Santa Clarita Valley History In Pictures
> ST. FRANCIS DAM DISASTER   > WILLIAM S. HART

Hart-Earp Letters Discuss Dam Disaster.


"City, Survivors to Mark Deadly '28 Dam Break" (Los Angeles Times, Feb. 9) reminded me of letters exchanged between Wyatt Earp and William S. Hart (a famous movie cowboy). Dated May 4, 1928, Earp sent a letter to Hart at his Newhall Ranch, inquiring about the flood: " ... so much confusion about that time ... the St. Francis Dam disaster occurred shortly after ... what a terrible affair! We have wondered if you were affected in any way?"

Hart answered on May 8, 1928: "The breaking of the dam was, as you say, a terrible disaster. Only those who were in it or near it can realize how tragic it all was. The town of Newhall was not harmed in any way but at one time there were 78 bodies in the little shack that had been converted into a morgue. I do not think it will ever be known how many people really lost their lives. A boy in my emply (sic) at the ranch lost his father, two elder brothers, two elder sisters, their husbands and their little children and he, although 16 years of age, is left to support two little girls aged 9 and 7 and a younger brother, 13, and only half of his relatives' bodies were recovered. One family lost eight members. It was all frightful."

WILLIAM S. HART & THE ST. FRANCIS DAM DISASTER

• Hart-Earp Letters
• Hart & the Little Dam Victim
thumbnail
Hero Medal

thumbnail
Newhall Cowboys Marker

RETURN TO TOP ]   RETURN TO MAIN INDEX ]   PHOTO CREDITS ]   BIBLIOGRAPHY ]   BOOKS FOR SALE ]
SCVHistory.com is another service of SCVTV, a 501c3 Nonprofit • Site contents ©SCVTV
The site owner makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to digitized images. However, these images are intended for Personal or Research use only. Any other kind of use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the site owner. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.