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Show 4A lakeside Review South, Wednesday, June 8, 1983 Slide Birmg s Mlemmies f a very difficult time. EmotionReview Staff ally and mentally, its been terrible FARMINGTON remembering back to that They would have preferred to have time. Mrs. Ellis was an forgotten that tragic day some 60 years ago, but recent Farhigh school student at the time. mington mudslides have trig- She said her parents home gered painful memories in some wasnt in the path of the flood, who lived through that equally but her sister and brother-in-lacame down from Ogden on difficult time. It started as a beautiful sum- their vacation to camp in the mer day in Farmington on that canyon. Mrs. Ellis remembers her father taking the young coufateful August 13, 1923. 5 at Then, ple up to the canyon in a approximately covered wagon that morning p.m., a cloudburst in Farming-toand her father returning with massive a Canyon triggered flash flood that killed five Boy all the horses. He planned to go Scouts and an Ogden couple who back in a few days to pick them were camping in the canyon on up. Rawl M. Rice of 736 S. 200 E. a vacation trip. The flood destroyed six homes in Farming-ton- , in Farmington was 5 years old buried 170 acres of farm- at the time and remembers land with mud, gravel and huge watching his grandfather milk-- t ing a cow in the family barn boulders, and flooded Lagoon. siswhen the rains started. whose Clark Ellis, Mary I can remember how dark it ter Wealthy and husband Walter Wright were killed in the got at the time, recalls Rice. I can remember hearing a big flood, said last weeks mudslide has brought back unpleasant roar out of the canyon and then the power went off. The mud memories. flew up to 20 feet in the air and Did it ever, she said Thursday while staying at the Red covered the highway." Rice said a situation similar Cross evacuation center at Farmington Junior High. Its been to that existing today happened By BARRY KAWA - w n fosk - BOUNTIFUL It had been raining much of the evening on May 31 and the sound of a steady drizzle could still be heard outside, as well as the constant crash of water as Stone Creek made its way down the hillside next to the Becker home at 896 E. 350 N. The John Beckers and other neighbors had learned to live with the continual roar of the high water. Neighbors you cant get up to town now, he said. In the book, My Far- mington, had spent many hours sandbagging around their homes hoping the water level would soon drop and everything would return to normal. Stone Creek is normally no more than six or seven feet wide during the spring runoff, John Becker Jr. explained. Stone Creek pulses past the Becker home to the north. A beautiful stone bridge crosses the creek just east of the home. Large shade trees surround the residential area. Suddenly, the lights of the neighborhood outside went out. A minute later they heard an explosion. The explosion, I guess, was the water hitting the house, John Jr. said. A wall of water and mud crashed down the creekside and into nearby streets and homes. My parents just got out with their lives, Becker recalls. Mom fell as she climbed across the bridge and onto the muddy ground. She quickly got 30-fo- ot backup. The water was so intense, so high it jumped over the bridge, Becker remembered. The Beckers and others escaped, but had no time to collect author Margaret Steed Hess writes that residents were marooned in Farmington for a week and some tried to drive along the railroad tracks to Ogden or Salt Lake City. It brought back the horrible thought that something so close can happen so fast, said Irene Olsen of 121 W. 600 N., who was 10 years old at the time. She said the huge boulders that were deposited in her familys cherry orchard 60 years ago are still there. Mrs. Olsen said her first thought when the evacua tion order was given was here it goes again. Rice said annual flash floods although not as serious as the one that occurred in 1923, continued on into the depression years of the 1930s. Then, the Civilian Conservation Corps terraced the canyon and constructed Farmington Dam. The corps planted grass and trees to provide a basin to hold the annual watersheds' that accumulated. No cattle or sheep grazing has O is belief By RON KNOWLTON Raviaw Staff then after the flood. You couldnt get up to town then and SCnw valuables. John Jr. returned Wednesday morning (June 1) to salvage what he could. Deon Stuart, a volunteer who had offered to help flood victims collect their valuables, stood guard on a mound of mud overlooking both the Becker home and the Doug Harrison home to the east Wednesday morning as friends and relatives scurried v! , PHOTO taken during Farmington flash flood of 1 923 by Ray Steed shows mud and rocks washed down the canyon. The devas- been allowed in the canyon since the flood hit. Record snowpack in the Fs0 sandbag homes that were not directly hit by the large wall of mud and water. One couple returned from a California vacation after they had seen their damaged home on the morning news. Becker said he peeked into his parents home early Wednesday morning after the nearly wall of mud, water and debris full about collecting what they had passed. The home was x