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Show I J vr .. ' l',w v ' Lakeside Review North, Wednesday, June 8, 1983 " ky IAIRY KAWA Review Staff FARMINGTON - They would have preferred to have forgotten that tragic day some 60 years ago, but recent Farmington mudslides have triggered painful memories in some who lived through that equally difficult time. It started as a beautiful summer day in Farmington on that fateful August 13, 1923. a very difficult time. Emotionally and mentally, its been terrible remembering back to that time. Mrs. Ellis was an high school student at the time. She said her parents home wasnt in the path of the flood, but her sister and brother-in-lacame down from Ogden on their vacation to camp in the canyon. Mrs. Ellis remembers her father taking the young couple up to the canyon in a covered wagon that morning and her father returning with all the horses. He planned to go back in a few days to pick them up. Rawl M. Rice of 736 S. 200 E. in Farmington was 5 years old ' - ' r 3A You then after the flood. couldnt get up to town then and cant get up to town now, he said. In the book, My Far- you mington, 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 Then, at approximately 5 10 years old at the time. She p.m., a cloudburst in Farming-to- n a said the huge boulders that massive Canyon triggered were deposited in her familys flash flood that killed five Boy Scouts and an Ogden couple who cherry orchard 60 years ago are still there. Mrs. Olsen said her were camping in the canyon on a vacation trip. The flood defirst thought when the evacuak , tion order was given was here . homes in six Farming-tonstroyed buried 170 acres of farm- at the time and remembers it goes again. Rice said annual flash floods, land with mud, gravel and huge watching his grandfather milk, , ing a cow in the family barn although not as serious as the boulders, and flooded Lagoon. one that occurred in 1923, con.::v Mary Clark Ellis, whose sis- when the rains started. I can remember how dark it tinued on into the depression ter Wealthy and husband WalPHOTO taken during Farmington flash ter Wright were killed in the got at the time, recalls Rice. years of the 1930s. Then, the tation of 60 years ago was relived by older I can remember hearing a big Civilian Conservation Corps terflood, said last weeks mudslide flood of 1923 by Ray Steed shows mud and Farmington residents during recent flooding has brought back unpleasant roar out of the canyon and then raced the canyon and constructrocks washed down the canyon. The devas- mudslides in the city. and the power went off. The mud ed Farmington Dam. The corps memories. been allowed in the canyon now being melted Did it ever, she said Thurs- flew up to 20 feet in the air and planted grass and trees to pronatures most recent deviations by warm to hold annual since the flood hit. the vide a basin the Red covered at while the highway. day staying temperatures could trigger and the disaster of 1923 has been Record snowpack in the more devastation, officials say. the lack of fatalities during this Rice said a situation similar watersheds that accumulated. Cross evacuation center at Farto been that existing today happened No cattle or sheep grazing has mountains east of Farmington Junior The big difference between High. Its mington years devastation. w gi, if: 'sfc ,4iSB bdir Dos fee lief By RON KNOWLTON Review Staff 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 had spent many hours sandbagging around their homes hoping 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 30-fo- ot wall of water and mud crashed down the creekside and into nearby streets and homes. My parents just gdt out with their lives, Becker recalls. Mom fell as she climbed ac- water level would soon drop and ross the bridge and onto the everything would return to muddy ground. She quickly got normal. backup. Stone Creek is normally no The water was so intense, so more than six or seven feet wide high it jumped over the bridge, during the spring runoff, John Becker remembered. The Beckers and others esBecker Jr. explained. Stone Creek pulses past the caped, but had no time to collect VALUABLES loaded for evacuation from Bountiful home are guarded by Jetta Whyte Show dod Fises m 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 about collecting what they had passed. The home was full 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 of are gone, Becker said. And wadrained were faces Many emotion as residents watched ter entered through the kitchen from a safe distance while door, leaving mud and debris 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 bridge and were also piled beneath, as the creek altered its course. Farther down the hill at 170 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 mud-cover- 30-fo- ot ed . yinitfoful East near 900 North, Debbie Skidmore recalls police officers and volunteers racing down the streets of 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 public buildings. The street at 900 North turned into a river by Wednesday morning. Water flowed through many yards, surrounded a gar- one asked him if the 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 Get out or were going to arrest you. didnt have We wanted to come back, Myrle Stone said. They (the neighbors) didnt really think it was going to take their homes out. Stone said he wanted to stay and watch the wall of mud fill his basement rather than returning the next morning to experience the disappointment of seeing the damage after it had occurred. age, and randomly entered basements along the street as it gushed by. Leone Hancey claims the creek is back to its We much choice. She said many of the neighbors were dubious that tiny Stone Creek could unleash such a destructive force. 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 her sister, Lorine Harrison, brings out other items from the Harrison home. while See live lions, tigers and leopards this week at Newgate Mall. Youll have a roaring Mall good time at Newgate See the rare black our Endangered Species Its going to be the in town! Some of event most exciting in the entire BIG CATS the most rare live world will be on 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 Look out! 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). Theyre hungry! You can actually WATCH the at 7:00 p.m. animals being fed nightly, except Saturday, during the exhibition. Plus therell be lectures throughout the display about the threat of extinction these breathtaking and what can be done to cats face promote their protection and survival! exciting and educational exand best of all, its FREE! perience Its an 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. 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. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. June 7-- 11 CCsLJbtx) NEWGATE MALL The practical choice 36th and Wall Ave., Ogden f t I |