The Winslow mail., 1926-10-01
HEAVY DAMAGE FROM STORMS.
IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA; S. P.
TRAINS ROUTED ON SANTA FE.

Increased work on the Santa Fe
= abroad on the Albuquerque di-
vision has been the local result
of the heavy transforms that swept
the southern portion of the state
the first of this week. Two South
ern Pacific railroad bridges have
been washed out and more are
threatened, and since Tuesday
night S. P. trains have been routed
over the Santa Fe lines on this
division.
Only the few men absolutely nee
essary are remaining on the extra
board, the larger part of this body
being in service to handle the alb
normally heavy traffic resulting
from the acceptance of S. P. traffic.
Starting Tuesday night with pas
.lsenger trains only, the Santa Fe
main line is now handling both
friengh and passenger trains for
the S. P.
From Belen New Mexico, to the
east and from Phoenix to the west
the Southern Pacific trains are be-
ing routed over the other railways
tracks. Santa Fe crews are in
charge of the trains, although a
Southern Pacific conductor is on
each train to care for the tickets.
The washOut of the railway
bridge at Benson early this week
was followed by the destruction of
the bridge over the San Pedro riv-
er at Fairbanks, and it will prob
ably be Sunday before Southern
Pacific trains can go over their
usual route on temporary crossings.
Dry washes in southern Arizona are
overf1owed, and the Aqua Prieta
river near Douglas is reported to
be more than half mile wide with
flood water.
Two fleets of passenger trains
of about six each were handled
through Winslow Wednesday morn
ing one fleet east bound, the other
west, and freight and passenger
trains have been following about
every four hours since. The trains
are detoured at Ell Paso for west
bound traffic, picked up at Vaughn
or Deming, then to Belen, through
Winslow to Williams, and from
Williams to Phoenix over the S. F.
2. & P. Ry.
!. Not only railroad traffic, but
tourists as well have been held up
by flood waters, and great num-
berS of cars are marOOned in the
flooded areas. Many cars have
been deserted, their occupants trav-
cling by foot over the swollen
washes to the nearest town.
Starting with general storms over
the state Sunday, by Monday the
rains had so flooded the counr'y
that all traffic was practically para
lyzed, and many districts cut off
completely from the outside world.
The two Southern Pacific bridges
that washed out were followed or
preceded in their misfortune by
other railway and highway bridges
over the state.
In the region from Douglas on
ehA east and Nogales on the west,
fth to Phoenix, the damage has
en- particularly heavy Yuma TOD
!. affected as result of the rains.
tourist traffic from California
must go via Blythe to get to Yuma,
and motor traffic is being routed
over the northern routes, particui-
larly the National Old Trails.
Buildings in Douglas and in Aqua
Prieta, just across the line, have
collapsed from being weakened by
water. More than a dozen homes in
Aqua Prieta have been abandoned
on account of fallen roofs and walls
and the danger in Douglas is such
that special building commission
er has been appointed to superin-
tend the roping off of houses de-
clared to be unsafe. A grocery and
dance hall in Douglas have col
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