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<br />page 30 <br /> <br />The water at no time threatened the Sterling factory of <br />the Great Western Sugar company, Superintendent V. L. Aikin <br />said. Preparations had been made to fight the flood, but <br />the highest water level was three feet below the floor of <br />the factory. A small amount of beet seed was damaged by <br />water which entered the seed storage house. <br />Power Plant Goes Out <br />At 9: 19 0 I clock Friday night there stood 28;'; inches of <br />water in the floor of the Public Service company plant. It <br />reached the switchboard and was momentarily rising. Seeing <br />that the fight was both futile and dangerous, Manager H. H. <br />Lenhart called out the forty men who had been striving method- <br />ically to protect the plant. <br />Forming a human chain, each clinging to another's hand, <br />the men made their way through water on the Burlington track <br />to the city. Some fourteen automobiles were waterbound at <br />the plant. <br />Long before the water had receded Saturday morning, steam <br />was up at the power plant. Exciters, motors and circulating <br />pumps were still under water Saturday. Weeks will be required <br />to condition them, and several days will be required to <br />determine their condition. <br />The Sterling-Brush transmission line failed Friday evening <br />at 6 o'clock. Flood waters prevented restoration. An inspection <br />by aeroplane Saturday morning showed seven poles out between <br />Merino and Hillrose, in the only break in the line. This <br />damage was repaired late Sunday and the line was restored to <br />operation. <br />"Acre Tracts" Not Damaged <br />The water reached a comparatively few homes along the <br />river south of Sterling. Most of the residences in the so-called <br />"acre tracts" were not damaged. Residents of this district <br />said this morning their beets apparently were not damaged. <br />Railroad offices at Sterling said tracks were covered <br />with water at both Balzac and Union, though the damage could <br />not be determined until the water receded. One rerort was <br />that the North Sterling spillway at Cooper was broken and water <br />was running over the tracks, though the river was receding at <br />that point. <br />Four aeroplanes were at Sterling Municipal airport <br />Saturday morning. L. E. Smith continued commercial flying, <br />making a trip t6 Haxtun. He reported evidences uf heavy rains <br />in that region, but apparently no loss of bridges or other <br />damage. <br />Ray Wilson, pilot, brought in two representatives of the <br />Public Service company, to check conditions here. Foster <br />Byrnes piloted a plane which carried a Pathe News representative. <br />Edward Selander, of Greeley, highway contractor, visited <br />Sterling by plane Saturday morning. <br />Far from suffering inconvenience or want, Sterling <br />residents for the most part took the flood situation Friday <br />night as a great lark. Automobiles were out in great numbers <br />and pedestrians were countless. All wanted a good look at <br />