Evening star., 1948-06-06
81 Listed as Missinq
In Vanport Flood;
IS Are Children
BY the Assoeicisd Press

11 HIV NuI1OI Vii
BY the Assoeioisd Press
PORTLAND. Greg, June 5.-The
Red Cross tonight listed So persons
As of them children-nissing
from the Vanport disaster area of
the flood stricken Columbia River
Valley.
The new total Is the largest an
nounced since the Columbias back
waters burst q dixie and shattered
the war-built city Of 1900 last
Sunday.
The swollen river still is pounding
lower valley dikes near the sea and
, o new crest is sweeping toward this
! metropolitan sector again from the
upper valley.
Lists Of Vanport missing have
been revised almost hourly in the
last 4s hours and the Red Cross
explained many Of the 50 still un-
accounted for may yet be located.
Earlier today the Red Cross listed
only IS missing.
Known Dead Now 26.
The bodies of two children were
recovered yesterday from the Van
port area. Their deaths boosted the
known toll in two weeks Of Columbia
Valley flood to 26 persons IN all
areas.
The latest report on the missing
bears out the claims OF survivors
of the Vanport disaster that many
of the victims would likely be child
ren. Parents told of youngsters
swept from their grasp or knocked
from their feet by the rapidly rising
waters that spread over Fairgrounds
and yards of the city.
Flood waters have already inflicted
damage in multimillions of dol
lars of the Pacific Northwest states,
and high water will remain for
weeks in the devastated valley OF the
great Pacific Coast river basin.
Crest 100 Miles East.
The new Columbia food will hit
its crest here tomorrow five days
behind the highest stage of the flood
now spilling toward the Pacific. The
second crest is now in the Columbia
River gorge 100 miles east OF the
metropolitan Portland area. At the
Columbia headwaters, in the Ca
madam and United States Rockies,
the rivers and streams are reported
falling gradually.
Elmer Fisher, river forecaster said
the level will be 30 feet above mean
sea level at Vancouver, Wash, to-
morrow. That is three-tenths OF a
foot below the June ! crest, but
still IS feet over the point where
the river leaves its banks. Port
lands forecast is 29.7 feet. 1t had
29.9 last Tuesday.
The level will stay the same
through Monday. then start to fall.
BY Wednesday, 1t Is expected to be
down inches and continue slow
drop with some minor upward fuc-
tuations.
Foot Of Water in Town.
In British Columbia, a foot of
water washes across the main street
of Trail. The Fraser went up
slightly, adding to the pressure in
the western part Of the province,
but all dikes held. A heat wave
and spongy levees were twin enc
mics of the workers.
In British Columbia, too, the battle
now is to hold until the Fraser eases
its thrust against the dikess But
far to the east Columbia headwaters
in Western Montana were rising to
alarming" levels.
Melting snow and rain-Which
caused the Columbia and Fraser
floods were spilling the Missouri
Yellowstone and Columbia River
tributaries over rich farnlands.
Montana's acting Gov. Ernest T.,
Eaton declared that part OF the
State disaster area.
However. 1t brought no fear OF a
new rise in the main Columbia, Mr..
Fisher said, for the fall Of major
tributaries will offset the headWater
rise.
Dikes Are Weakened.
The fear here now is that some
dikes may shatter, Weakened and
soft from the onslaught of unending
pressure. they are precarious bull
wark for industrial plants, homes
and farms.
The Army engineers are hopeful
the fight will be won without further
major loss.
We've given them everything
we've got" spokesman at the en-
gineers operations center said today
we've poured men and material
against the danger spots. There's a
feeling the dikes will hold. We
can't be sure-but we're hopeful"
Behind those dikes are the Reyn-
olds Aluminium plant which cost
S430O0,000, the huge Portland Mu-
nicipal Airport. suburban residential
districts. few towns which could
be partly covered, and mile after
mile of farms.
The danger area continues far
upriver. but the only critical threats
are from Portland downriver past
LongvieW, Wash. toward the sea.
What the cost has been cannot
be told until the Columbia goes
back within its banks three weeks
from now. There have been esti-
mates of s14O,00o.000. From the
shattering S27,000,OOO loss at VAN
port the damage ranges down to
mud filled houses and battered
boats. Even the mint farmers of
Oreeon's Columbia County say they
have lost 100000.
Probe Is Demanded.
At Portland a committee organ
tied by the Vanport Tenants
League demanded grand jury and
congressional investigation of the