Evening star., 1928-03-14
From 800 to 600 Residents
of California Valley Yet to
Be Accounted For - Mud
80 Feet Deep in Places.
LOSS UP TO S30,00O,OCO
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE
Relief Work Relatively Small, as
Few in Path Of Water Escaped.
Forebodings of Break in Dam
Recalled - Engineer Defends
Construction.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEWHALL, Calf, March IA list
Of bodies recovered in various towns in
the San Francisquito food area posted
at the sheriff's substation here this
morning showed total of 248.
An exact check could not be made
owing to chaotic conditions in the
stricken region. Implications probably
had occurred in some places, while
omissions were possible In others. The
figures given for Piru, 81, were unoA-
cial and were felt to be too high, but
1t was impossible to get into communi-
cation with that town, Isolated by mud
and water. when the list was posted.
The figures on the recovered bodies
posted here follow: Oxnard. 4; Ventura,
9; Fillmore, ~; Newhall. IS: Piru. 81
(unofhciaD: Santa Paula, SO: Saticoy,
S; Moor Park, 30. Total. 24s::
The horror Of the disaster reached
new depths as rescue workers resumed
their search through miles Of saffron
quagnire for from 800 to 500 Of the
residents Of the little valley who were
believed to have perished in the food,
besides those already accounted for.
Mud Stretches 65 Miles.
Because the swath Of mud and slime
stretched for IS. miles. through the
peaceful mountain valleys and In SON.
places stood 80 feet deep, there was
means Of determining how many vi
TINS remained In the muddy graveyard
which the escaping waters formed for
the victims as they were picked UP from
their homes and dashed to death.
+. Sheriff Traeger OF Los Angeles Couu-
ty. who announced the number OF
known and recovered dead early this
morning after checkup. refused 10 eS-
innate the number Of missing. The es-
Inmates which ranged from 500 TO 600.
made during night OF almost futile at
temptS TO ascertain the extent OF death
and havoc. were allowed to stand as the
second day OF rescue work began.
Damage Runs Into Millions.
Attempts TO determine from rural
and telephone lists the number OF pos
slble victims still unaccounted FOR we're
shown to be useless when many bodies
Of victims were brought in whose names
did not appear on these lists,
Lett behind by the gouging wall Of
water. from half hile TO mile wide,
sweeping 65 miles TO the sea. were losses
at from $4,000, 900 to SS0.-
o00, 900. The City of Los Angeles. the
heaviest individual sufferer. put Its
gross IN the totally destroyed dam and
the powerhouse below it at $4,000. 900.
The waters fiattened scores Of homes,
ranches, railroad lines and bridges.
tore out wire systems. light and power
wires. gas mains. highways and bridges
and wreaked iueStinlaole loss III dat
tened and silt buried orange and NAL
nut orchards and other farm lands.
Forebodings Are Recalled.
Speculation on the cause Of the
breaking % the great dam covered \
wide variety Of theories The post
mistress at SauguS. Mrs. A. X. RunlSsy.
declared that for 10 days ranchers
living in the ShadcFv Of the dam had
under and through the structure. She
said they fearfully discussed the pcSSi-
oility Of the very disaster which swept
down In the hlaekneSS Of night 10 wipe
put their homes and families.
A ''r1aior earth movement" that
icoSened the base Of the western bat
trcSS was given as the preliminary
opinion o. William Niulholiaad. chief
engineer cf the great aQusduct SyS-
tenn, oi which the dam was = part,
rs appearing from brief Sarvey. 70
have been the cause. After he and his
assistant, H. A. van Norman. had re-
turned from an al-day tour OF the
scene, the Beard Of Water and poNer
Engineers said that the immediate
,auSe Was the giving way os the nicuN-
Ots ha akaS s%aF
rhiS was reported 10 have been weak
med. possibly by fault in the rscGn-
ain structure. or due 10 rains and
eepaSe which Scftened the foundations,
A piece OF concrete nom the dan,
vas eFuneled III the hand cf lcS An
.eleS County Supervisor Fred Beatty,
lie ccninented
Wants judgment Suspended.
"YeS IL came from the dam, hu.
Judgment must not ee passed until 4
ompetent beard ef engineeIS has ce@,
Iuete6 searching nsveStiSation az
as reported 90 Gov, NouaS
Demand fOr relief work and Nie>llc&
upplisS was at a minimum, ~ ell h#
few persons III the path ~ skas ~
eat apparently pestSNed
fsnltec officers SheFtsfS Nassey isFA
ents and American '.sA,, ,nssres
taAak tE4
<aie$, pac.. .4aslss were fas nssN
love hodieS frera sAe asAsnssss = 49, -
ther means af laapSslaEaAltSss ssssS,.
Gov Yeung russsasA ~ sansa rs,,ss
we w. LYNN san ssss..s 49, MerN aweet awAy With
I ,nsss guy ~ ,,ss.sasa loss ef llse. aEua0anSed
" y a"nss.ahg tcesay III an nsaeiAl M
y ~ s,,saItsA 0ay, NcAax said that
ss,s YushaeNF Hyatt Meula conduct tAe
lauigys
nasknsss SsepN SEARCH,
TrA ssAEeh ssg tNsules Was halted teM>
essAriB lase lass nlght when guuaty
eseefS als~ssssx the Wcrk III Seyeral
ANssrea sseYN N saeFtttx and pAliee de-
JARED the eres. vas liseaeSx Nntsl days
Rhg arrives
ApngpN ssaA ely aN0 houses ts the Ia.
lile gexN aE san tTangasqutEa CANySuA
sc Nsn 10 bits thFuWn ANd tossed
lNAx ne assAaile turmoil d the a.
lat Slapdlng timber was lels a.
aaAk 20 tANlSAse the size Of naaSKeg-
hltls faFns that dotted the yalsy
~ sheM areen fields Three hlasE.
AApas haalsas as Santa Paula wpsa
sAsiaaed ~ fsss 4 eelssaa ls !.