Folsom, New Mexico Flood

August 28, 1908

CENTRAL OPERATOR HEROINE.

Woman Saved the Lives of Many in New Mexico Flood.

TRINIDAD, Col., Aug. 29. – Between twenty and thirty dead, nearly half the town swept away, thousands of dollars’ damage to town and property and great loss of live stock tell briefly the story of the flood at Folsom yearly yesterday. Twenty-four hours after the disaster the first definite news from the stricken town reached this city when refugees and passengers of a stranded Colorado & Southern reached the city shortly after 3 o’clock this morning.

To the list of ten known yesterday to have been drowned are added seven more victims. They are:
CHARLES WHEELER.
MRS. CHARLES WHEELER.
MRS. S. J. ROOKE.
ANTONIO SALAZAR.
MISS SALAZAR.
MR. and MRS. JOSEPH GUERIN.

Residents of the town who lived on high ground and beyond the reach of the torrent, saw houses containing families crying for aid swept away before their eyes, powerless to render them any assistance. Eye-witnesses of the disaster tell of seeing lights flickering for a moment in doomed buildings and hearing the structures crash together as they drifted into the narrow canon [sic] and were crushed like bits of pasteboard. Some lights could be seen a distance of nearly a mile down stream before the buildings were finally broken up and the occupants drowned. An entire row of buildings was completely swept away and others were jammed in a shapeless mass hundreds of yards from their foundations. Everywhere are seen bodies of drowned cattle and horses.

Only stone buildings and those on higher ground were left standing.

To Mrs. S. J. Rook, telephone operator, who lost here [sic] life in the flood, many residents owe their escape. In the face of certain death this brave woman stayed in a doomed building until every method of escape was cut off by water, ending alarms to every resident who had a telephone.

It was learned today the Mrs. Rooke had ample warning to allow her to escape. A resident of the Hills telephoned her that she be flooded out within an hour if she did not leave. Instead of heeding the warning, the little woman set herself to the task of saving others. Over forty residents said today that they had received the warning from her. Her body was found today twelve miles down the canon [sic], the head piece worn by telephone operators, still gripped in her hand.

Direct communication by wire with Folsom, N. M., which was devastated and isolated by the flood in Cimarron creek Thursday night, was re-established today. Up to noon today thirteen bodies have been recovered and only five persons were still missing.

The Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, NE 30 Aug 1908

MEXICANS NOT DISTURBED

Five of Them Slept During Flood at Folsom.

TRINIDAD, Col., Aug. 30 – All but two of the bodies of the nineteen persons who met death in the flood of the Cimmaron river at Folsom, New Mexico, on Friday last have been found, the missing ones being two children. The funerals of fifteen of the victims was held today, practically the entire remaining population of the town attending.

The loss is property is estimated at one million dollars. A saloon in which five intoxicated Mexicans were asleep was carried down the river a mile and a half. The buildings were left intact and the Mexicans were not even awakened.

The Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, NE 31 Aug 1908

FOLSOM, N. M., IS DESTROYED BY FLOOD

HOUSES SWEPT AWAY, MANY DEAD AND PROPERTY LOSS ONE MILLION

Eleven Bodies Have Been Already Recovered and Many More Are Expected to Be Found – Elevation Is Over 7,000 Feet and Danger of Floods Is Constant.

Trinidad, Colo., Aug. 18. – A flood in the Cimmaron river following a cloudburst washed out a number of dwellings at Folsom, New Mexico, last night. Fifteen persons are reported drowned. Eleven bodies have been recovered. Ten miles of track and twelve bridges on the Colorado & Southern railroad are washed out. Trains have been laid out forty-eight hours.

The known dead are: R. B. WENGER, MRS. R. B. WENGER, MISS DAISY WENGER, MISS LUCY CREIGHTON, T. W. WHEELER, T. W. WHEELER, MRS. T. W. WHEELER, three WHEELER CHILDREN, MRS. ROCKE, T. W. WHEELER and one whose name could not be learned. Meager advices received today state that the entire town is swept away by the flood caused by a cloudburst. Several houses are swept away completely and nearly every house in the town is damaged.

Advices say that searching parties have been formed and it is expected as many more bodies will be found. Folsom is in the northeaster part of New Mexico near Ralt on the Santa Fe. Its elevation is about 7,000 feet and it is constantly in danger of floods which sweep down from the surrounding mountains whenever there is a cloudburst or a heavy rain in the hills. The property loss is estimated to exceed $1,000,000.

Aberdeen Daily American, Aberdeen, SD 29 Aug 1908

The known dead are:

R. B. WINGER.
MRS. R. B. WINGER
MISS DAISY WENGER.
MISS LUCY CREIGHTON.
T. W. WHEELER.
MRS. T. W. WHEELER.
THREE WHEELER CHILDREN.
MRS. BOOKE.
T. W. Wheeler’s sister-in-law, whose name could not be learned.

Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX 29 Aug 1908

FLOOD VICTIMS BURIED.

All But Two of Nineteen Dead at Folsom, N. M., Are Recovered.

Trinidad, Col., Aug. 31. – All but two of the bodies of the 19 persons who met death in the flood of the Cimarron river at Folsom, N. M., on Friday last have been found, the missing ones being two children. The funerals of 15 of the victims were held Sunday, practically the entire remaining population of the town attending. The loss in property is estimated at $1,000,000. But four of the 20 odd store buildings are left. The force of the flood was terrific. A saloon in which five intoxicated Mexicans were asleep was carried down the river a mile and a half. The building was left intact and the Mexicans were not even awakened.

One of the heavy losses from the flood is the Colorado & Southern railroad. Great stretches of track and many bridges were washed out and only Sunday was traffic resumed.

Belleville News-Democrat, Belleville, IL 31 Aug 1908
 

Articles transcribed by Jenni Lanham.  Thank you, Jenni!

SWALLOWED BY CLOUDBURST

Flood Sweeps Down Upon New Mexican Village and at Least Fifteen Persons Were Drowned.

The Damage in the Southwest Is Reported to Be Very Considerable – The Southern Flood Is Receding But Conditions Are Bad.

TRINIDAD, Colo., Aug. 28. -- A flood in the Cimmaron river, following a cloud burst, washed away a number of dwellings at Folsom, N. M., last night and fifteen persons are reported to have been drowned. Ten miles of track and twelve bridges on the Colorado and Southern railway were washed out. Trains have been laid out forty-eight hours. The known dead are:
R. B. WENGER.
MRS. R. B. WENGER.
MISS DAISY WENGER.
MISS LUCY CREIGHTON.
T. W. WHEELER.
MRS. T. W. WHEELER.
THREE WHEELER CHILDREN.
MRS. ROOKE.
T. W. WHEELER'S sister-in-law, whose name could not be learned.

Meager advices received here to-day say the entire town was swept by the flood caused by the cloudburst.

Folsom is on the northeastern part of New Mexico, near Raton, on the Santa Fe railroad. Its elevation is about 7,000 feet and it is constantly in danger of floods which sweep down from the surrounding mountains whenever there is a cloudburst or heavy rains in the hills.

Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette Indiana 1908-08-29

Submitted & transcribed by Stu Beitler  Thank you, Stu!

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