Salt Lake Telegram | 1933-07-08 | Page 14 | Score Thought Dead in Flood in Colorado

SCORE THOUGHT DEAD IN FLOOD IN COLORADO I Hundreds Searching Ruins of Devastated Canyon Town 4 Bodies Recovered CD Dr lIlt United Prell MORRISON Colo Cob July 8 More 8 More than ian persons today undertook a painstaking search of at devastated Bear BearCreek BearCreek BearCreek Creek canyon where al almost ost twenty persons still were believed missing after yesterdays yesterday's torrential flood Thus far reliable reports said only four bodies had been recovered along alone the six mite stretch of the picturesque canyon which bore the full brunt of the ten-foot ten wall of water which roared down the normally peaceful watercourse Of these only one erie that of ot Mrs Vincent 33 of Denver has been identified Another body was that of oC a young man Two others were reported to have been found at Starbuck six miles away but but rup rup ruptured communication lines and washed-out washed roads still prevented confirmation confirmation con con- of this report BABY FEARED DEAD Identification of Mrs body destroyed all hope that her baby daughter Eunice 4 who was swept into the turgid flood with her could have escaped escaped but but the childs child's body had not been found round Mayor Mayor- Edgar G. G Sparks Spades of Morrison Morri Morn son and Sheriff Sherl James Biggins of Golden directed the searchers Meanwhile within the shattered town own of Morrison where about half halt the he buildings were wrecked the work of reconstruction went forward The flood was caused by a t typical mountain cloudburst that came suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly during a day of sunshine and soft oft breezes Flying above the canyon as the storm torm struck a reporter saw a black blackcloud blackcloud blackcloud cloud dumping a terrific volume of oC water upon the mountain slopes which converged into Bear creek ordinarily a small trout brook Immediately Immediately Immediately Im Im- Im- Im mediately it swept out o of its banks covered the canyon road to a depth of ten to twenty feet snapped telephone telephone telephone tele tele- phone and electric light poles hurled automobiles of those drivers caught on that deadly stretch of road about like ike straws Along that six mile stretch some dozen motorists were driving when the he flood struck Of Ot these only one automobile load was accounted for lor and two of its occupants were listed among the missing In that car ear were Vincent Soder Soder- man his wife Eunice their bab baby daughter and Mrs Liberty Jackson of Los Angeles and her son Billy 11 We rounded a curve cur said the sobbing shaken and saw that hat ten-foot ten wall vall of water bearing down upon us The roar of the flood was like that of ot an avalanche It swept down the canyon at terrific speed As it struck the car the force of oft It t whirled the machine against the canyon walL We all went out on the he downstream side and the swirling water caught up with usI usI us I grabbed my wife vite and daughter and sought to reach the higher ground I clung to them desperately desperate desperate- ly y but the flood tossed us all against a tree and they were torn from my grasp Not a house in Starbuck a village of ot about population was left un Un- touched TOWN WIPED WirED AWAY At Morrison half hat the town was wiped away A cement bridge across the canyon canyon canyon can can- yon fell Against its one remaining pier ier lodged the body of a dead horse A farmer below the town where the canyon widens said he saw literally dozens of or dead animals float past his place The flood receded as quickly as it came leaving great piles of debris It t was not until early today that the he power station was repaired and resumed operations The water plant was wrecked and drinking water was brought in milk cans from Red Rocks park five miles away A similar flood In 1896 took a toll tollof tollof of 28 lives lot C. C I