Evening star., 1954-10-08
Valley Of New Mexico
Still Awash in Flood
Following Drought
BY the Associated Press


ROSWELL, N. Mex, Oct. g.
A fertile Southeastern New Mex
leo valley a week ago desperately
in need of rain, remained awash
today from its most devastating
flood in years.
The savage water. pouring off
the eastern slopes of the Sacra-
mento Mountains. left four
known dead. three presumed
dead and seven missing in its
wake. 1t hit, to some degree,
half dozen communities and an
untold number of farms and
ranches.
The damage cannot yet be
estimated. but it will run in .he
millions.
Prolonged heavy rains sent the
waters tumbling into the PecoS
Valley bringing swollen rivers,
creeks and arroyos bubbling into
parts of Roswell, Carlsbad, Dex-
ter, Hagerman, ArteSia and Lake
Arthur.
Flood Threat Eased.
BY nightfall last night, the
flood threat had eased consj6-
erably and the streams of muddy
water began to Subside But
fresh rains in the mountainous
area to the West of here were re-
ported late last night and off,
cials continued a close watch.
Severed communications.
washed out highways and
bridges. broken rail lines and
missing livestock remained today
for the cleanup,
The normally placid, and in
recent days dry, Rio Hondo
crested at % feet at it's peak
yesterday afternoon pouring into
the west end of Roswell up to
z feet in depth. An estimated
200 families were forced to leave
their homes here.
To the south, In the Dexter,
Hagerman and Lake Arthur
areas, it picked up momentum
from waters pouring eff the
watershed into other streams and
arroyoS, but confined its damage
mostly to the agricultural areas.
AT ArteSia, further to the south.
it forced partial evacuation of
one residential area but failed
to touch downtown Artesia.
Rips Through Carlsbad.
The Pecos River, into which
the creeks and streams feed,
ripped through Carlsbad -aking
boat docks. diving towers and
other similar structures with it.
But it stayed within its banks
and started Subsiding.
Just a week ago there was a
bitter controversy in this area
over State proposal to meter
irrigation bitches to cut down
on consumption.
One of the dead is James T.
McCutcheon, New Mexico Trans
portation Co. employe in Ros-
well. Missing near Roswell is
Frank Thomas, another bus COM
pany employe. They were swept
off the highway as they at
tempted to aid overdue buses.
The rest of the dead, presumed
dead and missing, are in the
Hagerman area. The dead are
two men about 55 and IS, named
Solorio, and an 8-year-old Negro
boy Identifications of the others
has not been available since
communications has not been
restored to Hagerman and high
ways are cut in all directions
Danger Delays Search.
Peace officers made no search
for the missing last night be-
cause of the danger.
No accurate count of evac-
uees has been available. Red
Cross officials on the scene at
Roswell said I'VE don't know
how many are homeless" But
the figure was expected to be
less than 300.
Flood waters never hit down.
town Dexter, Artesia o, Roswell. /
Dexter was saved from serious
damage bY diversion ditch
hastily dug by men of the town
to stop an irrigation canal from
overf1owing.
The ripping waters damaged
the Santa Fe railway tlacks
between Dexter and Hagerman
and between Hagerman and Ar
tesla. Service is expected to be
restored by Saturday night.