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<br />Puebw Fwod Hazard Miti"ation Pwn <br /> <br />June 3. 1921 Flood <br /> <br /> <br />A scene in downtown Pueblo after the June 3, 1921 Ooad. <br /> <br />The levees built after the 1893 and 1894 <br />floods eould not hold the mighty flow of <br />water that came crashing down the Arkansas <br />River on the night of Jlme 3, 1921. The <br />flood demolished the business distriet. Over <br />the years the co=unity had rechanneled the <br />river, but the floodwaters returned the river <br />to its original eourse, The eo=unity was <br />warned of the flood by eurfew sirens, but <br />instead of deterring people, the people earne <br />out to wateh the flood blast down the <br />Arkansas, By the time the people of Pueblo <br />realized the magnitude of the flood, it was <br />too late. The downtown Union Depot high <br />water mark reached 11 feet. <br /> <br />Bridges and roads were destroyed, The flood <br />eut off all power, telephone serviee and <br />water pressure. Sheriff Sam Thomas swore <br />in 1,500 deputies to guard the eity against <br />looters, The army provided men and heavy <br />equipment for over a month to assist in the <br />cleanup work. The flood claimed over 250 <br />lives, 510 homes, 98 business or industrial <br />buildings, 61 stores, 46 locomotives, miles <br />of track and many animals, Railroad ears <br />were overturned and floated down streets <br />only to erash into buildings, There was an <br />estimated $10 million damage at a time <br />when the city's assessed valuation was $33 <br />million. It took years for the eity to recover. <br /> <br />10 <br />