done by the water.
AS the terror of the flood began
to pass, fire, caused by lightning,
burst from the Grand Rapids Furni
tnre company. The fire fighting
equipment battled in the mud and
water against flames, but with little
success and the blaze ate its way
into the main business buildings.
The fire spread to the Dixie Cafe,
the Oliver Finne Grocery Company
and then ate its way up the walls
of the Marquette Hotel. The hotel,
a $790,000 structure, was totally
destroyed.
Town in Darkness
The electric light plant then went
ont of commission, adding further to
the confusion of the night.
The flames spread, taking in the
American Express company and the
Rosenthal store.
The steady downpour of rain
which continued through the night
finally conquered the flames and
shortly before daybreak the army of
rescue workers, headed by army and
navy staffs and police officials, be-
gan the task of saving the injured
and caring for victims who may be
dead or homeless.
At the same time railroad cOmpan-
les began rebuilding the damage
caused their lines by the wind and
flood. Wrecking crews were seat
tered throughout the storm swept
area while all train service was at
a standstill.
Telephone and telegraph wires
ripped away by the tornado at
o clock last night were still badly
paralvzed. The Western Union was
the first TO establish communication
with the stricken district and on
this one thin strand of wire, reach
ing as far as Little Rock, the first
details of the disaster were sent.
Autos Washed Away
In one section at the height of
the flood a man and three children
were caught stranded in an automo-
bile by the torrent. The party was
rescued by ropes just as the ear was
carried away. a few minutes later
another automobile was battered
and broken as it was tossed about by
the high waters. Two men managed
TO extricate themselves and swan to
safety. -.
Mrs. Katie Hopkins, trapped in
her automobile by the fast rising
waters, was nearly drowned before
assistance reached her and cut her
hair loose from the tangled wreck
age. She is in a hospital in dan
,erous condition.
LITTLE ROCR, Ark, May ID
/ report from Benton said that rail
ray repair crews which had reach
u the edge Of washout near Hot
springs brought back a story of
Z deaths in the storm. They said
here were four feet of water in the
aiiway station at Hot Springs. No
rains have arrived here from Hot /
springs since the flood.
! The little resort city lies in three
Taileys, formed by as many noun /
aims. When the .cloudburst came it !
pht the city in three sections.
fater in torrents swept along the /,
ffree. main boulevards through the (
leart of the. town. Store buildings /
Sllapsed from the force Of the rag F..
ng torrents in the streets and thous- !
lnds Of dollars in merchandise was
wept away.
Motorists who stuck to their auto
mobiles were tossed into the swirl !
ng waters. Several Of these are be-
ieyedrto have drowned. .s-.. I
Frantic Appeals ror aid were dis /,
,atched from Hot Springs before
he wire service had been complete
y knocked out last night. One of
hese reports stated that "descrip
ion was impossible. Shortly after
I was impossible to communicate
With the city.
L.,