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Flood. -'Hosagj f ie teioiiilo)(ll
SPECIAL
SOUVENIR
FLOOD
EDITION
Established 1173
ROSEBURG, ORECON SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 4, 1950
25.50
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CLOVERDAlt PARK FLOODED Wr guthlnq down th en, cn iloodtd Clovtrdalt, i shown
in thcit pictures furnished by Ketell Realty Co., preject promoters. Robert Boyer end Mel
Gregory, top, removed debris from gutters. They worked 26 hours without rest, Meny(ftns
and gardens in the area were damaged by the Seturdey and Sunday surface water runoffs.
Weter, however was report 'n only one house, at an eight.inch depth. Second from top pic
ture shows flood water on AlaWeda street, and water backing up from a sewer drain on Alameda
is shown third from top. The lower picture shows a small dam off Alameda, which broke during
the flood. The dam was built to divert water from the surrounding hills into sewer drains.
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Rehabilitation Job Launched
In Wake Of Extensive Damage
To Douglas County Localities
y LEROY I. INMAN
Douglas county residents will long remember the dates of
Oct. 29 and 30, 1950.
On those dates e gigantic flash flood one of the greatest
and by far the most destructive of all times swept through the
central portion of the county revaging the lowlands along the
North and South Umpqua rivers end their tributeries.
Four dyi of torrential rains I
loosened millions o( tons o( water
upon aouuiern vrcguu, cmus
its rivera and strums to almosl
unbelievable proportions, tnun-!
dating highways, flooding homes
and farm lands, ana washing out
bridges.
Only one other flood in 1861 south of the steel bridge, where
produced greater torrents gush-1 water was rising into homes,
ing down the South Umpqua and Highways Blacked
its major tributaries Cow creek. : The highway to Myrtle Creek
Myrtle creek, Deer creek and and areas south and at Sutherlin
others too numerous to mention. were blocked by water. A road
The North Umpqua was less ser- block was put up at the North Dil
iously affected, but Calapooia lartl wooden bridge, which engin
creek flooded Sutherlin to one and eers feared might go out as water
one-half foot depth in its main rose above it.
atreet. With telephone communications
No official records exist, b u t extremely difficult, contact with
unofficial information gathered lh outsitle world was not eased
by County Surveyor Ben B. Irving-i "Mil ham radio operators went
reveals the flood of '50 surpassed J inl. lon-.
by one and one-half feet high wat- 1" Roseburg evacuation was
era of 1927 and the early 1890's, ! started along Deer C reek, which
but shy of the 1861 Ueluge. That rose a total of 20 feet in about
n i .. i .... l- .. .i . a rnnnv nnnrs. flonriinff homes to
liuuu waaiirri um ihuiiauuis.
Destruction Wide spread
Destruction, however, was far
tnnra U'irlamrttori Pnnnlatiftri in '
creases, double 1927 s, have
brought new residential sections.
new industries, more roads and
bridges, improved farm lands and
other developments, many of
which were in the flood's wake
The flood of '50 was conspicuous
not only for the great height to
which it rose and its destructive
ness, but the suddenness with
which it struck. Few people real
ized upon retiring Saturday night
or early Sunday that within 24
hours a flood of such tremendous
proportions would strike.
On the previous Monday, For
est service surveys, showed t h
South Umpqua at the north Win
ston bridge at the 4.25-foot level,
discharging only 400 cubic feet per
second. After a mild rise, the water
started coming up at a foot-an-hour
rate, when runoff of torren
tial rains from Thursday on be
gan. The river rose to 32.4-foot
level, discharging 80.000 cubic feet
per second. The North Umpqua
at the Winchester dam rose from
6 8 feet to 16 5, and water dis-
charge increased from 12.700 to
56,000 cubic feet per second.
Storm Moved Northward
The weather bureau reports the
storm originated due west in the
Pacific. Northern California had
been lashed by winds and rain,
and the storm moved northward.
An all time low barometric pres
sure of 28.44 inches was recorded
at 5:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 26,
and that night winds and rain
raked the area. Part of the roof of
Days Creek school's new gym
blew off, causing $4000 damage.
Roseburg, fairly well protected
had 30 mile wind velocity that
night. Medford had gusts up to
60 miles. Coastal areas were
strafed. The low barometric pres
sure brought a series of three
successive storms earh accom
panied by heavy rainfall. A fourth
Monday fizzled at sea
Approximately 6 6 inches of
rain fell from the morning of Oct.
27 through Oct. 29, according to
official Roseburg weather bureau
records. Medford had 6 3: F.ureka,
Lain., nine incnes, cuRene six.
with lesser rainfall further north
Grants Pass area, which has no
official station, was probably
hardest hit.
