The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-29


IS impossible to estimate the dead. The
property loss is placed at something
near million dollars.
Fully tWo-thirds Of the victims were
cOlored people. Business has been Sus-
pended in Guthrie, the stores and banks
being closed. AS thorough an organ
iZatiOn for relief as is possible has been
made, but all aid has been necessarily
retarded by the confused condition of
things. It will be impossible to ex-
plOre the houses until the water sub
sides, as many of them are submerged.
As darkness gathered over the scene
last night many overturned houses
could be seen far out in the food, but
it could not be learned whether their
occupants escaped.
The river rose nearly thirty feet above
it's regular level. Many persons fled
to their tornado cellars when the storm
came up, fearing a wind disaster was
upon them. The flood is supposed to
have been caused by a cloudburst sup
plemented by heavy rains.
The Cottonwood river, ordinarily a
small stream that winds between steep
banks in West Guthrie, was bank full
from a heavy rain the previous
river had been rising during the night
About o'clock, however, the waters
from a clOudburst above had added to
those already nearly up to the level of
the high banks and the flood was
sweeping through West Guthrie, sec
ton populated mostly by colored peo-
pie. Persons who saw the first wall
of water said that it was about IS feet
high, spreading entirely across the val
ley There was no water in front of it
save that in the rivers channel The
first wave was followed by others in
quick succession until the whole
SWelled into a bank Of water from six
to eight feet high. Several had already
begun carrying their goods to places
of safety, but were forced to fee Tor
their lives before raging resistless
torrent that no power of man could
hope to stay.
The main supply pipe of the water
works system burst where 1t crossed
the Cottonwood, in the southern part
of the city, and all the water in the
reservoirs poured into the river.
In the southwestern part OF the city
a long arm of land is formed by the
winding of the river. On this land
lived hundreds of negroes. During the
night the bridge leading across the
river to the main section had been
swept away. The people were alb
sOrbed in watching the waters when
the flood came down in a solid wall and
cut across the arm of the land near the
main land, cutting off the people from
escape The fed from their homes to
the higher portion of the newly formed
island In half an hour the mountain
of water had done its work and prac-
ticaIly spent itself
The air became hideous with the
crashing of houses and the cries for help
of the unfortunates. When the shock
of the disaster was over the more Tor
tunate on the island imm ediately began
to help those nearest them, while across
in Guthrie proper prompt steps We're
taken at rescue.
The houses, barns and other effects
began to drift down stream, each
freighted with one or more human
bodies Boats or RATS shot out here
and there from the shore, and desper-
ate efforts were made to rescue the
DeODIe Improvised RATS were quickly
thrown together and started out into
the mad stream. Before many or them
had been propelled a couple Of yards
from shore they were twisted ana
broken bv the waters and the would
be rescuers thrown into the stream
Half a dozen rescuers were drowned
even before those they had tried to save
had been reached.
Gus Platt, business manager OF the
Guthrie Leader, and George Wills,
merchant tailor, swan the river at the
risk of their lives and secured a DOat'
by which a number of persons were
saved.
A negro woman with a babe in her
arms desperately tried to steady ner-
self in a treetOp. calling for help she
grew weaker and the babe slipped INTO
the water and was drowned. She was
finally rescued and said her family of
six had SuCcumbed.
A woman wading from home with her
ba bv on her head was seen to go IN
der, and man swimming the channel
to reach four women and a baby in a
tree was carried down stream
Two women and a child were carried
away on the bridge further down the
stream, and one man and two women,
in plain sight of shore were on house
roof when it went to pieces. They all
persisted.
An old negro woman was seen riding
q house top. The building soon turned
over and she was drowned. Three men
Walter Olds, Van Dusen and Van Diem
4 Frsrev A1aian
Their raft struck an overhanging tree
and they barely saved themselves by
clambering into another tree. They
were finally rescued on a rope sent TO
them by means of a shot gun and cord.
Two men secured a small stern wheel
pleasure boat and started to the rescue
of half a dozen men and women lodg-
ed in a tree. The persons were rescued
amid cheers of the spectators The
cable holding the craft finally broke and
it was carried down stream but uld-
mately landed safely.
Adjutant General Jameson. of the
Territorial militia, narrowly escaped
with his family. He was forced to wade
and lead his horse, with his family in
the buggy.
While trying to save a woman, who
sank before he reached her. Metz him
self was barely rescued George Owens,
Attorney league Ray and Dick Pear
son were precipitated into the water
while trying to save some people and
Owens was drowned. The wife and
five children of Wesley McGiu, colored,
were drowned in their home.
Gus Plat and George Willis swan
through the main current, cut a fiat
boat from its mornings and saved seven
people making a landing miles below
the city. Last night, 40 or so people
could be seen cHnging to trees and
roofs of buildings, but could not be
reached. and spent the night where
they were.
The fate of many others. who are
known to have been carried down the
stream, cannot be known. It was i'm
possible to get any definite news from
the hundreds of rescued people on the
Nest bIuffs and those who esca ned 1.-a1a