Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / June 5, 1921, edition 1 / Page 2
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SUNDAY MORNING, JUNE 5, 192t Pesttilemice Tlhiiresdteinig piiy Mairoomed By T wo QdbiLirs THE CHARLOTTE NEWS, CHARLOTTE, N. C, service men took charge of the military patrol at noon. ' The city was not surprised by the flood. Warning were sounded through out the city by fire whistles, church 1 bells and sirenea. DOZENS SEEJt TO DROWN. Hundreds in districts where the wa ter was rapidly rising left their homes to seek high places of safety. Women, with babes in their arms and dragging some cherished family heirloom, were suddenly picked up by the furious cur rents and swept to their deaths. Of the hundreds, I witnessed dozens from . my perilous position floating down the swift current at what a few hours pre viously was one of the main thorough fares of the city. The flood swept madly on from the normal Arkansas and Fountain rivers and at seven, o' clock a squad of armed .police drove the crowds from the main bridges. Har rassed by the terrible fright of the flood and half crazed by the loss of members of their family, the crowds battled haifd to hand with the officers until it was necessary to use clubs freely. Street car service was stopped. Elec . trie lights went out, the flood waters ruining the light plant. With thousands of tons of water swir ling through the streets, the fire fight ers were unable to use if in quenching the flames. DEATH DEFYING RESCUES Air the leading hotels were maroon ed; big buildings collapsed, the great iron girders flying in all directions. Colorado rangers, national guardsmen and police officials performed miracul lous and truly death-defying rescue "work. The fires continued to rage fiercely and many persons were sev- j erely burned by flying embers, caught up by the high winds that prevailed through the early' night. The big Florence Paint Company was one of the first buildings to succumb to the ffames, and explosion after explo sion occurred as the oils and varnishes "were licked by the fire- A loud explo- sion shook the city when the fire reach ed the gas plant. An ice plant, several big garages, a lumber yard, a lumber plant and several Fear is Expressed For the Safety of Passenger Trains Canon City, Colo., June 4. Fear was expressed here today that prob ably 300 passengers had perished when MLssouri-Paciflc passenger train number 2 and Denver and Rio Grande passenger train number 3 overturned by the flood of water In the Tueblo railways ynrds. The report came from railway officials in Pueblo as a confidential . communication to the offices here. Both 'trains had just pulled into the .yards "when the wall of water struck, the cars, undermined the tracks airf toppled over the coaches. Although authentic details vere lacking, railroad men feared -many of the passengers hud perished. Ef forts to reach Pueblo from this city by train had failed tonight although attempts hare been made. Pueblo's Beseeching Cry For Help Promptly Responded To mercantile houses were quickly caught up by the conflagration. . Early in the evening the bridge at Eight 'street over the Fountain River went out and in a few minutes was followed by several bther viaducts. At 10 o'clock the waters receded again momentarily but a new and sudden cloudburst swept the area, bringing the water to a height of ten feet in the business section. Stores ruined and stock destroyed, there are no foods, no gasoline and the rescue workers vare terribly handicapped in furnishing relief of any kind to the maimed. Police and civilian guards have been sworn in by the hundreds but back of concerted and organized efforts has re sulted in little relief ..being afforded at this hour. i Martial law is iff effect and every one who enters the devastated dis trict must be supplied with a military pass. Scenes Of Death Too Terrible To Be Told, Says Eye-Witness Colorado Springs, Colo., June A. "'Beyond description." This was the dramatic comment of Charles S. Eailsback, special agent for the Santa Fe Railroad at Pueblo, and first man out of the stricken city af ter the destruction by floods. He de clared tha scenes of death and destruc tion at Pueblo were too terrible to be "put into words." Bailsback reached Colorado Springs in an automobile that he. drove part of th3 way over the sunken roadbed of the Santa Fe Railroad. He said: ' , "I saw on& span of the Fourth street bridge ccllapse and go twirling down stream with not less than 100, persons, men, women and children on it. The loss of life must have been terrific and I doubt if the exact num ber of casualties will ever be known. "I saw three rooming houses go in to the torrent with lights burning in every window. Scores of the occu pants must have drowned like rats." The channel of the Arkansas river, Bailsback said, now is from Seventh street to the Union Station, a distance of twelve city blocks. "The business section was complete ly inundated," he said. "Stores, pack ing houses, business places of all de scriptions, in fact, were flooded. The greatest loss of life was in three sections of the lowlands, inhab ited mostly by foreigners 'the grove near Clarks Mineral Springs; the low lands proper and Pepper