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<br />THE ESTES' PARK FLOOD' .
<br />
<br />fl~,U,l'.I982,Dtrt.tf,C. iod, ht. llNrs-ll
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<br />brunt of rampaging.floodwaters.
<br />, Monlgomet"y Ward store In a shoppinl mall ,bout a block
<br />upstr~am from the main bu~lness district. The home had
<br />tr.aveled ISO yard!! downslream before it came to rest
<br />agaifl!ltthestore.
<br />"We had lime to pack up our stereo .IInd tel('vision
<br />before the flood came down." she said. "We came back
<br />.lloouII0:30 and alllhe mobile homes were gone. We were
<br />r('ally lucky b<<aUSl;' at l('ast ours stayed in tine piece. Our
<br />lH'ighbor', home is a double,wide. and It split in two. They
<br />losl('verything."
<br />At Nicky's, where at least 40 visitors were still stunded
<br />by liI~ afternoon, owner Nicky Kane watched solemnly as
<br />men In bulldozers and front-f'nd loaders tried to ~r<xite
<br />IhE' flood back into its banks so people could get out. As
<br />~:o h::;:.~:rr~t o~pe::t~rrsfo;O::~ ~ew~~~~ th-:
<br />wort, all of them In relOltlvE'ly good bumor.
<br />Kane, however, was fuming. "I can't even describe it."
<br />he sotid. "I'm still in a nightma~. At least we got evrry-
<br />body out, I was the~ at the front door when a wall of
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<br />split in two by the lorrent and turned at right angles to
<br />1~1f.
<br />Anolher building was completely undermined by the
<br />rlnr. tumbled Inlo the water and bunched up against a
<br />concrl'te bl"idge about SO feet dowfl!ltream. Tbe rnulling
<br />bIIckup pushed a swirling eddy into severa!. units .Ill the
<br />Water Wheel motel.
<br />"We got word from Ihe polic~," said Water Wheel
<br />manag!."r ~van Carter. "and we weren't gonna f!>Ol with It
<br />, (tbe flood). Ju~t as 'fie were gelting r~dy to go. we saw
<br />the bridge come down at us, and we decided 10 take off as
<br />soona'poI5lble." .
<br />Carter said he lost a g3~boand several stairways to the
<br />flood, and by e..rly Thursdjj,y afternoon, he and several
<br />belpers were shoveling the gunk from the motel room5.
<br />By early afternoon, several mobile-hom!." owners .who
<br />had lived in Fall River VillagE' Trailer Park just west of
<br />town were searching the town for lIle remains 01 their
<br />dwellings
<br />A more fortunat!." resident. Debbl!." KllJU:!."r, found ~r
<br />mobile home smaahed but lucked neatly up against the
<br />
<br />water and debris combined came down the river, It was
<br />rocks, furniture. stumps, cVl'rythlng"
<br />III' son, Nl('ky Jr,. said, ''The rIVer Just made Its own
<br />channel right through the restaurant. Il just rushed in
<br />throtlgb one wallllnd wenl out through anolher." '. '
<br />Nearly all the N'Sidents and visitors in and around I~e
<br />lown spoke highly 01 the! advance warning given by poliN
<br />and other officials. By the time the 1l0Qd came raging
<br />through the lown, most people were high on billsidn with
<br />thelrvehicln and some of their possl!$$ions,watching the
<br />disastt"r from a dlstanct".
<br />But Kane, who said damages to his motel came to about
<br />St million, was angt;t "They waited too long to W3m us."
<br />he said. "Vou bet 1m ang-:r- As far as I'm CODCerned,
<br />security llround hE're stinks.'
<br />By mld.1oftemoon, after the main Ihrust of th!." flood had
<br />pa~ through lown. people were shoveling and mopping
<br />mud from their homes ..nd businesses. or jUl:t ,Ittlng
<br />calmly In lawn ch3ln at sheer cliffs where ooce bridges
<br />had been, walchlng ro.lld and cleanup crew, do tht'ir work.
<br />
<br />
<br />.' Horol~ Snyder and h~s_wjfe sil ~~1.~1~ ,by..~~e of f~rm7~ bri~.ge.
<br />J' . .I . I." .,.... J" P.' ., ..... ... . t., . .... . . I., r ,. ~
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<br />, ......'...OTOi.V X". II. LO'U
<br />.' Nickr" Motel guests walch from balcony os 0 front.end loader movesffood debris.
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