The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-06-05
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS FLOOD
GREATEST FLOOD IN THE HIS
TORY OF THE CITY.
of Dollars Loss Will Result
Loss of Life is Appalling-Eight
Fires Add to the Calamity-Packing
Houses Suffer Most-Heavy Rains
Cause River to Rise Fast.

Cause River to Rise Fast.
Kansas City Mo-, June 1.-The
greatest flood in the history of Kansas
City, Kan, and the bottoms of Kansas
City, Mo-, prevails here, and millions
body of water coming from the west
swelled the Kansas river at Kansas
City, causing a most alarming rise.
Waters rushed with terrific force over
the outlying railroad tracks and the
crowded wholesale districts of the west
bottoms, and finally into the Union de-
pot. Fifteen persons have drowned in
the west bottoms during the day. Be
cause of the difficulty of recovering the
bodies Identification of most of the
dead is impossible.
At o'clock Sunday evening eight
distinct fires were burning in the flood
districts between Eleventh and Bluff
streets, three blocks west of the Union
depot. 1t is impossible to reach the
fires. All the fires appeared to be iso-
lated, except one at Eleventh and Bluff
streets, which started in lime ware
house and spread to a fruit ware
house.
At 10 o'clock a mile of big whole
sale houses, elevator and freight de-
pots were entirely surrounded, base
ments that yesterday were partially
submerged were soon brimful, and wa
ter began to reach the first floors.
Within Is minutes the tracks enter
ing the western end of the union de-
pot we're entirely submerged, and at IL
O'Clock the water had risen at such a
rapid rate that the thousands of de-
1ayed passengers were making prepare
lions to leave for the high ground up
town. Trains that have been waiting
in the depot for hours for an oppor-
tunity to start west and south stand
a foot deep in water. No trains have
left Kansas City for two days.
Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City, Mo, June with
the waters of the Kansas and Mis-
souri, rivers nearly four feet above
InC QlOcSbl Jus lCNOl VI 1901 anu lnClA
swollen tides spread over IL square
miles of the city and suburbs, Kan
-sas City is enduring the worst flood of
it's history.
The financial loss has increased all
day and bids fair to continue. The
heaviest loss is at Armourdale, where
the loss to the packing industry and
others is placed at $2,5OOOOO. Argen
tine, another suburb, has suffered
losses estimated at 100000.
Seven fires, believed to be chiefly
box cars, could be seen from the bluffs
tonight. There is some danger thai
the flames will spread to the partial
1y submerged buildings, adding greatly
to the already heavy loss.
All bridges over the Kansas rivel
are down, and the only communication
with Armordale is by boat.
Kansas City is without water sup
ply, the flood having disabled the
pumping station, and the utmost care
is being taken that no fires shall breaI
out.
The stage at o'clock tonight wa
80 feet 7 inches. The previous higl
record was made in 1881, when tn
river rose to 26 feet 3 inches.
Flood at Argentine.
Two thirds of Argentine, a railroad
and manufacturing town on the soutl
bank of the Kaw river, six miles from
Kansas City, is inundated from 10 to q
feet of water, and probably $4,000
have been swept away, all the raj
road tracks and factories are unde
water and business is suspended. Fol
ty-fve hundred of the $500 inhabitant
are homeless, and nearly 5000 ar
destitute
At ArmourdaIe.
Three fourths of Armordale was sui
merged under an ocean of water tn
packing houses on the Kansas rive
here were entirely surrounded, and 1
feet of water surrounded the Schwarl
schild & Sulzberger and Swift plants
The Kansas City police spent all nigh
rescuing persons.
At Schwarzschild's plant $50 pc
sons, employees and people in the v
,cinity who had been driven from thei
homes, are imprisoned. They hav
been held there since early last ever
ing. They are safe from harm, bu
will not be removed until those i