A write up of our experiences in California would be incomplete without mention of the great flood that occurred on the night of March 3, 1938. I can
best give you an on-the-scene report of the flood as I wrote it to our family and friends under date of March 21, 1938, which is as follows:
best give you an on-the-scene report of the flood as I wrote it to our family and friends under date of March 21, 1938, which is as follows:
| Anaheim, California, March 21, 1938 |
Dear Friends:
We have received so many inquiries from our very good friends that we take this means of answering their very welcome letters, and of giving you
some idea as to the flood conditions we have recently experienced.
some idea as to the flood conditions we have recently experienced.
As a matter of fact, we have gone through a greater disaster that we even yet
thinking clearly, and have not yet set to figure out the dollar loss, and it is
appalling, and the newspapers have not told half the story. In our own
instance, our home stayed on foundation, is not wrecked or twisted, but floors
will all have to be entirely new, walls papered or refinished, outside walls
taken off to remove silt between studding, etc. etc., the garage moved two
inches closer to the house and the walls are somewhat caved in, and in all we
estimate our own expense to be from $500 to $700, paying no attention at all
to much clothing and linen lost and destroyed, also all of my law books at
home amounting to some $250.00, an old Mills family Bible more than 100
years old and all of our own family pictures. If you have never been thru a
flood you cannot realize the destruction it makes. I expect there are 200
houses in Anaheim either off their foundations, badly twisted, or down the
street from 100 feet to four blocks from original position. It really is terrible,
and we are just beginning to realize it. Togel's house (next to us on North)
lifted from foundations, floor buckled, an 800 pound oil tank crashed a hole in
the walls, and he agrees with me that it will take from $1800 to $2000 to put
his house back in fair order. And, have in mind that we were five blocks from
the worst of the flood, and you will begin to get a glimpse of the picture.
thinking clearly, and have not yet set to figure out the dollar loss, and it is
appalling, and the newspapers have not told half the story. In our own
instance, our home stayed on foundation, is not wrecked or twisted, but floors
will all have to be entirely new, walls papered or refinished, outside walls
taken off to remove silt between studding, etc. etc., the garage moved two
inches closer to the house and the walls are somewhat caved in, and in all we
estimate our own expense to be from $500 to $700, paying no attention at all
to much clothing and linen lost and destroyed, also all of my law books at
home amounting to some $250.00, an old Mills family Bible more than 100
years old and all of our own family pictures. If you have never been thru a
flood you cannot realize the destruction it makes. I expect there are 200
houses in Anaheim either off their foundations, badly twisted, or down the
street from 100 feet to four blocks from original position. It really is terrible,
and we are just beginning to realize it. Togel's house (next to us on North)
lifted from foundations, floor buckled, an 800 pound oil tank crashed a hole in
the walls, and he agrees with me that it will take from $1800 to $2000 to put
his house back in fair order. And, have in mind that we were five blocks from
the worst of the flood, and you will begin to get a glimpse of the picture.
In fact, pictures tell the story better than words. As the waters were receding
and daylight approaching, I got the old camera into action (with full roll of
films) and herewith hand you the results. The folks said I was crazy to take
pictures while we were in such drastic difficulties, but there was nothing more
at the moment to do, hence the pictures. They are all of our own home and
garage, and will give you a better conception of the flood. I did not attempt to
get other pictures: In fact I have seen TOO MUCH: we don't want to see
more: it is difficult to write regarding it, but we wish to give you some of the
facts: so we will write you rather intimately:
and daylight approaching, I got the old camera into action (with full roll of
films) and herewith hand you the results. The folks said I was crazy to take
pictures while we were in such drastic difficulties, but there was nothing more
at the moment to do, hence the pictures. They are all of our own home and
garage, and will give you a better conception of the flood. I did not attempt to
get other pictures: In fact I have seen TOO MUCH: we don't want to see
more: it is difficult to write regarding it, but we wish to give you some of the
facts: so we will write you rather intimately:
Mr. and Mrs. Peek (Mrs. Porter's older sister and her husband, who have been visiting us from Huron, South Dakota - - and Mrs. Peek just
recovering from pneumonia), I am sure did not realize the danger involved, and neither did Myrtle. Water was in our house within five minutes after
we had notice by the fire whistle, and the roar of the coming water was something we will always remember with horror, for we could not tell whether
it was two feet or twenty feet high: but through it all I think I kept my nerve and poise without a break though Mylet (our son) and I had calmly
discussed the possibility of the house going, had dug out such tools as we could find, and Mylet was to go through the ceiling and roof when the
water went over the tabletops, though it never got that deep. In fact we joked and jollied throughout it all, has gas in the upper burners of the
kitchen range and made coffee and chocolate and to all appearances enjoyed ourselves as best we could. As the water came up we got tables
together, jerked down two doors (incidentally breaking one of them in doing so) and made a platform, for the Peeks and Myrtle, and Mylet and I
stood in water from four am until one pm without sitting down and have experienced no ill effects. After it was all over, however, and our own boys
showed up my nerve broke, and it is difficult indeed for me to write or talk about it yet, so I will not go any further into that. Myrtle has stood it
splendidly, but the continued dirt, confusion and uncertainty is getting her nerve just now, and it is in every way very discouraging indeed.
