Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1903-06-04


the waters of the Kaw and Missouri
rivers nearly four feet above the dis
astrous level of 1881, and their swollen
tide spreading over twelve square
miles of the city and its suburbs, Kan
sas City tonight is enduring the worst
flood of its history.
In the valley of the Kaw or Kansas
river, between this city and Kansas
City, Kas, a report has it that num-
ber of lives have been lost. O1e re-
port says that fourteen and another
fifty, but in the midst of demoraliza-
ton of traffic and the ordinary means
of communication 1t is impossible TO
verify these reports.
Twelve bodies were counted as they
fioated past during the day. In nearly
every instance they were lying across
piles of wreckage. On the roof OF a
cabin that came swarling down could
be seen the body of woman and her
child.
Financial Loss.
The financial loss has been increas-
ing all day, and bids fair to continue.
The heaviest loss is at Armourdale,
where the losses to the packing indus
lively at $2,500,000 Argentine, an
other suburb, has suffered losses esti-
mated at 100000, Other losses which
cannot now be estimated will increase
the total very materially.
Armourdale, with population OF
10000 people, is deserted, and its site
marked only by the tops of buildings
and a number of fires. Seven fires,
believed to be chiefly box cars burn
ing, could be seen from the bluffs to-
night There is some danger that the
flames will spread to the partially sub
merged buildings, adding greatly to
the already heavy loss. The fire start
ed by the intrusion of the flood into a
lime house.
The refugees from Armourdale for
the most part are huddled together in
the immense auditorium of the con-
yention hall.
All bridges over the Kaw river are
down, and the only communication
with Armourdale is by boat.
Kansas City tonight is without
water supply, the flood having dis
abled the pumping station, a1d the ut
most care is being taken that no fires
line in the city is running.
The city is blocked with trains I'M
able to get out. Not a train has gone
out of the city, except east, today,
and 1t is said that there is little pros
pect of an Improvement IN the sltua-
ton for several days.
The stage of the river at 6 o'clock
was 80 feet Z inches. The previous
high record was made in 1881, when
the river rose to 26 feet 3 inches. By
tomorrow morning, according to the
prediction of Superintendent O'Con-
nor of the weather bureau, the level
will be 81 feet.
Union Station.
The Union Station by the rise OF
the flood today was rendered prac-
ticalIy useless. At one end the water
was three feet deep and at the other
it was a foot higher.
Two-thirds of Argentine, a railroad
and manufacturing town on the south
bank of the Kansas river, six miles
from Kansas City, is inundated by ten
to twenty feet of water, and probably
$500. 900 damage has been done. For
ty-five hundred of the $500 inhabl-
tants are homeless, and nearly 5000
are destitute. Five bridges have been
swept away, all the railroad tracks
and factories are under water, and
business is suspended. Various rumors
of loss of life cannot be verified,
Fifteen Drowned.
Fifteen persons have been drowned
in the west bottoms during the day
Because Of the difficulty of recover
ing the bodies Identification of most
of the dead is impossible.
Millions Lost.
The losses in the wholesale district
will aggregate well into the millions
The losses to the various packing
houses nearer the river will be enor-
nous. The street directly in front OF
the big Armour packing plant is un
der five feet of water Armour & Co
have a force of 200 men working at
pumps trying to keep the rising waters
out of the buildings. At the super
intendent's Office it was stated that
the plant will continue to operate with
full force unless the water goes
much higher. All of the hundreds ol
smaller concerns near the ordinary
banks of the Missouri river, which de
pend upon the river for power, are
under water, and they will be forced
To suspend until the river recedeS
throwing thousands of men out OF EN-
ployment. The entire stock yards, SIT
uated on the State line, are sub
merged. Many of the pens are fve
feet deep in water: The basement OF
the live stock exchange, containing
hundred railroad and other offices, as
well as the big barns of the mule anc
horse markets in that district, are seV
eral feet under water. There Is nc
way of reaching the stock yards ex
cept by boat from a point one mile
east.
sheen valued at $1,000. as well as