The following accounts of the Vanport Flood were taken from the Vanport Vertical Files at the Oregon Historical Society. As Housing Authority of Portland records, they are public domain documents.
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PORTLAND, OREGON
9015 North Foss Avenue
Portland, Oregon
REPORT ON VANPORT CITY FLOOD DISASTER
To: Harry D Jaeger, Vanport Manager
From: Oscar Bollinger, Fire Fighter- Vanport Fire Department, Housing Authority of Portland, Oregon.
The first patrol was at 12:00 Noon with Mel Hall. At this time Mel Hall had found a small seepage on the rail road dike. Approximately seventy-five men were working with sand bags until three o’clock.
I was ordered by Chief Bergholt to patrol the other portions of the dike. I walked the dike toward the Lake Street road and found no seepage. Upon returning to the place where the men were working I hard a very loud crashing noise and saw a large portion of the dike give way and a mountain of water poured into Vanport toward fire station #3 and the College. I ran approximately one block to where I had the patrol car parked and water was already under the car. Drove immediately down Victory with my horn blowing, trying to warn people of the break as far as to Central Station where I reported the break to the operator and Captain English, at which time the alarm was given by siren.
From then until the water hit the Denver Avenue dike, I assisted in warning people and loading buses, cars and helping children out of Vanport. After the water reached the Denver Avenue dike, again helped load uses to get people off the road so that others could reach safety with carts. Some time later I went out in a boat to see if there were any stranded people and help them off the units.
Oscar Bollinger, Fire Fighter
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PORTLAND, OREGON
9015 North Foss Ave
Portland, Oregon
REPORT ON VANPORT FLOOD DISASTER
To: Harry D Jaeger, Vanport Manager
From: Ed Dachtler, Fireman- Vanport Fire Department, Housing Authority of Portland, Oregon
Date: June 1, 1948.
I was stationed at Fire Station #3 at the West end of Victory Street. There were no men on patrol from “A” shift at this station until 10:00 a.m. the 30th. I will begin from there.
At about 10:30 a.m., M. Hall, fireman on patrol, reported from Station No. 3 that water was seeping through the railroad dike about 400 yards behind Station #3. Men were put to work with in thirty minutes with sand bags. The railroad was notified about it but they seemed in no hurry to bring in sand.
(Notice the next few lines)
About four hours before the break, I was on top of this dike and saw a boy riding on a bike through the water. He was on the North Portland road which was covered with about two feet of water. Now this boy was in line to where the dike gave way.
There were three of us at Station #3 when the dike gave way. My other man was out on the dike on patrol.
We at the station saw the dike give way, W. Gobin, I. Van Kirk and myself. I can truthfully say that we were out of the station and had the siren on the fire engine in between 10 and 15 seconds after the dike gave way. We drove down Victory Street and stopped at Fire Box #27 and notified the Central Fire Station. Then we continued on to the Central Fire Station and at Lake Street I stopped the Sheriff’s car and notified them about the dike.
Then we went on the Central Fire Station. We then drove back to Fire Station #3. The residents on Victory Street were moving out. We got back to Station #3 and there was about 2 feet of water there then. I left the station the second time about 15 minutes after the break through.
We came back to the Central Fire Station and there were some of us firemen stopping cars that were on their way out and putting women and their babies in. When I felt it was time to get the fire engine to safety I took it to Station #2, not knowing if we would have to use it or not. From there on, I helped with the traffic.
Ed Dachtler, Fireman Vanport Fire Department
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PORTLAND,OREGON
9015 North Foss Avenue
Portland, Oregon
REPORT ON VANPORT CITY FLOOD DISASTER
To: Harry D Jaeger, Project Manager
From: E.W. St. Hilaire
May 28, 1948. On duty 8:00 a.m. Was detailed by Asst. Chief Bergholt to patrol and traffic duty from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on May 28, 1948, at Swift Blvd. and Force St. to allow only people who were employed in different industries by the said intersection and to keep out all spectators.
May 30, 1948. Was detailed on dike patrol 3:00 p.m., with Bollinger, We inspected dike. When we arrived at scene where they were sandbagging, Asst. Chief Bergholt ordered me to go back to Swift Blvd. and Force Street for traffic duty. When we arrived to go back to Swift Blvd. and Force Street for traffic duty. When we arrived at Force and Broadacre, we heard sirens blowing. Went back to Central Station, saw water rushing toward us. Inspector Schlater gave me orders to patrol the intersection of Lake and Victory, keep traffic moving fast as possible, allow no one to go in the direction toward water, so I loaded women and children into cars and buses as quickly as possible, trying to keep ahead of water, blowing whistle, and looking in some units for people. Arrived at Island Street, walked across bridge, rushing people out before bridge washed out, went into some units on Victory to see if I could find anyone. Found a lady and 2 children sitting in apartment on daveno dazed. Told her to get out. She said “Don’t know what to do”, so I got her out, loaded into housing Authority truck. Water was getting around knees, so I jumped on another truck and rode up to Victory and Denver Court, jumped off and walked to the dike on Denver Avenue. Water was over my waist then.
E. W. St. Hilaire
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PORTLAND, OREGON
9015 North Foss Avenue
Portland, Oregon
REPORT ON VANPORT CITY FLOOD DISASTER
To: Mr. Harry D. Jaeger, Vanport Manager
From: Jack Langworthy, M/Sgt. U.S.A.F
Date: June 5, 1948.
To the best of my knowledge the following is a true account of the events and activities during and immediately preceding the Vanport flood of Sunday, May 30, 1948.
On or about Wednesday, May 26, 1948, Mr. John L. Ward requested the Army and Air Forces Sound Truck be made available in case of impending unforeseen eventualities. Arrangements were made on the above date and the sound truck was obtained and retained by me, starting that evening.
About noon of the day of the disaster, May 30, 1948, I received a call at home from Mr. Harry Jaeger, requesting that I bring the sound truck and remain at the project for the next few days. I arrived at the project at approximately 1:30 P.M. of the same afternoon and parked the truck behind the Administration Building. I then stood by with Mr. Jaeger in the Administration Building.
At or about the exact time of the disaster (I do not possess a watch), Mr. Taylor came into the office and reported to Mr. Jaeger that someone had started spreading word that the dike had broken. He seemed to register quite some concern over the matter. Mr. Jaeger immediately left the office to make an investigation and I proceeded to get the sound truck in readiness.
After a few minutes I again returned to the office and this time encountered Mr. Schlatter, the Fire Inspector, who registered grave concern over the situation.
All this led me to believe that the situation had become grave. I then returned to the sound truck and was standing by when I heard a siren. It was upon this signal that I started out of the parking lot and proceeded to warn the people of Vanport to evacuate. The telephone operator at the time leaned out of the window and inquired if I was going to warn the people.
Just as I arrived on Force Avenue in front of the maintenance gate, Mr. Ward got on the truck. I then stopped the warning inasmuch as Mr. Ward was under the impression that the siren I had heard was not the signal but the 4:30 P.M. siren, but after reflecting a little it was felt that I should proceed, which I did, and Mr. Ward went back to the office to check on the bus transportation, etc.
My route was North on Force to Broadacre, West on Broadacre to Lake, and South on Lake. I proceeded at slow rate of speed and stopped occasionally to make sure everyone could hear me. . .