recovering from pneumonia), I am sure did not realize the danger involved, and neither did Myrtle. Water was in our house within five minutes after
we had notice by the fire whistle, and the roar of the coming water was something we will always remember with horror, for we could not tell whether
it was two feet or twenty feet high: but through it all I think I kept my nerve and poise without a break though Mylet (our son) and I had calmly
discussed the possibility of the house going, had dug out such tools as we could find, and Mylet was to go through the ceiling and roof when the
water went over the tabletops, though it never got that deep. In fact we joked and jollied throughout it all, has gas in the upper burners of the
kitchen range and made coffee and chocolate and to all appearances enjoyed ourselves as best we could. As the water came up we got tables
together, jerked down two doors (incidentally breaking one of them in doing so) and made a platform, for the Peeks and Myrtle, and Mylet and I
stood in water from four am until one pm without sitting down and have experienced no ill effects. After it was all over, however, and our own boys
showed up my nerve broke, and it is difficult indeed for me to write or talk about it yet, so I will not go any further into that. Myrtle has stood it
splendidly, but the continued dirt, confusion and uncertainty is getting her nerve just now, and it is in every way very discouraging indeed.
I am going to take time and space to give you a brief word picture of the
situation leading up to the flood: the Santa Ana River comes through the
mountains and opens up into a fan shaped flat about thirteen miles wide, with
Fullerton on the North and Santa Ana on the South, and with Anaheim right in
the old original riverbed. In fact, the town of Anaheim is eight feet below the
bottom of the riverbed some one and a half miles east of town. The water has
always been kept back by Dykes (dry eleven months in the year); two large
bridges span the river east of Anaheim, one up about three miles and the next
about six miles. Two houses lodged on the upper bridge, causing a dam, and
the levy broke near the upper bridge, some six or seven miles from Anaheim:
town of Atwood out, with loss of many lives there, spreading as it came, until
water covered the entire thirteen mile spread from Fullerton to Santa Ana,
being perhaps two feet deep in places to twelve feet deep in others; it was
rushing through our own yard four or four and a half feet deep with power to
move heavy trucks or turn over houses, and no person could have stood or
swam in the current coursing through our yard. The flood, or course, was not
confined to our own locality, for the entire Southland suffered. In the Mount
Baldy area, just east of Pomona, some 150 or 200 homes were entirely
washed away and the same situation exists in almost every canyon. It rained
14 inches in the mountains on Wednesday following a rain of 8 inches the day
before, a total of 22 inches in 48 hours. They roughly estimate the total loss at
$62,000,000.00 but we who have lived here for many years and are somewhat
familiar with the situation and the losses sustained are of the opinion that the
total loss will be twice the amount mentioned, or more. As in every disaster,
the actual loss of life is not being reported. So far as we can determine, there
were 22 or 24 lives lost in Anaheim alone, and they are still finding bodies, but
you hear little about it, 87 lost in the whole flood area.