Streets Flooded
On Thursday. Oct. 26. when the
storm developed, Roseburg city The spectators fled to safety, just
street department employes were jn time to see the entire structure,
kept busy opening sewers. Crews i including the approaches, swing
worked alternately Thursday i into the current. The west pier
night through Sunday. A serious later was shattered,
surface water runoff problem oc-1 The bridge was erected at a
curred at the Rose hotel, Roseburg cost of J35O0 after a similar struc
hotel and New Service laundry, i ture at the location was taken out
Water entered basements o f i by the 1927 flood. City Manager
many buildings. Sewers couldn't Slankard estimates it will cost
handle the surplus, said City Man- $10,000 to 112.000 to replace. It was
ager M. W. Slankard. . I owned jointly by the county and
By 11 p.m. Saturday city officials cjty. ,
became aware that a serious flood; officials considered blasting the
was a distinct possibility. S I a n k- debris at the Oak street bridge
ard ordered a watch at the sewlge 1 pirr t0 remove the strain. This
plant and corporation garage. j was never done. The bridge, closed
At 7 a m. Sunday, all city per-, at 2:20 p.m. Sunday, was opened
sonnel had been alerted. By 8 ' at 4 p.m. and closed again an 7:30
a.m. city crews began moving for the night, as wator rose within
equipment from the sewage dis-ijwo feet of the deck,
posal plant and city garage. Be- city Recorder Winston Gilcrist
tween 8 and 9 30 a m. the South stayed on duty until midnight and
Umpqua rose 22 inches at the dis- j was relieved by Slankard. Most
posal plant. The dike was opened I calls were from citizens whose
to relieve water pressure, but c ,ra stalled in flooded streets,
swirling waters hroke out about ! Warning lights were put up where
14 feet of the dike. Shortly after i possible
noon there were 14 feet of water : M,ny Work Tirelessly
over the disposal plant and one; while it is not poi.le to list
and one-half feet over the dike j jndlrluals who participated,
Sete Police Alerted O : hunUreds of volunteers were on
Meanwhile, state police and the ! the job. City police and police re-
I snenn s omce were ano airnen i Prves under assistant cniel Ai
by numerous calls on the rising iiighes, city Slid volunteer fire
water. an under Chief William K. Mills,
I State Police Sgt. Holly Holcomb , ,ireet department crews. Sheriff's
i Saturday niRht. driving in blind- reserves, national guai'aaaien and
i ing rair)-aced flood waters and ; many others worked I.WIg hours.
; skirted nidi's, which later closed : Many individuals brought boats,
the highway, coming from Co- in fact mnre boats than nenled
quille to Roseburg. First flood re-, were available.
porta reached slate police about
i midnight Saturday, and by mor- Continued on Page 4 F
nlng an officer wi continuously
Kept ous tjking telephone calls. '
At daybreak attention was
i,nni m vx-natim? ritni in
threatened areas. Kirst affected
W1, tne Dillard district and that
north of Winston immediately
. " : .
maximum 42 inches and putting
ovcr lhe Jck"
"TCCl ITIOIIKir,
Red Cross Alerted
Mayor Albert G. Flrgel, on duty
early, alerted Mrs. Mildred Her-
. ' , .. i-i-o.i wnrkixl
,!??. ?l .!...?:. . , !5
through Sunday, aiding evacuees I
and offering his transfer trucks i
to remove furniture.
Mrs. Herman, who worked i
through the day and night, sum-i
moned Don Reed, Douglas county i
chapter chairman, Dr. K. J. Wain-i
srott, county health doctor and
Red Cross bloou division cnair
man, and Mrs. Marjorie Warson,
Red Cross field director at the
Veterans hospital. Vera McChn
tock Jones was on the job early.
Mrs. Arthur Clark and Miss Helen
Casey came to register evacuees,
Mrs. Bernice Smith of the home
nursing service, set up a schedule
of nurses, and canteen workers,
Mrs. Flossie Virden, Mrs. Roy
Bellows and Mrs. Zella Green also
responded.
Almost immediately evacuees,
overflowing Evergreen Grange
hall, began coming into the ar
mory. All were regislereu ana
' placed in Drivate homes where pos
sible. Many people cauea ouenng
to take in evacuees.
Reluctant To Leave Homes
State police said evacuation of
threatened families in some cases
was not easy. While most people
readily responded, others left
their homes reluctantly. About 15
families had to be lered out.
Water was three feet deep many
places before evacuees could he
removed, and boats had to be
used frequently.
Cooperation appeared the key
note in the emergency operation.
State and city police reported
workers responded readily, effi
ciently and willingly to orders.
State police organized rescue par
ties then moved on to other lo
cations. Roseburg city officials about 10
became concerned about tne
oak Street bridge. The swinging
! bridge near the fairgrounds
washed out and some of it became
wrapped around the center anchor
piPr, causing debris to pile up.
Destruction spectacular
Destruction of the swinging
bridge was spectacular. Water
kept rising beneath it. A dozen
interested spectators were on the
east approach, when suddenly the
: hrMze beean to weave and twist.
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El nnn c.eFNEC, FROM MYRTLE
j Creole. Center picture shows a
Myrtle Creek. The houses were
I Firmeo Plywood mill at Myrtle
5tudio, Myrtle Creek.)
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BRIDGE DESTROYED This bridge over Deer creek in Roseburg leading to tho City Auto court
Jii badlyedamaged by flood waters Sunday, Oct. 29. Threo cabins of tho court, which is jus
off No. Stephen's street, ware destroyed by water and oight thort damagod. (Pietura by Luthar
DaughtQ.I
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CREEK Too oictura shows Hiahwav 99 iust south of Myrtle
view of tht Weaver addition just across tht bridge south of
under thro to four feet of water. Bottom picture shows th
Creek during the height" of tho flood. IPieturo by Ada's Photo
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