Sauce bot toms. 1; "When I left the city, rescue parties in row boats and other craft were pa trolling all the inundated sections, seek ing dead and living. The city was under ' martial law with all rations be ing issued on orders of the military commander. . Bailsback said the military and civil authorities entrusted to him a mes sage for Governor Shoup, calling for all possible help, but with out any definite or specific request. . The fires, which caused great dam age during Friday night, Bailsback continued, "had been extinguished FORDSON , Knee & Blalock MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY- BROADWAY when I left. Only the torrential rain saved the city from complete des truction by fire before the flood swept down. The fires were started in most cases by lightning, and burning tun bers were lifted and blown through the business and residence sections. "I spent most of the night in the Santa Fe depot at First and Union streets, about in the center of the flood ed area. . This morning the water had receded sufficiently so that I was able to strip off my clothing and wade out, shoulder deep, to a point seven blocks fromi the depot, where I. got a gasoline speeder on which I came to Colorado Springs. I would have been swept from my feet in several places, except for fire hose hanging from, roof tops to which I clung in my perilous jour ney." Bodies are floating through the streets like cordwood with the waters gradually receding. It is said the Ar kansas and Fountain rivers, both di verted from their regular beds by the terrible floods, are flowing through the city streets to a depth of 18 feet. Houses were washed away like paper, and men, women and children drowned like rats in traps. Th-z population is overwhelmed and without available means to help them selves. A, report just received here said that the entire business district of Pueblo had been destroyed by flames. Renorts stated that a terrific electrical storm accompanied the flood, scores of build ings being struck by lightning. The flames spread throughout the ware house and business sections before the flood swept down on the city. Bodies- are now being taken into temporary morgues', - scores of dead are reported collected in heaps await ing disposal by. the state rangers, who are in charge. Ferd C. Frick, a local aviator, made an unsuccessful attempt to land at Pueblo. He circled the stricken city for an hour but was unable to make a landing owing to the wet weather. He reported seeing men and women rush ing aimlessly through the water-filled streets where thp flood had subsided. He reported the southeastern sec tion of the city alone not under wa ter. . He declared practically every build ing on the main street had been razed by flames with water ozing over the charred ruins. Flooded areas, he reported, were fill ed with rafts, boats and all sorts of conveyances. He saw people scurry ing through the residential sections whure here and there appeared a spot untouched by the flood. He also re ported bodies apparently being carried about on wagons and on horseback. ANNOUNCEMENT Furthering our efforts, to give the music loving public of Charlotte and vicinity 100 per cent service; we are glad to announce that - ' Mrs. Carrie C. Martin long activity identified with the musical life of Charlotte, is now associated with us, where she will be glad to meet her friends," especially when in need of Victor Records, Sheet Music, or anything in musical instru ments. Yours for Service. The Andrews ' Music Store Inc. Phone 3626 .. 213 N. Tryon St. MISS HELEN. MARIEJ DAY Charlotte's Premier Teacher of Voice. Phone 2042-W. Denver, Colo., June 4. "There is no way of estimating how many are dead, but .we are in a hopeless state." This message was received late to day by Mayor Bailey, of Denver, from J. G. Lovern, president of the Cham ber of Commerce at Pueblo. "Conditions are' indescribable. Send all help possible in the way of food stuffs and shelter," Lovern concluded. The property loss will exceed . $10, 000,000, dozens ef large business estab lishments and public buildings being razed by fire that started from bolls of lightning. Thousands of .persons in the city scurried about the water-soaked streets during tle day unable to help them-, selves or. others so complete was the devastation wrought by the floods and fire. , The' streets were covered, with . wa ter to a depth' of from four to eighteen feet; hundred of houses floated through the main streets, in many cases with whole families clinging to the refuse in the hope that they would be res cued. Cattle, sheep and hogs were tossed about In the currents and those not drowned Immediately were struck senseless by huge iron girders from buildings that had been torn asunder from their foundations. ANSWER CRY FOR AID. ; Pueblo's beseeching cry for assis tance was promptly responded to by cities over the state, but it is doubt ful if succor can reach the overwhelm ed steel center for many hours. Bridges connecting the city with the several railroads lA.ve been swept away and railroad tracks are inundated ' for miles in every direction. It was esti mated by some that it would be late Sunday before relief trains could be run into the city. In the