situation leading up to the flood: the Santa Ana River comes through the
mountains and opens up into a fan shaped flat about thirteen miles wide, with
Fullerton on the North and Santa Ana on the South, and with Anaheim right in
the old original riverbed. In fact, the town of Anaheim is eight feet below the
bottom of the riverbed some one and a half miles east of town. The water has
always been kept back by Dykes (dry eleven months in the year); two large
bridges span the river east of Anaheim, one up about three miles and the next
about six miles. Two houses lodged on the upper bridge, causing a dam, and
the levy broke near the upper bridge, some six or seven miles from Anaheim:
town of Atwood out, with loss of many lives there, spreading as it came, until
water covered the entire thirteen mile spread from Fullerton to Santa Ana,
being perhaps two feet deep in places to twelve feet deep in others; it was
rushing through our own yard four or four and a half feet deep with power to
move heavy trucks or turn over houses, and no person could have stood or
swam in the current coursing through our yard. The flood, or course, was not
confined to our own locality, for the entire Southland suffered. In the Mount
Baldy area, just east of Pomona, some 150 or 200 homes were entirely
washed away and the same situation exists in almost every canyon. It rained
14 inches in the mountains on Wednesday following a rain of 8 inches the day
before, a total of 22 inches in 48 hours. They roughly estimate the total loss at
$62,000,000.00 but we who have lived here for many years and are somewhat
familiar with the situation and the losses sustained are of the opinion that the
total loss will be twice the amount mentioned, or more. As in every disaster,
the actual loss of life is not being reported. So far as we can determine, there
were 22 or 24 lives lost in Anaheim alone, and they are still finding bodies, but
you hear little about it, 87 lost in the whole flood area.
A man and his wife rode the roof of their house from Atwood to within a mile
of Anaheim (some 5 miles) and saved their lives; a friend of mine at the edge
of Anaheim watched his 3 ton truck wash away, grabbed a coat and took to a
tree and stayed there till morning. He was over 75 and has not yet recovered
from the effects of the experience and his mind is somewhat affected by it. A
friend of mine just yesterday told me of watching two automobiles rushing
from the flood, driving into the river where the bridge had washed out and that
nothing was seen of them later. Practically every bridge is out. Our own
neighbors a block to the north of us tried to get to their car, water came to
their waists before they got it started and they fought their way back to the
house with desperate effort, the water came far up in their house and they
came through, and aside from the fact that she had hysterics and had to go to
the hospital for a time, is now all right.
of Anaheim (some 5 miles) and saved their lives; a friend of mine at the edge
of Anaheim watched his 3 ton truck wash away, grabbed a coat and took to a
tree and stayed there till morning. He was over 75 and has not yet recovered
from the effects of the experience and his mind is somewhat affected by it. A
friend of mine just yesterday told me of watching two automobiles rushing
from the flood, driving into the river where the bridge had washed out and that
nothing was seen of them later. Practically every bridge is out. Our own
neighbors a block to the north of us tried to get to their car, water came to
their waists before they got it started and they fought their way back to the
house with desperate effort, the water came far up in their house and they
came through, and aside from the fact that she had hysterics and had to go to
the hospital for a time, is now all right.
Along with the serious things, we found some funny ones: Son Ellis works in the bank at Placentia, and one of the bank men bought a riding horse
the day of the flood, put it in a barn, bought hay and feed - and horse, hay and all were washed into the river. He was lamenting his loss next day,
looked out the bank window and saw a Mexican riding his horse - hence recovery.
the day of the flood, put it in a barn, bought hay and feed - and horse, hay and all were washed into the river. He was lamenting his loss next day,
looked out the bank window and saw a Mexican riding his horse - hence recovery.
A man who drives a large truck for one of the ice companies lives a block from us ( or DID): when the flood hit they apparently thought they could
get out in the truck, for when daylight came we could look out and see the truck with the nose hanging down into a hole, the water halfway up on the
windshield, and the rain wiper was running right along, back and forth, just above the water, and it kept running some four hours after we first saw it.
It looked funny, working away just above the surface of the water.
get out in the truck, for when daylight came we could look out and see the truck with the nose hanging down into a hole, the water halfway up on the
windshield, and the rain wiper was running right along, back and forth, just above the water, and it kept running some four hours after we first saw it.
It looked funny, working away just above the surface of the water.
Another thing, while it may be a trifle out of place to recall: as the Peeks and Myrtle sat on the
improvised platform, and Mylet and I had been standing in the water for hours, an ordinary old
fashioned slop jar came floating out through the hall door and circled the dining room. Just
something to give us a laugh at the right time, I guess.
improvised platform, and Mylet and I had been standing in the water for hours, an ordinary old
fashioned slop jar came floating out through the hall door and circled the dining room. Just
something to give us a laugh at the right time, I guess.
And a thing that is NOT so funny, as the water began to rise the pressure in the river
apparently forced the sewerage back through the pipes, and for some six minutes or more a
stream of dirty filthy materials poured out of our bathroom stool, and it was a most discussing
and offensive situation I assure you. I better get onto a better smelling subject.
apparently forced the sewerage back through the pipes, and for some six minutes or more a
stream of dirty filthy materials poured out of our bathroom stool, and it was a most discussing
and offensive situation I assure you. I better get onto a better smelling subject.
