The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-17
1000 HOMELESS.
Great Damage and Suffering
From Eastern Flood.
Frank Daniels Opera Company
Forced to Lose a Date.

Philadelphia. Dec. 17.-Railroad serv-
ice in this state, which was badly Grip
pied by the floods of Saturday night and
Sunday, is gradually recovering its nor
NAL condition and by this afternoon or
tomorrow morning trains will be rum
ming practically on time. Thousands of
laborers are at work today repairing the
damage to roadbeds and bridges
wrought by The rushing waters. The
railroads that suffered the most are the
Lehigh Valley, Central of New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Lackawanna
& Western and the New York Central.
In some localities it will be weeks be-
fore the damage is fully repaired.
The sweep of water was greater in
some sections than was ever known be-
fore, and bridges that withstood the
floods of years were swept away The
sudden drop in the temperature was
providential in some respects, it
prevented the flood from spreading, but
it entailed great suffering on the 1000
or more persons rendered homeless by
the destruction of their houses All pas
sengerS on stalled trained were removed
from their uncomfortable situation last
night and this morning by the railroad
companies and the trains are being ta-
ken to their destinations.
The Frank Daniels comic opera COM
pany, which was to have opened two
weeks engagement at the Broad the
ater last night, did not reach the city
until early this morning, having been
nearly 4S hours in making the journey
from Buffalo, which is ordinarily ac-
complished in ;2 hours. The members
of the company sat up nearly all of this
time, and were both hungry and tired
when they arrived here.
In the lower anthracite coal district
the situation Is growing worse. The
mine workings are thoroughly soaked
with water, and it may be weeks before
some of them can be worked, although
there a resumption today in few
mines. 1t is estimated that SO 900 mine
workers and mechanics are idle as a
suit of the flood.
At Harrisburg the Pennsylvania rail-
road officials say that trains from the
west are now only about two hours late
and from the north the service is prac-
tically regular
On the Lehigh Valley and New Jersey
Central railroads. the service while
somewhat improved, is still very irreg-
ular, and officials say they will be lucky
the end of this week. Along the lines of
both roads hundreds of cars loaded with
coal are help up, but there is no danger
of a coal famine as the companies have
a large reserve supply at tidewater
points.
The Reading railway has been COM
PEELED to suspend traffic on it's Little
Schuylkill branch between Port Clinton
and Tamaqua because of numerous
washouts and the loss of a bridge. 1t
will require several days work to get
the line in working order and mean
while the company will be greatly ham
freight trains.
The weather today is not quite so cold
as yesterday and in some sections snow
is falling.
Various estimates are given of the
money loss entailed by the floods. Con-
servative guessers place the loss at
from 100000 to $5,000.000. So far re-
ports have beeen received here of the
loss of nine lives in various parts of the
state.
Bordentown, N. J., Dec. 1.-THE
freshet in the Delaware river here has
fallen two feet and is gradually passing
out. Traffic will probably be resumed
today. Only two trains from Camden
have reached Bordentown today.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Dec. 1.-THE food
situation in the Wyoming valley shows
some improvement today. The water
in the Susquehanna river receded seven
inches more during the night, but the
lowlands are still submerged and all
connection between Wilkesbarre and the
towns on the west side of the river is
still cut off.
The railroads are getting into normal
condition again The first passenger
train on the Lehigh Valley railroad from
the east arrived shortly after midnight.
1t carried a number of belated pas
sengers who had spent 4S hours in the
cars in the flood district near Stony
Creek. The first train bound east over
the Lehigh Valley left this city at 7:54
this morning. The officials of the COM
pany announce that the road is in
pretty good shape now, and that train
Between this city and Buffalo there is