Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-03
THE BLESSED SUN
Seen at Kansas City for First
Time in a Week.
Waters Are Falling and Hoped That
Worst is Now Over.
Many People Destitute and Relief Is
Urgently Needed.

Kansas City, Mo-, June 1.-THE rains
have ended and the sun was visible,
today, for the first time in a week. For
this and other reasons it is thought
that the great dangers of the flood are
past
The waters of the Kaw river have
fallen eight inches, today. and, tonight.
are steadily declining at the rate of
about one-half inch an hour. In the
Missouri the high stage of IS feet is
still maintained, but this is due to
the rise which has been coming down
the Missouri proper and has been able
to offset the fall in the Kaw. 1t is
the water of the latter stream, how
ever, that has caused all the damage
in this city and in Kansas City, Kan,
and with it at a normal stage, bust
ness in Kansas City will soon resume
usual conditions.
This city by a narrow margin, has
escaped serious shortage in food, has
faced the peril of fire, utterly helpless
to avert it's consequences, has suffered
millions of dollars of damage to proper
ty and sustained loss in life that in
all probability never will be accurate
Nv measured and now it is commencing
to believe in the promise of better
things.
The situation, tonight. shows i'm
provement on almost every side. There
is no immediate danger of serious
shortage of food but the transportation
facilities at the present time are so
limited that not much freight can be
brought in at a time and there is dan
ger that the demand may outrun the
supply unless the stock on hand is
speedily rcplenished from outside.
Two men lost their lives, today, in
the attempt to save others. Joseph
l.. Keenan, was drowned while endea
voring to- rescue some people from the
Adams House in Union avenue, and
Edward Brooks lost his life in Liberty
street where his skff was overturned
by an eddy while he was endeavOring
to get another man out of building
A number of bodies were seen floating
down the stream. but they are be-
lieved to be those of people drowned
further up the Kaw, probably at North
Topeka.
Fully 80 persons were Brought to the
18th street vaduct during the day by
the boatmen. Many people are still in
the warehouse and Office building and
will remain there until the flood shall
subside. They are entirely safe and
fairly comfortable.
There is very little probability of
much greater financial damage than
has already been done.
The close of another day brought on
~ another night of WretchednesS 10
the thousands of refugees at Kansas
CITY, Kansas. Without water save for
urgent needs. without beds. the upper
part of the town being unable to house
in anv comfort the hundreds of refu-'
gees, the night bids fair to be repe-
tition of others since the coming of the
flood.
The wretchedness, however, is more
mental than physical. RationS Sufii-
cicnt to last several days of carefully
economical, were brought in during the
day and additional bedding. clothing.
medicine and other supplies are ex-
pccted within the next "a hours.
Something like order was brought
out of chaos. today. in the matter of
distributing such food as was at hand.
With the supply running hort it be-
came apparent that the distribution
much be made Systematically and a
central station for that purpose was
opened The day brought to light no
facts on which to base even an an
Proclamation of the number of deaths
in the flood.
Possibly 10 bodies have been seen
floating since Sunday. but estimates
made from this are valueless. as some
of the bodies may have hoated down
the lNaw from Topeka. The same
bodies drifting in the ever changing
eddics of the flood may have been
counted several times
The flood situation is very much i'm
proved. tonight The food supply is
ample on both sides of the river, the
vast quantities of meat in the pack
ing houses having heCn reached by the
packers; the premedtated increase of
sickness. has not appeared: the Kan
sas river is falling half an inch an hour
and the Missouri river is expected to
begin falling before daylight. Eight
persons are positively known to have
last Friday.
Supt. Young of the Swift Packing
Co. said. tonight that there were prob
ably % to so bodies in the wreckage
lodged in the Armourdale packing
house district. Men employed on the
steamer Columbia brought the same re-
port.
The relief fund, tonight amounts to
$4,000.