The New York herald., 1869-07-05

Thirteen Lives LOst-Rsiir0uds, Crops,
Farms, Bridges, Houses, &c., Destroyed.

Farms, Bridges, Houses, tNc., Destroyed.
IL From the Junction City (KansasD Union June 25l
Thursday morning before day the rain came but
no one Thought is unusual. AT haifpast iye O'Clock
in the evening It came down in torrents but lasted
only fifteen minutes. AT nine O'Clock IL began again
and rained steadily until daylight Friday morning.
About eight O'Clock news came into town that the
Southern Branch Railroad bridge across Lyons
Creek had been swept away. Stlll people could not
believe that anything unusual had happened. AT
eleven O'Clock a. NJ Friday, the awful news came
that men, women and children were ciinging to the
branches OF trees, andthat houses bridges and cat
tie were being swept away by The resistess torrent.
BY twelve O'Clock every man i'll town out Ill
some direction Boats were swept away, and ropes
were the only means OF assistance left.
This news startled our citizens and they spread in
every direction to render assistance. superintendent
Marshall, who had run up the road as far as Chap
an's creek In the interests OF the railroad brought
the sad news OF the destruction OF Lie aud property
that locality. On account OF the ateness OF the
honr we can give but partial details. No person can
describe the suffering OF some of these poor mOrtas.
We could only gather the incidents from small
portion OF the country and there Is no telling what
has happened up the Republican SMOKY Hin, and
Saline. on Chapman's Greek the following persons
are lost, having been swept away with houses ana
pr0pcrty:-James Kelly and Vile; Kate QuIrk and
her little brother Willie, and Mole Iartigan, child
four years DID, all from the family of MIR. Harigan.
Mr.. and Mrs. HarIigan were saved Mrs. Cooke
and daughter, young lady, and X. w. Colwell, one
Of the Oldest and most prominent citizens or this
county, who was stopping at Mrs. Cookies, are re
ported as carried away by the hood. AT ABOUT five
O'Clock In the evening the report came that MIS-.
Picket, living about twelve miles from ChaPmans
Creek crossing, with her two children, had been
drowned.
The most appalling OF all was the case OF Mrs.
Brnbaugh ana family, consisting oil herself aud iour
children--a girl of seventeen, two boys OF five ana
eleven respectively, and an infant about SIX months
old. They were carried away house and all, and
were all cnging TO portion of the building which
served as a raft. Wien they reached the crossing
the raft parted, one part carrying Mrs. Brmoaugh
infant and eldest daughter; the other carrying the
boys. The raft stuck last in some tree tops, within
few feet OF the shore. raft was then hastily con-
structed by the citizens ana ns; Mrs BGm6aqga ana
desperate effort TO save Miss Jennie Brimbaugh who
with lad and infant had been on the other raft,
but III doing lost the girl and boy. lie saved the
infant by taxing mis- shirt and tying 10 TO the nb OF
tree, swimming ashore alone. The current was so
rapid at this point that " was by the most superhu
man efforts he succeeded iii reaching the shore.
1ied TO the tree the poor little infant remained
| for five hours screening and yelling for dear
life, when Mr. Bostwck again determined TO rescue
IT, and assisted by some citizens on shore VINO held
a rope which he carried, plunged ia again He
| maze two attempts and finally reached the little
| sufferer. He then tied him to his back 10y means OF
| rope and swan ashore. SO rapid was the current
at this point that Notwithstanding the aud of those
ashore who held the rope attached to Mr.. B0stwick
| he was carried down stream distance of over one
/ hundred ieet, nearly 10 the rapids
| Just above this point was Mr.. Eiserman who in
attempting to Mrs. Brimbaugh, had little
skf capsized and he saved himself oy being carried
| by the current to a tree, where he made fast.
Near by was Mr.. Horner, who was carried from the
mil, cnging TO tree. Both these parties remained
in this perilous stuationwith but the branch or q
tree between them and eternity-from an early hour
in the morning until i've O'Clock in the afternoon,
| when numoer OF citizens from Junction ar
| rived win q boat ana Messrs. s. s. Caswei
| and John Mead made the perIous under.
ag asa oos sye' neS eU!n sk e the house
| Mr. Michael Hogan, who, with his family, were
In the garret-the water having reached TO within
eighteen inches Of the roofand brought them safely
| to shore. There were many Others from this place
and the neighborhood OF the scene Of the disaster
that for deeds OF 1--WE might say reckless daring de-
serve special MENTION but account OF the lateness
| OF the hour weihave not time to mention ALL
| From the Leavenworth Times and Conservative,
| June 3ol
| discovered
about six O'Clock in the morning when it was little
| more than over the banks OF the stream. Al that
hour the railroad bridge across Chapman moved OF.
