Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-05-01
solemn Services and Sermon on Las. Sunday

solemn Services and Sermon on Last Sunday.
Tho INDEX last week published eight
columns ~ news relating to the terrible
food that poured through Elm creek
aud Medicine river on the morning OF
April eist. Besides the regular issue Co
subscribers, we printed $40 extra full
sheets and nearly 900 half sheets. All
OF this edition was exhausted early this
week. and we could have disposed Of as
many more copies. for the demand is
yet being made, personally and by mail.
for extra copies. Our neighbOr, the
Cresset, also published a large extra
edition, and its supply of papers was
also exhausted. IL appeared that every
man In the county wanted 10 send pa
per back east TO show what 'droughty
Kansas" can do when IL takes a notion.
Briefly We will publish this week the
main points ~ interest connected with
the flood. together with such incidents
as We could not learn of last week.
ORIGIN.
No ono now holds % the water-spout
theory An unusually heavy rain fell
FOR six hours I'm the northwestern part
Of Barber, and the southern portion OF
Pratt counties, and the eastern edge Of
Comanche county. Nothing like the
waterfall had ever been known in the
recollection OF the oldest inhabitant.
Elm creek was an ocean from It's very
source, and as it has n heavyfall before
II empties into the Medicine river at
this place, and Is skirted ON either side
by high rolling prairies and fell by nu-
mCUus creeks and ravines, an immense
volume OF water was soon poured into
1t. This stream was in many places a
mile wide. and what was worse a strong
current existed through this vast ex-
pansc. This stream was fully five feet
higher, on an average. than ever known
and higher than IL had been for centu-
ries, II the Landmarks are % be consid-
cred rs reliable. In many places the
banks Of this stream have been widcned
greatly; islands swept away, timber up
rooted, and the general appearance Of
the Elm valley changed. Northeast OF
this city the main current Of Elm creek
has changed TO the west and now Iuns
through Spring creek; the new bridge
mt The Curry place is nearly on dry land
AMI is useless.
The changes along the Medicine river
are not 50 marked. as il has frequently
been very high. This time however, it
was at least three feet higher than any
one row living ever saw IL.
South Of here, WEerethc river ana Elm
creek meet, the water reached higher
points than anyone can imagine who
has not been over the wreck. On ground
never before inundated stand huge trees
In the bottom land south Of here. THIS
wcpt vs." rode over t'is ground on Il
lurge horse md could not reach ,nc drift
that hVd collected in the branches If
these trees. Two l,ods uui,ri uto one
did sd havoc ON The lower Medicine as
Ia down as We ctn bear even down IN
the Icui,ory.
TIiE DEAD.
=. can now IT, Ra..l positively that
but l5liyys were lost during The flood.
These were:
g.. W. Paddock, his wife and four
small! children. They lived ten miles
northeast of here in the Elm creek bot
tom, ir loc house. The bodies oe the
mother and children we're discovered
ON Wednesday and buried. The body
Of Mr. Paddock was discovered Friday.
two miles below his IN RIM. at John
Nheat's place. IL was buried Satur-
day.
OF the family OF Samuel Maddox, who
was ouhis way from Chautauqua coun-
~ 20 Montana Territory, his wife and
five children were drowned. These were
son Is years old, two daughters aged 9
and II and two sons aged aud years.
All of these bodies were recovered and
buried on Wednesday.
Jerry Gibbs, his daughter, Mrs. liar
ris and her daughter were all drowned.
They were living In house ON Kansas
avenue east, IN the bottom. Their bod
les were recovered and buried here.
The wife Of Frank Shepler and his
two-year-old boy were lost. They were
ON the roof Of the house and parts OF
the house went as far south rs Kiowa.
The body of Mrs. Shepler was discover
ed Thursday afternoon OH the east side
Of the Medicine river, near Kiowa. 1t
was inside OK n field enclosed by q J.
wire fence. Nothing has been heard
Of the child. Mrs. Shepler's remains
were buried here Saturday morning. n
large number of citlzens following them
20 the grave.
Chas. +. smith, Of Cowley county.
was drowned, aud his body recovered
and inferred.
This, then ends the story Of the dead.
Eighteen were drowned and seventeen
bodies recovered aiId buried.
RELIEF FUND.
Citizens and other subscribed about
81 100 90 the relief fund To be used i'm
helping the distressed sufferers aud i'm
paying the expenses incurred in CON
nection with the calamity. Most of
this fund has been collected. All of the
bills have been paid, and it now ap-
pears that there will be surplus Of
about $500. This money is under the
control of the city council and a COM
mittee Il appeared to aid in soliciting
and collecting. At the council meeting
next Wednesday night, May Q, Il will be
determined what shall be done with
this surplus; and il Is requested that
all subscribers interested be present
and make suggestions. To Jas. Both
well, III. NJ. Ingraham and W. w. Cook.
the soliciting committee, especial
praise should be accorded for their in