Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-05-07
KANSAS LETTER.

and at Kingman, caused by the cloud burst,
has demonstrated the fact that it is not
safe, here in the West, where there is
nothing to hold the water from rushing
into the rivers and filling them to over
flowing, to build towns down in the river
bottoms, even il "high water mark" is te-
low where they are situated.
The loss of life at Medicine Lodge was
terrible, some twenty bodies having been
found, and as there was party or rather
several parties of immigrants encamped
by the river whose numbers can not be
known or the number actually lost, the
bodies being washed away, or being COW
cred up In the sand. The loss OF property
sinks into insignificsnce as compared with
the loss Of lite both at Medicine Lodge and
Kingmsn, and all along the rivers heading
or flowing through that section of the
country. / know of one man who owns
some twenty-five hundred acres OF land
along the Chicaskia, who lost seven head
of horses, and the damage done by the
sweeping away OF fences &c. was very
great. Yet there had been no rain of any
account where his ranch was situated, but
very unexpectedly to him the river rose
over ten ieet in two hours, thus giving
him no time to secure his property, even
had he known what to expect, when the
rise began.
At..Medicine Lodge one of abe imm-
grants had eighteen hundred dollars in a
trunk in his wagon, the wagon was over
turned and swept away but he found the
trunk with the money uninjured in it,
lodged against tree not ten feet away
from where he was encamped. Another
man hearing the rush of the waters, went
to the door, listened and remarked to his
wife that it was the wind in the distance;
he turned to go back to bed, but before he
reached it the door was burst open, and
he found himself floundering in three or
four feet of water. the house was washed
away, but he and family 1 believe es-
capped.
At Kingmsn man attempted to rescue
some horses from q livery stable on Main
street. He rode one horse leading three
others, they swan down the street until
all the horses went down. The man saved
himself by swimming to house which
stood near. Just as he reached it, it
showed signs of giving away, and before
long swung off and joined in the mad race
down stream, rolling over and over in its
progress. The sight was watched with
breathless interest by hundreds of specta-
tors, who we're unable to render the least
assistance, and when the man was OBJ
served to climb out of window and
leap into the branches ota large cotton
wood which fortunately stood near, the
feelings of the crowd found vent i'm
shouting leaping and hearty cheers.
The house at once went to pieces. But
he was not out of danger yet as the tree
swayed fearfully. A contractor and build
er, collecting his men, hurried to his shop,
and while some sawed, others nailed and
put together, and in short time very
servicable boat was built. with which three
or four men hastened off and rescued the
man from his perilous position, just as he
was about exhausted.
Many more incidents, bordering on the
marvellous might be told to show the vio-
lence of the storm, and the destruction
caused thereby, but enough have been Civ
en- to give some idea of th affair, to east
ern people, who seem to believe that it
never rains in Kansas.
This spring there has peen plenty of
rain. without the cloud burst around Har-
per and in Harper county. The "Great
American DESERT shows signs of life, the
prairies are green, fruit trees full OF bios
SONS and leaves, hundreds ofthousands OF
acres of corn planted ana up. Wheat and
oats looks well and promise large yield,
in short everything goes to show that
southern Kansas will surpass herself this
season, and yield larger and better crops
than ever before.
Harper itself is building with substan-
tial buildings of brick and stone. A great
many very fine business blocks are going
/ up INV anu iiotO. WiA 10 UuiiG buiS Suui-
mer.
They are generally built Of red sto,,
found In abundance all around here, anu
faced with brick, OF which first class ar
ticle is manufactured in the yards around
Harper.
1t is claimed that more buildings will be
kput up this season than ever before, 4 and
lfofa much better character, too. IA COM
Epany with a capital or sI5o, 900, is putting
up Touring mill, which wiil turn out one
bundled and fifty barrels pefaiay, ,of the best
lofroiier flour, there is overseventeen sets
lof rollers, This is thing which has long
been needed and one which will speak well
for the enterprise of the town. ...,.,,....
There will be two good church build
Iings erected, during the summer, Presby-
Isterian and Baptist. The former has good
building now, but much too small. The
tlatter are. at present holding services, in
the school house, but have plans for be-
ginning abuilding at once. The Method
ists haveaslnall but neat house, they ex-
pect to build another within q year or
two. 80 st..,~..Fs .sa
The, Christians last fall completed the
best church building now in Harper. 1t is
avery neat frame,house of good size and
pleasing exterior.