And how our friends have stood by - loyalty and encouragement from every source. The
trouble appears to have cemented neighborly friendships and to have cured some slights and
misunderstandings; and the encouragement we have received has given us courage to "carry
on", for it would be easy indeed to become discouraged and feel that it is not worthwhile to
work out, but give us time and we will still be on top of the heap, though a little muddy in spots.
trouble appears to have cemented neighborly friendships and to have cured some slights and
misunderstandings; and the encouragement we have received has given us courage to "carry
on", for it would be easy indeed to become discouraged and feel that it is not worthwhile to
work out, but give us time and we will still be on top of the heap, though a little muddy in spots.
The drinking water is a serious problem. Anaheim depends upon seven deep water wells for
it's domestic supply, and six of them have been contaminated and declared unsafe for use,
hence most of us are using bottled water, and if we use any of the other it must be boiled some
time.
it's domestic supply, and six of them have been contaminated and declared unsafe for use,
hence most of us are using bottled water, and if we use any of the other it must be boiled some
time.
Sewage is also a problem, but in our own section of the city we are not troubled, but there is a heavy deposit of silt over the entire town (the
business section had from a foot to two feet of water in every place of business and every basement full), and the silt is loaded with rotting oranges
and debris of all sorts and is becoming a distinct nuisance. Deposit of some five inches in all yards and lawns and gardens and under all residences,
and the same amount in the homes, and we are gradually digging it out and piling it in the streets where WPA men cart it away. They report the
finding of new bodies almost every day, and have a crew of men searching all alleys, yards and corners for bodies of humans and animals. One
rancher of whom son Ellis is acquainted told him that they had found seven human bodies in his orange grove. My heart goes out to the pets and
dumb beasts, for many of them are homeless and without care.
business section had from a foot to two feet of water in every place of business and every basement full), and the silt is loaded with rotting oranges
and debris of all sorts and is becoming a distinct nuisance. Deposit of some five inches in all yards and lawns and gardens and under all residences,
and the same amount in the homes, and we are gradually digging it out and piling it in the streets where WPA men cart it away. They report the
finding of new bodies almost every day, and have a crew of men searching all alleys, yards and corners for bodies of humans and animals. One
rancher of whom son Ellis is acquainted told him that they had found seven human bodies in his orange grove. My heart goes out to the pets and
dumb beasts, for many of them are homeless and without care.
While on the table we connected up an electric heating pad, but in the confusion, Myrtle dropped it into the water and we had to turn it off to avoid
blowing a fuse with the wet pad.
blowing a fuse with the wet pad.
We were practically under martial law for nearly two weeks, and it was necessary to have a pass to get in and out of town, particularly on the side
streets. The main arteries, of course, were open through town after the first few days. The state militia and the veterans did noble work and are to
be in all things complemented. Some looting was had the first night, but after that it was held down to practically nil.
streets. The main arteries, of course, were open through town after the first few days. The state militia and the veterans did noble work and are to
be in all things complemented. Some looting was had the first night, but after that it was held down to practically nil.
I must tell of one more incident that to me was real funny: Mr. Peek is modesty in the extreme. In getting Mrs. Peek and Myrtle up onto the
improvised platform above water, Mr. Peek got his feet and undies wet. We insisted that he get up out of the water, with the ladies on the tables,
and that he get into some dry underwear. Privacy was just nil. He refused to change his union suit, so I looked around for a pair of shears with which
to cut off the wet part of the legs, so we finally induced him to make the change on the table, but it is something he don't care to discuss, as to how
and where he changed his undies!
improvised platform above water, Mr. Peek got his feet and undies wet. We insisted that he get up out of the water, with the ladies on the tables,
and that he get into some dry underwear. Privacy was just nil. He refused to change his union suit, so I looked around for a pair of shears with which
to cut off the wet part of the legs, so we finally induced him to make the change on the table, but it is something he don't care to discuss, as to how
and where he changed his undies!
This letter is long, is disconnected and the ground has not been half covered, but it will give you some inside views on the situation, and I hope may
not be boresome. Will explain the pictures on a separate page.
not be boresome. Will explain the pictures on a separate page.
Very sincerely,
ARTHUR G. PORTER
