1954 – Oct 6-7, “heaviest rains in years,” Pecos, Rio Felix, Rio Hondo Rivers flood, NM–13

–13 EDC/NOAA. “Losses in Individual Severe Floods in the United States since July 1902.”
Climatological Data National Summary (Annual) Vol. 22. No. 13, 1971, p. 792.
–13 UP. “Ninth Body of Flood Victims is Recovered.” Las Vegas Daily Optic, NM. 11-6-1954, p.6.
–9 Bodies recovered.
–4 Still missing as of Nov 6; presumed dead.

Breakout of flooding fatalities by locale, cause of death or name.
–3 Dexter-Hagerman area. Drownings; two men named Solorio, about 55 and 65; boy about 8.
–1 Hagerman area. Drowning; Manuel Hernandez, 65.
–1 Hagerman area. Drowning; body recovered near Pecos River Oct 13; Mrs. Minnie Juarez, 34.
–1 Hagerman area. Drowning? Eva Juarez; missing since she, her mother, three siblings washed away.
–1 Hagerman area. Drowning; still missing Nov 6. Mother and two siblings also drowned.
–1 Hagerman area. Drowning; body recovered near Pecos River Oct 13; son Tony Juarez, 5.
–1 Hagerman area. Drowning; Willy Salo, 68.
–1 Hagerman area. Drowning; Ben Tolliver, 9, from Salina, TX.
–1 Hagerman area. Drowning; body of Tony Tolliver, 3-months, found approximately Nov 5.
–1 Roswell area, 5M west. Drowning; NM Transportation Co. employee James T. McCutcheon.
–1 Roswell area, 5M west. Drowning; NM Transportation Co. employee Frank Thomas.
–1 Locale not noted. Still missing as of Nov 6. Francisco Fernandez Morales.
–1 Locale not noted. Still missing as of Nov 6. Nicol Costa Ortega.
–1 Locale not noted. Still missing as of Nov 6. Manuel Valles Rodriguez.

Narrative Information

Climatological Data National Summary: “October 1954…Pecos River in New Mexico…13 [lives lost]…$1,783 [Property damage in thousands of dollars.]”

Newspapers

Oct 7, AP: “Roswell (AP) – Six persons were reported missing and ‘presumed drowned’ today as savage floods from the heavies rains in years pounded five southeastern New Mexico cities and towns. Gov. Edwin Mechem has declared a state of emergency and the National Guard has been ordered out. Mayor Carl Carruthers of Dexter, 19 miles south of here, said he is heading immediately for a flooded area south of here where he has been told six people are believed to have drowned. One of them, Carruthers said, was farmer Fay Kerr, whose rescue boat capsized. He was last seen being swept down the Rio Felix [which flows into the Pecos to the east].

“The flood has hit at Roswell, Dexter, Hagerman, Artesia and Carlsbad, and possibly at Lake Arthur, also on the Pecos River. It was still raining on the east slopes of the Sacramento mountains whose watershed feeds the streams which have left their banks.

“A wall of water seven feet high at times roared into the western part of this city of 28,000 persons, center of a rich irrigated valley farming area. At Artesia, 43 miles to the south, waters are running into downtown stores and homes are being evacuated in some sections of the city.

“At Carlsbad, 79 miles south of Roswell, the Pecos River is running bank full and a roaring crest filled with debris is still rising. Boat docks, diving towers and other structures along the waters edge have been swept away. Another crest on the Pecos is expected and a wall of water is reported coming into Carlsbad from Dark Canyon south of the city. It was the meeting of two such crests which flooded the home of Carlsbad Caverns in 1911 in its worst inundation.

“In Artesia, Police Chief Frank Powell said there is no immediate indication when the waters will abate. Emergency use only has been ordered for telephones.

“Guardsmen are working in all three cities and conducting rescue operations in Hagerman, between Roswell and Artesia. Dexter, a few miles north of Hagerman in the valley, is being watched closely.

“Born of a steady 24-hour rain in the mountains to the west, the flash floods cut communications and roads in a wide swath through the entire southeastern portion of the state. A 27-foot crest roaring down Rio Hondo which hits Roswell in the western section, sent a finger of its force into the city about 9 a.m. Rescue workers waded waist-deep to get families to safety.

“Most communications and roads were cut to Artesia, Hagerman and Dexter, all down the valley from here. Arroyos were reported running full and there are possible flood threats near Hatch, in the lower Rio Grande valley in the west of here, and further down the Pecos valley. Creeks, rivers and normally-bone-dry arroyos all through this area are running, some of them over their banks.