meantime, aeroplanes' with food . and other ne cessities have left Colorado Springs and Denver. ' , ' Practlly all of the food supplies have been destroyed. A snpninl train i bearing American Legion volunteers, including fifty World war veterans who served with the engineer forces,, was madeHip at the Union depot . here at four O'clock, readv to denart for tho devastated area The train will carry tents and fnnrf supplies from the colonial guard stores. It will go as far as Colorado Springs, where an effort will h mnHo to get the necessities into" the stricken city by automobile trucks. lhe American Red Cross wn nian preparing to send food, nurses and uuciors. - At Colorado Snrine-s a mad meeting was held lata- this ft Arnnnn and a committee appointed to arrange for rescue work in the nearby city. Aeroplanes will be sent over the 45 mile stretch -to Pueblo and every effort made to carry in provisions. The menace of the rising waters failed to alarm the people during Fri day evening and, when the , flood in creased to its height, it found hun dreds of citizens separated from their homes by several feet of water. At 6:50 p. m., the Western Union manager at. Pueblo stated that "there were 199 bodies in the morgue there and that others were being brought in continuously." He believed, he said, the death list will run as high as 500. "Most of the dead," he said, "were Mexicans and others who lived along the levee and who did not heed the warning to flee before the onrushing waters. "Bodies were discovered in piles of wreckage along the river front. Every effort was being made tonight to search all parts of the cit yfor mode dead," he stated. ' "Not many persons are believed to hav perished in the untown' section," he concluded. TWO SEPARATE CLOUDBURST. There were two separate cloudbursts. The first, although it swelled the little Arkansas river to a stream miles wide, did not do such great damage. It broke at 7 p. m. . The people , were warned and were able to flee to safety. They were start ing to ventur back to' thir homes at 10 p .m. when-a second flood was let loose from the skies. This came without warning and with a suddenness that caught many unpre pared. ' Buildings Were washed away before the tide, which was said to have been at leasi. six ieec mgn. rrr - . - . . i , . warning oeus ana wnisues were sounded, but some failed to heed "and perished. Large buildings where many had taken refuge were carried away. SKIES FLAME LIGHTED. Fires broke out as the water started to go. down.- Flames lighted up the skies. . : As the refugees gathered together in the building still standing, they suf fered greatly from the intense cold which followed the deluge. Survivors Avere able to save only little clothing. Water stood ten feet deep in the business section. The torrent of water carried bodies of the dead down Main street while the crowds of refugees, gathered in building, looked on helpless, ly. Buildings were undermined by the Waters and crumbled. PueblO waa ut off from the outside world after the flood for more than twelve, hours, before . word . could be gotten through of the catastrophe. Aviators were sent over the city in an effort to learn the extent of dam age. They were unable to alight be cause of the water which inundated the country for many .miles. Pueblo proper is located in a valley. The business section is only about four feet above the normal olevel of the Arkansas- River. DESOLATION AND DEATH STALKED Aviator Tells of His Flight Over the City; Saw 17 Bqdges Washed Away Colorado Spring!, Col., April '4. The Evening Telegraph tonight publishes a story written by Ford C. Frick, a lo cal aviator, who flew to the devasta ted city of Pueblo and circled over its environs for nearly an hour. He fa,l3d to make a landing. Frick was the first outside person to view the ruined district. "A vast ex panse of water," was .Frick's first visw when he sailed over Pueblo. . "Muddy water sucking, graspin?. pulling at homes and store buildinss alike here and there, with its freight of human lives; everywhere desolation and death," was Frick's description. "Although the storm has -ceased, the Arkansas river refuses to be still and every moment pours down upon thi city its thousands and thousands of gallons of flood water from the higher districts. SQUIRMY MASS OF YVATER. . "If you really want to appreciate the stupendousness of the flood, you should view it from a height of 1,500 feet looking down at the flooded districts upon seething mass of w-ater as it worms its way through stone walls, carrying away":1 heavy foundations, sweeping bridges . from their ' piers; taking its toll of human lives. "Pueblo Saturday presented all the appearances of a city built in a lake. Water was everywhere. There was no business, only the heart-breaking work of searching- out the living from the dead, while from all around poured the pentup waters of the flooded distric. "Apparently the heart of the flood struek near the : Union Station ' from the northward to the heart of the bus iness' district, and extending northwest and eastwardVo the city limits. "The whole scene is one of vast deso lation. Box cars swept from the tracks are scattered about the streets, houses flooded from their foundations are pil ed