The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-04-30
A DEUCE.
Its Work in Kansas. Missouri and Texas.

A sudden and tremendous rise of the Medi-
cine River, near Medicine Lodge, kans., which
is attributed to waterspout or cloud burst, oe-
Cured on the 2lst. The water rolled down over
the IowIands east of Medicine Lodge City,
drowning several families On the following
morning parties who had gone out to give relief
found men, women and children clinging to
trees, with nothing but their night clothes to
protect them, and some without any clothing
whatever. Their cries could be heard as early
as o'clock in the morning, above the roaring
waters. Three attempts were made to rescue
the parties beyond the river, but each boat III
turn was swamped, and the occupants only saved
themselves by swimming to trees. Five bodies
were recovered that day. There were eight
movers wagons camping in the bottoms, and one
old man has recognized the bodies of three OF
his family, his wife and two children. A Mrs.
Harris and her little girl of IL years were found
drowned. G. w. Paddock and family, consist
ing of wife and four children, are thought to
be drowned. Frank Shppeler put his wife and
children ON the roof and his house went down.
He was knocked off by a projecting limb, and
swan ashore several miles below, but of the fate
of his wife and child nothing was known.
Traffic on the Missouri, Kansas 81 Texas Rail
road for many miles each way from Parsons is
stopped. A large number of hogs and cattle
in stock yards along the Labette River, one
mile from Parsons, have been drowned, and it
is said hundreds and perhaps thousands of ami
mails have perished in the surrounding country.
Great destruction of crops and movable prop
erty has also occurred. The Marmarton River
has overflowed its banks and inundated set
Element of from 600 to 500 inhabitants, and
known as North Fort Scott. The water in the
houses is from three to five feet deep. All the
people were rescued. The Missouri Pacific
Railroad track is badly washed out both ways
from Fort Scott.
Traffic on the Wichita & Western Railroad,
between Wichita and Kingman, is suspended,
and the bridges on this road and on the Atchi-
son. Topeka s. Santa Fe Railroad, at Cheney,
Bell Plain, and Clearwater have been washed
away.
The storm extended to Western Missouri,
and many streams overlooked their banks
much property was destroyed, and railroads
traversing that section were washed away in
places and traffic greatly interrupted. Advices
also come from Northern Texas noting a very
heavy rainfall, extending over large section
of country, embracing Denison, Gainesville,
Abilene, Fort Worth, Dallas, and other places.
AT Gainesville the Pecan and Elm Greeks over
flowed their banks, and, besides washing away
much property. several lives are reported lost.
Women and children chung to branches of trees
for hours before they were rescued, and in some
instances whole families were swept away in
their houses, but in most instances they were
rescued. Several streets in Dallas were deluged
Win Il hISu Wiuu oaiiAaSSo d
Der of houses.
The food in Texas was accompanied by ter
rife wind storm. Near Prairie Grove a two
story school house, in which so children were
congregated, was blown down, killing one child
and iniuring IS others.
There was a tremendous rise in the Trinity
River near Dallas, Tex, on Sunday last, caused
by a five hours deluge on Friday at the head
waters. The damage to property along the
stream is immense, and the suburbs of the city
are under water. and hundreds of families have
been driven from their homes. The Houston
& Texas Central the Texas Trunk & the Gulf,
Colorado & Santa Fe Railroads were forced to
suspend operations on Sunday night. The
Missouri Pacific suspended on Tuesday last
week, and the Texas & Pacific Road is alone in
partial condition. Four immense railroad
bridges and the public bridge over the Trinity
River at Dallas were at the time of going to
press in danger of being swept away. Their
aggregate cost amounts to 100000.