The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-05-17
HOT SPRINGS DIGS
OUT OF THE MUD
Flood Waters Pass and the
City Resumes Something
Like Normal Life.
ONE IS NEAR DEATH

(By Associated Press Leased ,Wire)
Hot Springs, Ark.-Merchants of the
stricken city opened their doors to
business again here today after night
through which crews of men worked
in tireless efforts to remove the wreck
age and debris left behind by the flood
and fire late Monday when torrents
from a mountain cloudburst dashed
principal streets-while flames envel-
oped the buildings in an entire block
and added another threat of death to
that of drowning.
Central avenue, Hot Springs main
thoroughfare, and the chief stream bed
of the swirling flood thirty-six hours
earlier, again was open to traffic,
though the working squads were, able
to clear away but small part of the
fiotsam which the current had strewn
or piled against every stationary OBJ
stacle. From this thoroughfare as a
base street, the sanitary forces today
were working our gradually in the
midst of the damaged area.
Normal activities of the city had
returned or were soon to be resumed
All public utilities-gas, electrical,
lighting and street car service, which
were put out of order by the elements
were again functioning.
| Mrs. Kate Christensen, the only
person known to have received seri-
Gus injury in the disaster, lay in a
local hospital today still in a critical
condition as a result of a crushed
skull which she suffered when she
was caught in her car by the Central
avenue torrent and swept along for
three blocks. Physicians despaircd
of her recovery.
Mrs. Christensen was unconscious
when her rescuers by swimming, drew
her from the flood.
Stories of Rescues.
Stories of remarkable rescues as
told by eye witnesses today swelIed
the wonder that many lives had not
been lost in confirmation of early
belief. Among the outstanding heroes
of the disaster is Captain John Lovett
of Fire Company No. L.
Engaged in the work of rescue while
height, Lovett carried woman from
burning building only to be engulfed
in the current. Half walking, half
swimming, he battfed his way to a hose
cart, lifted his human burden upon
it to safety, then slipped back into
the stream.
He was swept away and thrown
against concrete post many yards
beyond. When comrades lifted him
from the water he was unconscious.
When flames burst from the win
dows of the Grand Rapids hotel, the
flood was at its height, reaching a
depth of nine feet in many places.
Guests of Hotel in Rescue.
Guests were trapped in the Mar
quette Hotel, the largest structure de-
stroyed by the fire, but escaped when
the flames sent them into the torrent
which had been Central avenue. With
children in their arms or held aloft
above the food, men and women BRAY
ed the stream and waded or swan
to safety. Others were snatched
from their feet by the speed of the
current which whirled them along I'M
I'll ISSCueIS UIdCSu III groups, grdpp1eQ
with them and dragged them to
higher ground.
Ropes hastily stretched by firemen
at intervals across the flooded street
brought many to safety.
Property loss was still undetermin-
ed today, though estimates confidently
placed it between one and two mill
lions. Along the line of the flooded
streets stores were crushed and mer-
chandise was ruined or washed away.
After being cut off from the rest
of the world by the breaking down of
lines of communication for many hours
partial telegraphic and telephone
connection was restored yesterday. At
dusk two airplanes, at short intervals
arrived here bringing representatives
of The Associated Press. A third ma
chine which started from Kansas City
with newspaperman, had not been
heard from early today and it was
feared it had been forced down some
where in the Ozark foot hills near
here. A fourth plane c5.r.;ng from
Fort Smith, was forced to aescen !
at Little Rock, after meeting adverse
DIV ourrap4s