“The Corps of Engineers district office in Albuquerque reported 10,000 sandbags enroute to the valley to bulwark 5,000 already in-place along the edges of the Rio Hondo, but proving ineffective.

“In Artesia, water two feet deep is reported in the major part of the business section and the entire new Vasswood section has been evacuated. Heavy rains in the Hope area is sending in new water. Water was reported nine feet deep in some low places in U.S. Highway 285 which threads through this rich irrigated valley leading to the oilfield and potash sections further southeast.

“The Pecos River through the valley is rising and has caused a bridge near Carlsbad to be closed to traffic. Highways leading in all directions out of the flood area are cut, with wide sections washed completely out, bridge approaches weakened.

“There were no immediate reports of casualties or injuries in any of the flooded area. Officials could make no estimate on the number evacuated or damage caused so far.

“The Rio Hondo…is still on the rise….

“The airport here is awash and Continental airlines has closed all operations, incoming and outgoing. Walker Air Force Base, on the outskirts of Roswell, has water running out the front gate six to eight inches deep….

“The Red Cross and volunteers have set up emergency stations for evacuees and others at the Roswell High School, the New Mexico Military Institute and in other shelters.

“Guardsmen have been on duty in Roswell since 8:30 last night and 50 have been working in Artesia since early morning. Adjutant general C. G. Sage in Santa Fe said a total of 150 guardsmen are helping out and others will be sent as needed Walker Air Force airmen were joining in the rescue and emergency operations.

“Some of the normally dry arroyos in the area now were four miles wide….

“Every store on Roswell’s main streets was sandbagged and shored up to two or three feet. All doors were sandbagged to this level. Several National Guard trucks were abandoned west of town. They were stalled in flood water as bank-heightening work failed. Three National Guardsmen sent from Artesia on a rescue mission in the Hagerman area were trapped in a nine-foot dip. Reached by firemen, deputies and others, Lt. Charles Nichols, Chief Warrant Officer Calvin Waters and Sgt. John McKinley were on top of the cab of their truck and water was rising rapidly. They were thrown ropes and dragged to safety.

“This entire area is at the bottom of a geological formation which composes the west side of the Sacramento Mountains. The heavy rains, measured officially at 5 inches during the past 24 hours and undoubtedly more in spots where there are no official reporting stations, has put the whole country awash.

“The Pecos River, after which the valley gets its name, heads up far to the north, but is being swollen from the rains washing in from a dozen tributaries and arroyos.

“Elsewhere in the state, State Police reported continued heavy rain at a point south of Hatch, north of Las Cruces, and said ditches are running full. He said traffic would be closed if the arroyos started flooding as expected.

“The rains stretched over the entire eastern half of New Mexico….” (Associated Press. “Believe Six Dead in Flood Area. Water Rises in 5 Cities.” Clovis News-Journal, NM. 10-7-1954, pp. 1, 8.)

Oct 8, AP: “Roswell (AP) – Four were drowned, three were presumed dead and seven persons were missing Thursday night [7th] in savage flash floods which battered an 80-mile stretch of the rich irrigated Pecos Valley in southern New Mexico. Officials could not stop to estimate the damage, which obviously will run into millions.

“Sheriff Harry Puryear reported the body of the fourth identified victim of the Pecos Valley’s worst flood disaster in years was recovered late Thursday five miles west of Roswell. Puryear said he was James T. McCutcheon, an employe of the New Mexico Transportation Co. in Roswell. The other three bodies were recovered in the Dexter-Hagerman area. They were two men named Solorio, one about 55 and the other 65, and an unidentified boy of about eight. The sheriff said McCutcheon and Frank Thomas, another bus company employe, were swept off the highway by flood waters in the Berrendo River in a pickup truck. The two men were going to the aid of overdue busses. Thomas is still missing.

“Rains continued throughout the day in the mountains west of the Pecos Valley. Arroyos and streams erupted streams of dirty brown water to feed the swelling Pecos River and inundate parts of five towns.

“Four bodies have been recovered. A farmer told of watching three other drownings as he stood helplessly by. Seven others still are unaccounted for.

“Roswell flood water receded in early evening. Water in West Roswell which had been flowing up to seven feet deep in the morning was now running only gutter full. The flood did not damage downtown Roswell. Gutters ran full in the main street and courthouse square area during the flood peak, but never across the full street width.

“Roads in several sections of southeast New Mexico had been closed Thursday, but state police reported Thursday night that one, NM-83 between Alamogordo and Artesia was still impassable.

“In the Hagerman area three were known dead, three were presumed dead and six were missing. Phone communication into the town was slow and difficult.

