Willmar tribune., 1903-06-03
HUNDREDS D.
BECAUSE 0FFL00D
Terrible Ruin Is Reported from Kan.
sas Towns.
NORTH TOPEKA A SUFFERER
Loss Of Life at This Point, Kansaa
City, Mo-, and Des Moines, Ia,
1 Over 2OO-Property Loss
Many Millions.

Topeka, Kan, June 1.-The results
of the flood are very disastrous. With
IT'S or 200 lives lost, millions of dol
lars of property destroyed in this
city and North Topeka, hundreds OF
pistol shots as signals of distress,
blended with the agonizing cries OF
unwilling inhabitants of tree tops
and roofs of houses, and the waters
creeping upward and then slowly
subsiding and alternately changing
hope to despair, the capital city
of it's existence. Through all this
discomforting condition of affairs
was added the presence of cold,
dismal rain. The ardor of the rescue
work of the heroic rescuers was not
abated in the least by the conditions
which confronted them. For long
dreary hours knee-deep in water and
sometimes in water up to their necks
they worked with might and main.
They can proudly point to 300 or
more rescued ones who otherwise
might have been swept away in the
current.
A Summary
Briefly stated, the present condi-
tion of the flood is this: There are
from IT'S to 200 people drowned. Iden-
titled dead, s; floating bodies seen,
90; people missing, 200. Eight thou
sand are without homes. Property
destroyed, $4,OOO,OOO. Houses were
burned as a result of fire in lumber
from Stacking lime, probably 200.
Banks collapsed, 2; wholesale grocery
stores flooded, 2; big business blocks
almost ready to crumble, so; whole
sale commission houses deserted, g..
Rock Island trains containing $50
passengers held here by high water.
City waterworks plant useless.
1t will be at least three days before
the correct number of dead will be
decided upon. Leading men have
made careful examination of the
flood and all it's conditions and as a
result of their investigation they give
$50 as the probable number of lives
lost. A more conservative estimate
places the number of dead at IT'S.
The higher number is as apt to be
correct as the lower. The number
of dead is merely a matter of esti-
mate. Twenty members of rescuing
parties tell of how they saw people
drop from houses only to be swept
away by the flood, and others tell of
men who, terrified at the approach
of the fire, dropped into the water,
where they sank and did not reap
pear. This estimated number of dead
does not include the large number
clAssed as missing, who cannot other
wise be accounted for. Neither does
it include the number who are sup
posed to have lost their lives in the
North Topeka fires of Saturday
night. In the latter class there is
absolutely no means of arriving at
even an approximate number of VIC
tins.
Rescue Work.
Work of rescuing the victims of the
flood is being pushed forward with
vigor. Better results have character
lied the efforts Of the organized forces
since four o'clock Sunday afternoon
than during all the preceding "a hours.
Two little steam launches are now puff
fing up and down the river, picking up
survivors. A larger steamboat is ex-
pected here by special t1ain on the
Rock Island within "a hours. A wire
cable has been stretched across the
Kansas avenue bridge. To this will be
attached sand dip, and refugees will
be brought across in this manner If
the flood does not rise further and
those not yet reached can keep their
places few hours longer, there need
not necessarily be much larger loss
of life.
Aid for the Sufferers.
Large contributions have already
been received for the benefit of the suf-
ferers. The amount given by Topeka
citizens alone will aggregate $100,0oo
TO this is to be added an immense
quantity of clothing, provisions and
ronoro1 e7,rD1iae Ou&e;1o %oxy,,e ho-.