together in greatest confusion. "And through it all Pueblo is cut off from succor from the outside Jterri tory. On the trip down, we counted seventeen bridges swept away by the storm. ' "Judging from the condition of the road as disclosed from my plane, the worst result of the flood, will be the" inability of "help to reach the city. "Through the eye of. the observer, it seems impossible that the wreckage can be moved, that homes can be pro vided for the homeless or that the suf fering can be alleviated for many. days. "The greatest need of the stricken city when I left was fuel and water. Shelter, 'I believe, can be provided for most of the homeless in the large area of the residence section on the higher ground to the south, which escaped se rious damage." NO NEW "EXPERIENCE FOR FLOODED SECTION Denver, Colo., June 4. Pueblo and the section surrounding it have suf fered in the past from disastrous floods. The Fountain river, a tributary of the Arkansas, is a treacherous stream. The Arkansas river flows through the main business section of Pueblo. - City Hall is only a block distance from it and the Union Station and some of the city's most prominent business houses are near enough to be inundat ed. Twenty -five or 30 years ago a levee was built to protect the town from the river's overflows. Flobdswere fre quent, inundating business houses and resulting in loss of lives. At that time, only one section of the city was safe whe nthe river overlowed. This was South Pueblo, situated on a mesa, but frequently the flood water would com! almost to the level of this section. Along the river are flats konwn as the "pepper sauce bottoms" where the poor population Jives. Many Mexi cans live in these bottoms in adobe houses. Today's flood is the first Pue blo has suffered since the construction of the levee. There is no levee to check the waters of the Fountain and floods caused by that river have led to many , disasters. The famous Eden wreck on the Rio Grande several years ago was caused by one of its floods. The railroad bridge was washed aNvay and an entire train plunged into the flooding river- Pass engers who were not drowned were burned to death. Terrific electric storms are frequent in this section and in the past have been responsible for the floods. with headquarters in St.' Louis, it was announced by the national headquar ters here tonight James. L. Feiser, manager of the division, is en route to Colorado to direct the relief work, and is commissioned to use up to $50,000. The Red Cross . has large stores of food and medical supplies n Denver, which can. be moved into Pueblo on the first available transportation, it was stated. It is said that a special train, manned with doctors and nurses and carrying all relief supplies, will be snt into Pueblo at the first oppor tunity: . If impossible to transport re lief supplies by train, special motor trains will be organized to carry the needed relief; WAR DEPARTMENT TO HELP.J Washington, June 4. The .War De partment will co-operate in every way possible in giving aid to the stricken of rife Pueblo disaster, Secretary Weeks announced tonight. The neai est military post to Pueblo is at Fort - Logan, Denver, and Secretary Weeks stated that the commanding officer is empowered to turn over any supplies, if they are needed. DR. WORK NOT WORRIED. Washington, June , 4. The family of rD. Herbert T.Work, first assis tant Postmaster General, is in Pueblo. Although Dr. Work has not heard directly from them since reports of the disaster assumed such propor tions, he expressed confidence trmign that they are safe. Dr. Work said it was unbelievable to him that 2,000 persons ' could have been killed in the manner which press reports described, . He . left .tonight for Boston, expressing confidence that his family is safe. . 125 SQUARE MJLES OF TERRITORY FLOODED Denver, Colo, June 4. An era of 125 square miles of territory in east ern Colorado is swept tonight by the raging torrents of over-flowing streams and broken dans. . The district forty five miles long between Denver and Boulder is inundated for a width of several miles. Property damaged outside Pueblo, which lies in the heart of the flooded territory, is estimated at more than $2,5000,000. Sevenjives have been re ported lost outside Pueblo. Growing crops, have been destroyed throughout the flooded area with rich farm lands completely covered by the floods Hundreds of cattle were swept to death- wlth particularly heavy loss in Logan county. The greatest property damage prob ably has been done to the coal and copper mines of northern Colorado. Meager reports coming from the min ing centers stated the mines had been flooded to depths of several feet. All work was abandoned. FLOOD WARNINGS ISSUED. Washington, June 4. Flood warn ings have been issued- for the Arkansas river, the Weather Bureau -announced tonight in view of "indications that the highest stages in recent years will be reached and passed from . headwaters to the Kansas line." Reports, to the Weather Bureau in dicated that? the rainfall" in portions of eastern Colorado . had been excessive during the past 24 hours. It was also stated that rapidly ris ing stages f: re indicated on the Pecos river in New Mexico in the next two days