could. Stuart offered to notify of gas fumes. We never expected this to the homeowners if another wall of mud and water were spotted, happen, he said, shaking his to warn those their head. This is just unreal. The homes. garage and carport of the home Many faces were drained of are gone, Becker said. And waemotion as residents watched ter entered through the kitchen from a safe distance while door, leaving mud and debris d behind. others wandered down 350 East near 1000 The home is still on its foundaNorth. One lady sobbed openly tion, so Becker believes it can as she surveyed the damage to be saved. But others werent so her home. Others returned to lucky. The Harrison home just east of the Becker home was torn off its foundation, the mud and water dismantling bricks and turning the home sideways. The home looked like it had been struck by a tornado. ' Large tree limbs littered the bebridge and were also piled neath, as the creek altered its course. Farther down the hill at 170 30-fo- ot mud-covere- natures most recent deviations and the disaster of 1923 has been the lack of fatalities during this years devastation. now being melted by warm temperatures could trigger more devastation, officials say. The big difference between mountains east of Farmington do tation of 60 years ago was relived by older Farmington residents during recent flooding and mudslides in the city. uoiijfal do East near 900 North, Debbie Skidmore recalls police officers and volunteers racing down the streets of creek was named after a relative of his. No, no. Now theyre blaming me, he smiled. Stone, when asked if hed gotten much sleep, replied, Its hard to sleep when youve got a backhoe coming through your backyard and helicopters flying over your head. Mrs. Hancey said many residents wanted to stay, but were told Getout or were going to one asked him if the her neighborhood knocking on doors in the middle of the night telling residents to leave their homes. One minute outside it was so quiet, it was really spooky, she recalls. Then Brian Skidmore recalls the sound of the wall of water was like thunder as they left their home. The Skidmores as well as many other neighbors returned the next morning after spending part of the evening at Bountiful High School and evacuation centers at nearby church and arrest you.'We didnt have much choicer the neighbors vfere dubious that tiny Stone Creek could unleash such a destructlveforce. ' We wanted to come back, Stone said. They (the.), Myrle neighbors) didnt really think it was going to take their homes public buildings. The street at 900 North turned into a river by Wednesday morning. Water flowed through many yards, surrounded a gar- - -- out. Stone said he wanted to stay and watch the wall of mud fill age, and randomly entered basements along the street as it gushed by. his basement rather than re- turning the next morning to experience the disappointment of seeing the damage after it had occurred. , Leone Hancey claims the creek is back to its natural course, rather than flowing e channel through the created when the area was deman-mad- Ms. Hancey said many neighbors didnt believe wed get a big gush here. We wanted to stay and fight it if we could. veloped. Stanley Stone, who also lives on 170 East, chuckled as some aSS l - !l MM ne VALUABLES loaded for evacuation from Bountiful home are guarded by Jetta Whyte while her sister, Lorine Harrison, brings out other items from the Harrison home. See live lions, tigers and leopards this week at Newgate Mall. You'll have a roaring Mall good time at Newgate See the rare black our Endangered Species Its going to be the most exciting event in town! Some of the most rare BIG CATS in the entire world will be on live display right here at Newgate Mall! But dont worry! The entire show is set up and maintained by professionals with the best interest of both the public and the animals in mind. Catch WfimfMdUMdOBRDO'illl Look out! They're hungry! Citizen Watch Trunk Show Saturday, June 1 1 at Layton Hills only See the complete and impressive line of Citizen watches shown by our Citizen company representative in Fine Jewelry (205). o evs x You can actually WATCH the animals being fed at 7:00 p.m. nightly, except Saturday, during the exhibition. Plus therell be lectures throughout the display about the threat of extinction these breathtaking cats face - and what can be done to promote their protection and survival! Its an exciting and educational exand best of all, its FREE! perience leopard! Princess, Tasha, Caesar and Laska will be waiting! Its a unique opporlook and learn tunity to get a close-u- p about the most beautiful cats that have ever lived . Kids make sure you enter the drawing for the free tickets to the Shrine Circus and learn about the endangered species at the lion and tiger exhibit. Endangered Species Exhibit Tues. - Friday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Nightly feedings at 7 p.m. Sat. 1 10 a.m. June Have your photo taken with a lion or tiger! Young and old alike are able to have their picture taken with a cuddly live baby lion cub! Your finished color for photograph is ready in minutes only $3.99 and up. - - CtCsL 7-- - 6 p.m. 11 Jbw . NEWGATE MALL The practical choice t 36th and Wall Ave., Ogden |