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page 17 evident that the water would not flow into Sterling. Observers declared that had the grade remained intact the flooding of a large part of this city would have been inevitable. Farm families residing below the railroad trac:ks, who had experienced flood conditions Monday, had been fore;rarned of the coming of the second flood in Pawnee creek and had left their homes, with chicken in the haylofts and such other hurried precautions as were possible. It has seemed to be the rule of past years that each major flood of Pawnee creek has taken a toll of human lives. Up to this afternoon there had been no reports of casualties, though there were many rumors, some of the wildest sort imaginable. One rumor which persisted about Sterling was a. report that a third and still greater flood was descending Pawnee creek. Burlington railroad advices indicated the improbability of this report and county officials had nothing to support the prediction. Railroad Repair Rushed Railroads rushed repair equipment to the Pamlee bridge near Atwood Monday night and today fills were being replaced as rapidly as access to them could be made. Approximately 1,400 feet of track was inundated, the fill being washed out to depths from one to three fee. The ties and rails were left suspended in the air, or sank down for considerable distances. The Union Pacific Columbine train from the west was detained beyond Snyder, where two irrigation ditches above the tracks broke. Burlington Not Greatly Dan~ged The Burlington railroad expected to complete repairs on its lines east, north and northwest today. Some trouble was experienced at the Pawnee creek bridge near Logan, where a portion of the approaches was washed away. A train from Cheyenne was expected to reach Sterling this afternoon, however. On the Sterling-Holdrege line there were several small washouts. The Holdrege train left Sterli.ng at 6 this morning and a return train was expected during the early afternoon. The Burlington mainline track was wa.shed out at Culbertson, Nebraska, where the Frenchman creek joins the Republican river. Some trains from the mainline will probably be detoured thr\,ugh Sterling when tracks are restored here. I Held Has Narrow Escape It was in Frenchman creek, south of Haxtun, Swoday night, that Mrs. Earl Lewein and two young children were drowned by flood waters. Contrary to reports received Monday, it was said this morning on information from members of the searching party at Haxtun that the body of one of the children had not yet been recovered. Phillip Held, well known Logan county farmer of the LeRoy district, had a narrow excape Monday while returning to his home after attending the W. H. Conklin funeral in Sterling. While he was crossing a creek bed ordinarily dry, but running with water, his car began drifting. H. H. Sonnenb~rg, who was back of Mr. Held's car, called to Mr. Held, who jumped from