San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07
Wright Says City at Mercy
Of Flames When
Flood RACES.
4PPEALS FOR BONDS
Esserts People on Hilltops
as Concerned as Those !
on River.

hon 4 flood comes the people on
hills and in the outskirts are me
rst TO lose fire protection and the
A. to regain it. This also is true
police protection. Therefore 5nose
no plan to oppose the coming posa
sue for flood prevention would 20
ell to consider these things perore
lev vote" = ,..
This warning was issued by Fire
hi Police Commissioner Phil Wright
n signed statement given out SAT-,
rday night. 1t also is understood
at a copy of Commissioner Wright s
fatement has been sent to the cen
Fal committee working to nut over
he flood prevention bond issue anu
bat the committee will use the facts
bntuined therein in q circular 10 De
Int out to the voters.
Commissioner Wright's statement
pyers the flood situation perhaps
bore comprehensively than anyone
IS heretofore attempted to do, II
Fas he who led the vanguard OF
eoops into the flooded section in the
|eptember. 1921 flood and he. OF all
ublic officials is in position 10
Understand the havoc wrought by
he oil-blackened waters OF the San
Iptonio river on that memorable &C.
asIon.
= watched River 80 Years.
Commissioner Wright prefaces his
katement with the declaration that
great deal of discussion as to
thether the flood program should pe
n a city-wide or zone plan, mas
hken place. People in the outskirts,
e insists. should be just as deeply
Interested in flood prevention as those
irectly in the path of the flood. he
hen relates his experience during the
931 flood to bear out his conten-
ion.
His statement follows: i.
~,There has been great deal OF
discussion as to whether or not PEG
lie living on the hills and in the
Iutskirts of the city are seriously at
ected by the floods that have oc-
urred and whether or not they
hould be deeply concerned In tine
assage of flood bonds.
~ take the position that they,
hould be just as much in favor OF
he bonds as those who live in the
hood district, and in support of this
POSITION will relate just what occur
| ed during the flood of 1921.
sThe fire and police departments
re closer to the heart of San An
|onio. in time of danger. than any
Ither departments and having been
Connected with these departments for
I,ore than 81 years and having been
In the firing line during the five
Hoods which have occurred during
That time 1 should know of the danger
10 all of our citizens.
v Distress Calls Come Fast.
aWhen the terrific rain storm
broke over our city on the night of
Eeptember o, 1921, something told
he that we were in for another
Hood. was at home on CINCINNATI
hyeme when the rain began. but
Eent to the central police md fire
Itation at once and directed both de-
bartments during the flood. l first
bent men to the Olmos. where the
Blanco road crosses il, another squad
bn the river opposite Alamo Heights,
knother to the Josephine street bridge.
with instructions to keep me posted
by telephone ns to the condition of
The river. We also sent men along
The Alazan creek as far out as West
End lake with instruction. to notify
people in low places to move out,
Il the creek looked bad.
"The first distress calls came from
The Alazan. In a short while the
telephone messages. from the men on
the Olmos ceased. they had been
from Horns dairy; this
bf course made me very uneasy, as
knew what it meant. The men
|ower down notified us that the river
was rising fast and we warned as
many in low places as We could
"In q short while distress calls
lame from along the river and the
Alazan so fast that we did not have
police and firemen enough to respond.
Shortly thereafter, all telephones
went out. When my men were ex-
hausted and the telephones went out,
ran to the rear Of the police station
where the military police are quar-
tered and asked them to take me
10 the Army 'ost, that / might ask
Tor help from the post commander.
We jumped in the provost marshars
.fr and as we ran down Commerce
street. the water was breaking over
all along Commerce, from Navarro
street to the river and if we had
becen five minutes later l do not
believe we could have crossed,
No Fire Protection Three Days.
~.When we reached Fort Sam Hous-
ton we went first to the quarters
Of Colonel Kroner. who was at that
time chief of staff. | told Colonel
Kroner that portions of our city
we're flooded and that / felt sure
several lives would be lost and that
great property damage would result;
that hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth of merchandise would be ex.
posed in the business district and
that I was appealing for help from
The army. as the situation would be
beyond the control of the city gov
eminent. He called General Hines
and the soldiers were ordered out at
Dnce. want to say that the army
responded quickly and effectively the
people OF San Antonio will never fully
realize the great help they rendered
to our city; they came at once
and remained with us until the city
authorities could handle the situa-
ton.
sAs returned from the Army
Post the river was up to Avenue g
Ind the water was pouring through
The cellar CRATES of the Bedell build
Ing. The first thing to come to my
mind was the water works pumping
plant on Market street; realizing that