Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-07

inside has been more or less injured. Fur
nIture in many cases is ruined, books and
papers rendered useless, windows are all
driven In, and loosely constructed out
buildings swept away. Even the main
structures themselves are in some danger,
as the loose bottom lands, either made
ground or the silt Of centuries, have evil
IDENTIFY been cut up to a fearful extent, and
the rivers may have even undermined the
foundations OF at least driven out the
mortar from between the bricks.
The railways are still without the slight
est means Of estimating their losses. A
few of the tracks are indeed above water,
and of course the damage to the bridges
Is calculable. but the hundreds of cars,
the scores OF engines, the stored freight,
must all be examined before even prelim-
mary figures can be hazarded. The tracks
themselves will have to be practically re-
built that much is certain, and 1t Is hoped
that the companies will consent to either
elevate them or remove them from the
bottoms altogether,
New Union Depot Urged.
For some years the people Of Kansas
City have been agitating for new union
depot, but the expense, coupled with the
difhculty of deciding on common site
has so far postponed any decision II Is
pointed out now that an opportunity has
come to grant the boon with the minimum
expense and at a time when rival claims
to site recognition win be pressed with
less vigor. However this may be, heroic
Efforts are already being made to care
for the multitudes anxious to get in and
out of the city. The tiny Milwaukee sta
ton, where twelve trains are normally
operated In a day, is caring for 13I. Its
meaRre platform is packed all day with a
black mass Of waiting passengers; the ac-
oimulated baggage has overaowed the bag
aaae room and stands in disconsolate piles
about the yards, where crowds examine II
in the hope Of finding some article lost In
the.eariy confusion
At the same time II is remarkable how
quickly all concerned have accommodated
themselves to the new conditions. With
only thfeS tracks and one bridge, ana that
thirty miles away, there is not the least
sign OF confusion, and all business is being
handled over indifferent rails with a
speed and ease which is little short Of
marvellous Traffic to the north is less
easy. OF adjustment. but even here much
has now been accomplished, though the
arrangements for passengers comfort are
far less complete The Missouri Pacific is
sas City, Kan, by boat and thence over lts
own lines to all points on the system. The
Burlington and Grand Island use another
ferry to Northern Junction at the north
end of the Milwaukee bridge, whence con-
rection is made with st. Joseph and by
the Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City to points
west and north.
wade Through Mud TO Trains.
1T is perhaps fortunate that the average
traveller is a good-humored man, for the ar
rangements at Northern Junction are OF
necessity extremely crude. There is no
proper landing place, the gangplank does
not touch ground by three feet and the
mod is astounding. It is necessary for each
passenger to scramble ashore. Chamber W
some ten or more feet to the Wabash
tracks. walk along the ties for hundred
yards and then climb mud stairs, crumbline
under multitudinous feet for ten yards
more Then when the rails are finally
reached there is nothing but a double line
ot.steel and a little, cubby house whence
telegraphlc connection is usually had with
the city Scattered around are two OF
three booths where rich harvests are reapec
by those dispensing food, and on one side
a large tent was erected today to act as Q
temporary depot. All is being done that
can be- but the all is but little. When the
trains do finally leave the tracks are hardly
nc, 10 run on. They are undermined 10y
water, which squirts up, in a eontinuou:
muddy stream as the heavy locomotive
plaws its way across, they are wobbly and