"Aside from an occasional cloudburst near the mountains which sent floods of water into the Las Vegas Valley, the Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad grade dammed the flood waters and turned them southward as they neared the city.

But the real dashing, splashing, howling, yowling terror of the elements hit us on the afternoon of July 23, 1923. There were black clouds up the valley to the northwest of us but we had no reason to fear anything out of the usual. The storm struck us with a fierce blast of wind and deafening claps of thunder. Then came the downpour of rain which fell horizontally, registering about two inches in the space of about 20 minutes. Fremont Street ran a fierce river over the sidewalks from building to building.

The post office then was located on the corner of Second and Fremont, where the Golden Nugget now is. There was a door on the corner and another on the Fremont Street side. Water was driving in the Fremont Street door and I, the postmaster then, was fighting it with a broom.

There was an extra fierce gust of wind and the plate glass window fairly exploded, sending a shower of plate glass fragments into the room. And the water came in torrents, just as it did in about every store in town. After the storm subsided and the water drained, there were several inches of silt left on the floor which had to be shoveled out.

The Clark Building, now housing the Las Vegas Club, was then new. A.S. Henderson, now judge; Charles Lee Horsey and Dr. Brock, having offices on the second floor; were standing at the front windows, looking out on the storm. There was a flash and a crash, and the heavy brick coping came crashing down through the roof and landed just behind the group, narrowly missing them and only slightly injuring Dr. Brock. It was quite a miracle that none was killed.

At the great main building of the Union Pacific shop plant a building 150 by 400 feet in size was struck by lightning at least four times, tearing holes in the roof about 50 feet square. The damage was high in the thousands.

At Ladd's Resort, Fremont at 11th, some boys took shelter in one of the small houses. That house was taken up by the wind, boys and all, and deposited them in the swimming pool. None of the boys were injured beyond a shaking up and a soaking.

Cellars and basements in various parts of town were damaged and every cellar and basement in town was flooded with water. Some people were slightly hurt, but through some miracle, none very seriously.

The trenches for the foundation of the Lillis Building on Fremont between First and Second (now being remodeled) had been dug. On the west the trench was next to the wall of the Ball Grocery store. On the east the trench was next to the Oasis Confectionery. The earth was softened and the wall of the building fell into the trench. On the grocery store side the wall of the building fell into the trench, leaving the store and stock exposed but seemingly in a rather stable condition and, after the storm, business was resumed.

But suddenly the building began to groan. Customers and help ran out quickly as the roof and the stock of the grocery came crashing to the ground. I saved the head of lettuce I had just bought for Delphine.

There were many other narrow escapes and every roof in town exposed its leaks, all of which shows that we can't tell what the weather will do in Las Vegas. But I am thinking that in the Las Vegas of today, with its many towering neon electric signs, the damage might be serious. I hope that Jack Young has all his wonderful signs well anchored.

That summer of 1923 was a notable one in other ways beside storms. Two great organizations which have had an important part in nursing the sickly town into the lusty young city of today were born. The Las Vegas Rotary Club received its charter on June 6, 1923 and at once entered upon its program of encouragement and improvement. The Las Vegas Lodge No. 1468, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, also received its charter.

The Elks and the Rotarians had much in common and have worked in close cooperation ever since. Two incidents which happened early in July 1923 included the terrible fire which destroyed what a few years before had been the great and rich city of Goldfield. Looking back to the golden days of Goldfield, it is difficult to realize that such a wonderful place ever existed.

It was on July 7, 1923 that flames broke out across Main Street from the beautiful Goldfield Hotel. A terrific wind was blowing the flames away from the hotel into the business section of the city. Practically every part of the city, including its many fine buildings of cut stone, was destroyed. Those who pass that way may still see here and there some of what once was a fine building. Some 500 persons were left homeless. Every city in the state, including Las Vegas, contributed to the relief funds.

The other incident of that month was the marriage of James Cashman to Miss Leah Barker. Jim has continued to be one of the most valuable citizens of Las Vegas and has been helpful in many ways. His son, James Jr., is the right hand of the Cashman family and is also prominent in the Rotary Club and the Elks Lodge, as well as in public affairs generally.

Yes, that summer of 1923 was quite a summer for Las Vegas, weather and all.

Of course, we have had weather since then. This particular spring of 1954 is notable because, although this is the middle of June, none of us can remember a summer of the last 50 years when the temperature remained so uniformly cool and pleasant as this.

Generally from about the middle of May on through the summer the maximum temperature rarely is less than somewhere between 105 and 110 or more. This spring we have had only a few days on which the temperature rose as high as 100 degrees.

Even that seems high to those not used to Las Vegas weather but, since the advent of air conditioning, we don't mind it at all!"