The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-06-12

The rain of Saturday night and Sunday
morning caused floods that swept
away nearly, ii not quite, $4,000 worth OF
, bridges in this county.
The returns are only in from Ninnescah
| and Union townships aud. of course, the
loss eau only be estimated. 1t may run
higher than the above figures.
reports at the county commissioners
Office yesterday showed three bridges
swept away in Minnesota township aud
tbres in Union township. Mr.. Nickerson,
who came up from Clearwater. said that
SO far as he could learn there is only one
bridge left spanning the NinDescah, and
that is the one near Cheney. One of the
bridges in Union township was carried up
stream by the back water.
All these bridges were built by the coun-
tv, but private aid was given to many of
them by individuals as the county com
missioners cannot. by law. give more than
certain sum for each bridge without a
vote of the county being taken on the
proposition.
All the Minnesota bridges will cost a
good deal more than the county can give
unless by a vote Of the people. This will
necessitate one of two things before the
bridges can be rebuilt. Either private in
dividuals must subscribe or a vote of the
county be taken. Individuals do not feel
able to contribute this year and there are
some doubts whether the people of the
county would vote bonds. In this dilema
the people on the other side of the Mime
scah find themselves and are anxious to
see the way out.
The rain at Wichita was only shower
compared to the downpour that fell in the
western part of the county. Signal service
observer Fred L. johnson says it rained
only 80 inches in Wichita while
reports received by him from Mt. Hope
state that between Saturday noon and
Sunday morning s 40 inches of rain fell
there. This downpour is unparalleled in
the history of this valley and in all proba-
bility has not been exceeded in the history
or the state.
One gentleman from Union township
told a reporter for the EAGLE yesterday
that seventeen inches of water was il a
narrow pecked milk can which stood out
in the yard and that a beer bottle was
filled in very short time. This is nothing
like accurate measurement of the rain
fall bnt it will serve to illustrate the
extent of the precipitation.
1t is estimated that the Little river rose
twelve feet in two hours Sunday morning
and that it went over its high banks north
of Riverside. 1t was bank full at the
Pine street bridge and everybody knows
how high the river banks are at that point.
The big Arkansas river went over its
banks at the foot of Morris street and the
next street below it Sunday afternoon and
drove two or three families from their
homes, completely surrounding the houses
till men had to carry their wives out on
their backs. IL was thought that by yes
terday morning the entire bottom land
would be covered up, but about l o'clock
in the morning the water began to 20
down and by noon yesterday it lad fallen
about four inches.
Heavy RS the rains were In this county
they did not compare to the dOwnpour
in Butler county. The oldest inhab-
liant of Butler county never before saw
such rain. At Ell Dorado. between 3
and o'clock Sunday morning, the Wal
nus river rose twenty-five feet and COW
cred the adjacen, country till it was a mile
and half wide. 1t went over the
railroad bridges and on some of
the streets of the city the food
was three feet deep. Many people were
compelled to flee from their houses and
find refuge In the more elevated portions
of the city. One man was awakened by
noise and thinking burglars were break
ing in he jumped into two feet OF water on
his bedroom floor. He and his wife were
able TIC escape 10y following the course of
ridge he was able to locate from memory
When be reached a high point he desired
TO get back TO take care of some perishabie
property but could not do it. The electric
light, gas aud water works were all under
water. The damages could not be esti-
mated yesterday but they are known to be
very heavy.
So far as heard from no lives have been