At the crossing there could not have been less than
| nifty feet of water. The casualties which we mention
| cover O distance Of only six miles up the creek ex-
cept IA the case OF the Cooke family and Mr.. Cowell
! We have no knowledge OF what occurred above that
point, nor between Chapman creek and Junction
! CITY, along the smoky Hiii which Is at present in
| some places about four miles wide.
Thursday night, at Chapman creek quite jubilee
was mad by o number OF neghbors, who happened
together, over the tremendous crop of wheat ready
to harvest. The farms in that ncighborhood were
in the highest state OF cultivation and Improvement
| Friday morning total ruin stared the people IN the
face Jt the most terrible aUd Swiftest transfer
from comfort and pros peuty 10 horror and ruin Oh
| record. Not farm TO be seen, improvements swep;
| away and crops submerged.
Vague rumors come to ms OF people surrounded
by water up the Republican, crying Tor help but the
water IL OF such breadth that nothing definite car
| be learned. Mrs. Badger, living i've or six miles
! up the Republican, remaIned on The roof OF tht
house entirly surrounded by water, but finally sue
Ceeded in escaping.
| The stockholders OF the Republ1can RIVER Brngt
soon rallied a crowd and lew wagons, and, Will
ropes and shovcs. started TO the relief OF the bridge
across the Republican,. On the way down. abou
half past eleven O'Clock, The slough half way be
tween the town and the fort had about three feet
of wafer rushing from the Republican TO the Smoky
| AL quarter 10 twelve the water was within
eighteen inches of the railroad bridge and three
feet and half OF the Republican bridge
| The crowd went vigorously TO work protecting the
| approaches. From that time until six l.. NJ. the
| water raised at the rate of from eight to twelve
Inches an hour. All OF Streeter Strickers ropes
lOrfN
master at Fort Riley could furnish were fastened tn
tue two bridges Six carloads OF stone were placed
upon the railroad bridge. AT six O'Clock, when the
parties eft the lower cords OF the railroad bridge
were two eet under water, and the water was
within two inches OF the Republican bridge, aud
sheet OF water for quarter oil q mile exlsted thi
side OF the bridges where three hours before All wa'
dry.
At two O'Clock the bottom between Riley and
town was sheet OF wafer, which could MOI have
been less than ten feet deep. The railroad track wa
the only means OF communication. AT hAfpast TIVE
O'Clock locomotive started down with an addi
tiona carload or stone. Al the slough the TRACK
gave way from under and the locomotive and car
Stuck In the mud The water had undermined the
track and at dark half a mile OF II waa gone. Two
men were slightly wounded when the locomotive
Two men came from Milford Friday. They re
ported the stream In places TO be miles wide so IA
as they heard no lives had been ios but cattle
| standing nigh places In the middle Of great lake
beyond the possibility OF rescue
lne rise n .ne hePuoncssn Ps, u ,e s.e hgness @ M eve
water but TO tho north the east aud the sout
| great sheets of water can be seen, where only gu
| people have been accustomed TO behold the goldes
grain the beautiful verdure ana the browsing
| nerds.
by daylight this Saturday morning the rise from
Chapmans creek had reached this place. Sander
son's farm and part of Houses was one sheet o
| water and the bottom east OF town was all under
The east OF town gradually increased In breadth al
the forenoon, but the water In the Republican begaI
to fall. The Southern Branch railroad track is nj
under water Houses aud household effects an
every movable thing came with the current dow
the Smoky. A. w. Callen lost thirty six head o
/ horses in the Republican bottom.
The Republican fell two feet and half Frda
night. AT this place 10 raned slightly all Frida
night with tokens that TO the northwest 1t was quit
heavy. Indications OF rain appeared this forenoo
4 | up tue Smoky Iiill.
I man VINO left wild Cat Friday morning says tn