dup to the heavy raiiis. GOVERNOR (Continued ; Ee On. ernor's reply SaturdayT He seemed surprise thaf vfr which was written by r,- S!s ms suggestion, should l, f esto! as containing' a request for Quiet. prevailed in cotton troops to assist in the maim u order. uuenanCe where strikes are in Saturday and Saturday n Cliet-t thrn, A- . . "u . TV-.. uuciuia.nv;e 10 aitraot nntino I ie t dispersing of a crowd of iL, ln6b and 200 men at the Savon? the city police, led by chief o m ! Saturday morning. r-ear The SaVona Mill; Which t, plant where workers are on Sf is attempting to run, clow 7!!E week Saturday at noon ThP r ! were not troubled whpn th mill, and few strikers S'eft't about the company's pronem ing to reports received at poiL quarters, 'icefc,: Chief Walter B. On- sair, . night that he would have a ment of men at the Savona m Monday," morning to insure t, 55 employes enter he plant wirhl , ;:" testation by strikers. Anv congregates about tfce companr erty will be again dispersed cer said. ea' thH Chief Orr expressed he and his men are ran,!,,, .h ling, any troublesome situation may take place in the citv in k tion with the strike. The'citv 5 fill render what assistance th to the county authorities in m,lf ing order outside the city Cr .v. mem ci Cochran has two deputy sheriff? two rural nnliepmtin , 15 S.' maintaining law and order in county outside of Charlotte u. police frequently have gone to th E sistance of the county author1 enforcing the law. ' : No intimations of trouble h nection with the strike have m the ears of officers of the law oicjjb uave uetii aKen nave bee- :en Bit: pils f.v" that "a RtitVi in ...: . c't - "'uc mm save nii so to speak. The communication' the sheriff to the governor was ml OVOfntiiro tVa ;,,, , J lult- should trouble by any chance cc? the governor would be familiar conditions. " fa GOVERNOR UNABLE TO REACH FLOODED CITY Colorado Springs, June 4. Governor Shoup was forced to return to Denver late tonieht after . ma kin er two un successful attempts to reach Pueblo iooa waters drove the Governor and his party back. Trucks carrying food and supplies kebt edeine toward thA city, although they were unable to make much progress, due to roadbeds being swept away. ; ., RED CROSS SENDS $50,000. Washington, June 4, Relief work of the Red Cross in Pueblo will be directed by the southwestern division Own The Home You Live In Are you torn with vain visionary longingg for a home of your own? Are you living on Easy Street or Uneasy Street? Where will you be. ten years from now still in a rented house, dependent "on the whims of your landlord or in a home of your own? The source of all happiness, great and small, is honest labor and Thrift keeping your savings working safely ...for you where the ..income .is ... promptly paid and the principal .soundly secured and amply backed. The first, little deposit you make here may be the first big four dation stono in a home of your own. Commercial National Bank Certificates of Deposit anS Savings Accounts Bear 4 - . . V ' Per Cent. Corner Tryon and Fourth Streets. Capital, Surplus, etc., Over a Million Dollars. I ITT."'!?l' Mill I HIWIWLX ' ' , . , :: ' " " ":" ' " .. 7 ' ' : ; ; ' Kj'T'- ' ' "'" ; -H JW,,.,-,M.- Briscoe Motor Corporation Jackson, Michigan CLARENCE A. EARL, rresiaent Mr. J. H. Ham. May X0, 1921. 06 N. Tryon St., " - , Charlotte, N. C. . Dear Mr. Ham: ...? J"io!& 8eem,to u that the proper presentation of your proposed cut on your etock of 1920 models would be as -follows: ' From a strict standpoint of service and particularly under the condition of your- ??XS the ,cxs wiu proVe 3ust 48 serviceable in operation as the new ones. These 1920 cars will all carry our -standard factory guarantee against defective material. In so far as the price situation on the 1921 models is concerned, we believe that you can forestall ahy doubt in the public mind by our general letter of May 9th. which follows: .; "On any and alj new model 34 Briscoe Automobiles (Passenger and Commercial) purchased, after May 5, 1921, and prior to December 31, 1921, should any reduction be made in the list price thereof to December 31, 1921, the price of any such car owned by any authorized Briscoe dealer or by the original retail purchaser thereof at the time of suoh price reduction shall be adjusted so as to equalize to the new price list basis." . . This will permit your prospects to buy the serviceabUity jof the 1920 Briscoe at a reduced price and with full confidence that their investment will be protected. Very truly yours, BRISCOE MOTOR CORPORATION, f ATK:W ..... . A. T. McKay, Asst. Gen. Sales Mgr. 1920 Model "List Price, $1,410 Our Service at Your Disposal as If You Had Paid Regular Price. Special Prices On Few 1920 Briscoe Models Left Delivered Here 1150.00 Delivered Here A Saving of $260 Carrying the Regular Guarantee. GUARANTEED NEW AUTOMOBILES Time Payment Plan 400.00 Down and 80.00 Per Month for Ten Months, Buys a New BRISCOE No Interest No . Carrying Charges. : J. H. MAM 306 North Tryon St Carolinas' Distributer CHARLOTTE J: Phone 352 -
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
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June 5, 1921, edition 1
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