Responsibility: Duty without pain

Pueblo reporter perishes in the flooding waters

 By Rob Carrigan, robcarrigan1@gmail.com

Ben Franklin, an old newspaper man himself, noted that is “It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.”
 In the midst of questioning authority, and generally bringing useful information to public,
"Public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity," according to the Society of Professional Journalists.
I have always considered it a noble profession with a lot of responsibility.
It can also be dangerous. I was reminded of that recently researching the story about the 1965 floods in this area. One of the first reported deaths during that crisis was James Osnowitz.
"James Osnowitz, 23, a Pueblo Star-Journal and Chieftain employee, died when his car crashed thru  the barricade at the scene of flooding, near Larkspur, south of Denver," said the Chicago Tribune on June 18, 1965.
 His obituary in the Colorado Springs Free Press on June 18, 1965 headline read:
"Pueblo Newsman Drowns in Flood Near Larkspur." It goes on to report.
"The body of a 22-year-old Pueblo newsman was pulled from his submerged car near Larkspur, Douglas County, Thursday. James Edward Osnowitz, a summer employee of the Pueblo Chieftain and Star-Journal, was found by skin divers. Because officials of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office could not reach the area, Sheriff Earl L. Sullivan of El Paso County ordered the body brought out. The body was taken to St. Francis Hospital and then to the Law Mortuary pending transfer to Pueblo. Osnowitz was born on Jan. 9, 1943, at Sioux City, Iowa. He was a recent graduate of Southern Colorado State College at Pueblo and held a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania School of Journalism. The Osnowitz car apparently crashed through a barricade and he was trapped inside by flooding waters Wednesday, according to the report."
The Committee to Protect Journalists identifies 1,134 journalists killed, just since 1994, when it started keeping records. Other ways of making a living, and just living itself, of course can be dangerous.
For example, Jessica Ghawi, an aspiring Colorado sports reporter who barely missed a deadly Toronto shooting a few days before, was among those killed by a crazed gunman at an Aurora theater, just going to movie on her off time.
And the Alan Berg killing, June 18, 1984, was a stark reminder that certain crazy people can take offense from things you might say, and even the way your say it.
Berg was an American attorney and Denver talk show host notable for his largely liberal, outspoken viewpoints and confrontational interview style. Berg was gunned down in the driveway of his Denver town home by members of the Order.
All of us know of more tragic examples that burn uneasy concern in our operating plans. Journalists, and of course everyone's, primary responsibility is to try to stay upright and breathing in the line of duty and danger.
Sam Clemens, or Mark Twain by the name he developed writing for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, had perhaps the correct take.
“Do something everyday that you don't want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain."
To emphasize: Duty without pain.

Photo info: Aerial photo of Lowell Ranch, taken by Hank Kimbrough, Douglas County Commissioner, June 17, 1965. Douglas County History Research Center

Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink.

On South Platte in Denver in 1965.

Colorado counted itself fortunate that so few citizens were killed because it began in broad daylight and few people were caught without some notice

 By Rob Carrigan, robcarrigan1@gmail.com

A wall of water, described by some as nearly 16-feet high crashed and roared down the debris-strewn South Platte River steam bed on the evening on June 16, 1965. Reports had it taking out, or at least damaging, every bridge along that watershed, all the way the Kansas border and beyond.

Saturated by previous rains, the normally sparse steam flow of East and West Plum Creek, south of Castle Rock, became a raging torrent with microburst rainfall, tornados, and a ripping and roaring water drop, near the Palmer Lake area.

Castle Rock Flooding in 1965.

The Weather and Climate Assessment Science Program evaluation estimates, “The rains began to fall on the eastern foothills of Colorado on June 13. During June 13-16, weak frontal systems were present in the Colorado region. Warm, moist air flowed into the state from the south, producing convective storms. Many of these storms were severe and produced large hail and funnel clouds. The storms on June 14-15 occurred in the Greeley-Sterling area, in the Bijou Creek basin southwest of Deer Trail, and in the Colorado Springs area. The rains were generally heavy with reports of damaging hail in some areas, especially around Colorado Springs, on June 14. An unofficial report of 12 inches fell during the night of June 14-15 at a ranch near Rockport, about 36 miles northeast of Fort Collins. A cold front settled into the region and became a stationary front by the morning of June 15.

“By June 16 rainfall amounts increased immensely over much of eastern and southeastern Colorado and the storms turned more violent. The orographic effects of the divide between Colorado Springs and Limon and the divide extending from a point between Trinidad and Raton, New Mexico, generally eastward to the Panhandle of Oklahoma were quite pronounced during the storms of June 16 and 17. Unofficial rain amounts for June 16 in the South Platte basin were unprecedented. Heavy rains, unofficially 5” to 10”, also occurred to the south near Trinidad and a reported 3” to 7” fell in the vicinity of Cripple Creek. The torrential rains continued late into June 17. Rainfall amounts of over 5 inches for the 24-hour period ending in the late afternoon of June 17 were common in the storm area.”

Near Castle Rock during the flood of 1965.

“Residents of Littleton and metropolitan Denver had little reason to anticipate a flood on Monday afternoon, June 16. Although a rare tornado and severe thunderstorms had hit Loveland a couple of days before, the forecast was for scattered thundershowers typical for a summer afternoon. In fact, it was not even local precipitation which fueled the flood, but a violent cloudburst many miles south near Castle Rock,” according to the Colorado Division of Emergency Management in “Historical Colorado Events.” 
“Police were able to give people in Littleton several hours warning, so they could be evacuated. The first local casualty was the Columbine Country Club southwest of town, whose golf course and luxury homes were devastated. Overland Park golf course north of town suffered a similar fate. In between, Centennial Race Track, which was within days of opening its racing season, had most of its track and stable areas inundated. A massive rescue operation by owners, trainers and jockeys saved some 140 horses. The City's water supply, which consisted mainly of a series of wells along the river, was nearly destroyed. A network of fire hoses run from the nearest Denver outlets provided emergency water for months.”
The Division of Emergency Management describes the toll taken. 
“All told, it was estimated that the damage came to some $540 million, plus 28 persons lost their lives. The state could count itself fortunate that so few citizens were killed in one of Colorado's worst natural disasters because it began in broad daylight and few people were caught without some notice. On the positive side, much of the eastern plains received relief from a three-year drought and farmers made the most of the situation. Plans were quickly finalized and construction began on the Chatfield Dam, being completed in 1972. And with a massive cleanup required all along the South Platte, municipalities began to turn the valley into a beautiful greenbelt which today belies its garbage dump past. The river finally got its respect.” 
According to the City of Littleton’s web site, “As the flood continued north, it was more than just water bashing the countryside -- it now included all the old cars and refrigerators and both old and new debris. This battering ram carried away or destroyed 26 bridges, including every one from Littleton north to the Colfax viaduct. Both Public Service Company power plants along the river were shut down, and emergency circuits became waterlogged and shorted out. As the flood continued north, other tributaries added their weight, Sand Creek and Clear Creek, and further north the Bijou and Little Beaver and the Poudre River. The communities of Sterling, Fort Morgan and Brush became isolated as the waters spread out over a quarter-million acres of farmland.”

Devastation on South Platte watershed through to Kansas and beyond.

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