Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1885-04-30
HAVOC IN KANSAS.
Sixteen Persons Known to Have Been
Drowned in Wild Waters Near
Medicine Lodge.
A Terrible Rain, Followed by Water Spout,
Carries Death and Destruction in Its Wake.
Frightful Effects OF Angry Waters.

Frightful Effects Of Angry " aters.
Special TO The Kansas City Times.
MEDICINE LODGE, VIA HARPER, KAN, Apr
2.-Tuesday morning terrible rainfall visit
ed Barbour county swelling the Medicine river
and Elm creek, streams that pass on two sides
Of this city, far beyond anything ever heard
In this county
Elm creek is in the northwest part of the
county and is fed by numerous small streams
and these were all filled TO their banks In less
than one hours time.
At this place where the stream Is usually con-
fined 10 a shallow channel sixty feet wide, It
spread over the lirst and second bottoms, a
distance OF from half mile TO a mile and
was fifteen feet deep. In the bottom directly
east OF town were fifty houses, all occupied.
and no less than dozen Of these wero entirely
destroyed and In many cases their occupants
either drowned or were only saved by clinglng
TO the branches of trees,
Camped in this bottom were ten or fifteen
emigrant wagons filed with families, and not
half Of the occupants have yet been found.
North Of here entire families were drowned
while other. made miraculous escapes. All OF
yesterday and last night the streams were so
high that no communication could be had
with the east, and to-day the first mail matter
and dispatches were sent out.
plTEOUs SCENES OF DISASTER, ETC.
The business houses OF the city were closed
yesterday, and every man in the town was en-.
gagged in the work Of constructing boats and
RATS TO aid in resCuipg the people who were
ciuging 10 the trees who had found lodge
ment on the top OF remaining houses, or who
had taken refuge on the high points of ground
Many Of these were without clothes and
were cold and stiff when rescued. Their ap-
/ pesls for help were heart rcnding.
| Many parties who attempted 10 rescue them
| In the frail boats were themselves dashed into
| the water and barely saved.
| Before noon no less than a dozen citizens
| who had attempted to help the unfortunate
were themselves crying for help from the tops
of trees. Horses could not live in the strong
| current, and so the people had TO wait until
the food subs.ded before any substantial re-
lief could he given. By night nearly all Of the
living had been rescued from their pcrilous
| positions, though few could not he rescued.
| A party was out all Of last night endeavor
ingto rescue those remaining.
THOUSANDS OF CATTLE LOST.
The Medicine river was eight feet higher
than ever known, but so far as known no
lives were lost on this stream, the people not
having dared ai any time TO live or come to
near its banks, However, hundreds Of cattle
were drowned by the Medicine river, and
great fields of crops were ruined and fences
torn away.
Much stock was also lost OH Elm
creek and hundred, Of dead animals line
lis banks
CAUSED BY WATER SPOUT.
The food started at dark Monday night,
northwest Of here. Witnesses say that
for six hours the rain actually poured, and
then great water spout burst and sudden
rise here Of ten feet occurred in less than ten
minutes.
The seycrcst storm APP ears not to have cX-
tended west Of sun City or far north Of Elm
Mills.
LIST or THOSE DROWNED.
G. W. Paddock, wife and four children, liv-
ing ten miles north on Elm creek were over
whclmCd by the flood which completely de.
stroyed their house The bodies OF the wife
and three of the children have been recovered,
The wife and child Of Frank Simpler of this
town were on top their houses and cannot be
heard Of. Shipler was carried two miles in the
water and escaped barely alive.
Jerry Gibbs his daughter, Mrs. Harris, and
her daughter were all drowned The bodies Of
the 'wO women have been recovered.
Charlie Smi Ii of Cowlcy county, mover,
has not been found.
FIVE OF A FAMILY PERISH.
Samuel Maddox Of Chaulsuga county, with
his wife and seven children and brolher-in
law, Robert Sog. Of Clinton, COUNTY
Mo-, were campcd near Elm creek. Thc
wife and four children were DIR wned
, Her body and those Of Two eli lurcn were
recovered Maddox lost his team. hu, re
covered trunk containing neatly - 600
One daughter and son remained in the tree
+ tops eight hours.
MANY PEOPLE MISSING.
-Four wagons containing movers are I'M
heard Of yet, ii Is supposed they were al
/ drowned and that their bodies will be founC
; below here.
No news has been received from below her
i on Medicine river further than ten mics, bu
l the suppositon s that the loss Of life will b
great
= CITIZENS HARD AT WORK.
p The City council has organ zrd relief assO
a clation and thousands of dollars have alrcad
been subscribed.
9 All dead bodies recovered up to to-day vii
e be buried This afternoon.
| The district court has adjourned until III
i excitement is over, and the court room ha
:, been turned into Il morCur Judge Omcr
out with searching part Ct.
Il sun City and Lake City, west, were not SER
I ously'damagcd, though inundated. Elm Mil
$ was also covered with water bu, no loss @
life occurred,