“Artesia was flooded and evacuating some areas, but no water forced its way into the business section. One residential area was half flooded and 30 homes evacuated. Carlsbad was standing by.

“The Red Cross in St. Louis announced it had dispatched six national disaster workers to Roswell. The Red Cross placed the number of Roswell homeless at 200. The evacuees were sheltered in the New Mexico Military Institute and Roswell high school. Red Cross, the Fourth Army, and Walker Air Force Base provided food and cots.

“Highways dissolved or were buried under several feet of water. One section of the Santa Fe Railway track near Dexter was washed 30 to 50 feet from its bed by the rushing waters over a mile and a half stretch.

“A farmer, Fey Kerr, believed to have drowned was found late Thursday clinging to debris in the Pecos near Hagerman eight miles downstream from where his boat overturned. He was unharmed. He was rescued by farmer Jimmy Wiley, combing the swollen streams in his motorboat in a search for victims.

“Farmer Tom McNeil of the Hagerman area told of standing on the bank of the swollen Pecos and helplessly watching the drowning of three Mexican national farm laborers. ‘They went down for the third time,’ McNeil said. “There’s no doubt they’re dead.’ Buck Lanier, sports editor of the Roswell Record, said he visited the H. R. Menefee farm near Hagerman where the two Solorios died. ‘The farm house had been picked up and dropped a mile from where it had stood. I found a big tree and the crest of water which must have hit the house measured six feet deep. ‘It’s terrible. Fences are torn out and washed across the highways.’….” (Associated Press. “14 Dead, Missing in Flood. 80-Mile Stretch Inundated in Rich Pecos Valley.” 10-8-1954, p. 1.)

Nov 6, UP: “Roswell, N.M., Nov. 6 – UP – The ninth body to be recovered from the disastrous Pecos Valley floods of last month has been reported to Chaves county sheriff’s officers. Three-months-old Tony Tolliver was found about 200 yards from where he was last seen being swept away in the torrential Rio Felix near the Hagerman community south of here…a coroner’s verdict of death by drowning has been returned.

“Four persons are still missing and presumed drowned. A total of 13 persons lost their lives when the raging Rio Felix, Pecos river and other streams poured out of their banks and over thousands of acres of land in the Roswell-Hagerman-Artesia area in southeastern New Mexico in October. Those missing include Helen Juarez, 3; Francisco Fernandez Morales, Manuel Valles Rodriguez and Nicol Costa Ortega.” (United Press. “Ninth Body of Flood Victims is Recovered.” Las Vegas Daily Optic, NM. 11-6-1954, p. 6.)

Sources

Associated Press. “9 Missing in Pecos Valley Flood; 4 Bodies Recovered.” The New Mexican, Santa Fe. 10-8-1954, p. 1. Accessed 4-26-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-fe-new-mexican-oct-08-1954-p-2/

Associated Press. “14 Dead, Missing in Flood. 80-Mile Stretch Inundated in Rich Pecos Valley.” 10-8-1954, p. 1. Accessed 4-26-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albuquerque-journal-oct-08-1954-p-2/

Associated Press. “Believe Six Dead in Flood Area. Water Rises in 5 Cities.” Clovis News-Journal, NM. 10-7-1954, p. 1. Accessed 4-26-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/clovis-news-journal-oct-07-1954-p-1/

Associated Press. “Peace Officers, Volunteers Extend Grim Search for Pecos Valley Flood Victims; Eight Persons Are Still Listed as Missing.” Las Cruces Sun-News, NM. 10-10-1954, pp. 1 and 4. Accessed 4-26-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/las-cruces-sun-news-oct-10-1954-p-1/

Associated Press. “Pecos Valley Unit Plans Flood Curbs,” Albuquerque Journal, NM. 10-26-1954, p. 19. Accessed 4-26-2023: https://newspaperarchive.com/albuquerque-journal-oct-26-1954-p-19/

Environmental Data Service, NOAA. “Losses in Individual Severe Floods in the United States since July 1902.” Climatological Data National Summary (Annual) Vol. 22. No. 13, 1971. Accessed 4-26-2023 at:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Climatological_Data_National_Summary/m_gG1xDxctMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Climatological+Data+National+Summary%22+december+%221955%22&pg=PA792&printsec=frontcover

United Press. “CDA [federal Civil Defense Administration] ‘Task Force’ Surveys Artesia, Roswell Damages.” Farmington Daily Times, NM. 10-15-1954, p. 15. Accessed 4-26-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/farmington-daily-times-oct-15-1954-p-15/