The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-06-17
Scores Of Lives and Millions
Of Dollars in Property Lost
in Western Cities.
FEAR DISEASE AND FAMINE
10000 Persons Are Homeless at
Kansas City---ReIief Work Going
Forward Rapidly at Topeka

Fifty deaths in Kansas City and thir-
ty-four deaths in Topeka was the rec
ord of the disastrous floods in Kansas
after careful revision. 1t was thought,
however, that the death list might. be
increased when all the afflicted dis
tricts had been able to approximate
their losses. The Kansas River
was subsiding. AS the waters
abated the danger Of contagious dis
ease increased. Diphtheria and scarlet
fever appeared, and the doctors were
unable to reach the sufferers to any
extent. Hundreds of cases Of measles
have appeared among the children and
will result fatally in many instances
owing to the exposed condition Of the
patients
It is expected that North Topeka will
not be habitable for months after the
waters go down. Trains will carry the
sufferers to places higher up along
the track as soon as they can be run.
Food is scarce and all those penned
up in houses are suffering for drinking
water. From $1,000 to 10000 persons
are homeless.
Relief is pouring in to the stricken
cities, other cities responding to the
call quickly.
The loss to property will aggregate
many millions. Hundreds of buildings
have been destroyed, and thousands Of
acres of growing crops have been
ruined.
The States affected are Missouri,
Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, and also
Oklahoma and Indian Territory.
Kansas City, Mo.-The first authentic
information from Kansas City, Kan,
showed that 10000 people are homeless
in that district. Many have been
drowned, but the number cannot be
estimated. The property loss has been
heavy. The situation is a parallel to
the situation here-apparently no bet
ter, and no worse.
1t is utterly impossible to form any
estimate Of the number of dead IN Kan
sas City. There have been manifold
stories of how boats laden with people
have been seen to sink-there have
been reports without end of bodies
seen floating by on wreckage, of men
who have tried to drive wagons laden
with household effects against certain
death in the swift current and gone
down in the flood. The majority of
these stories lack proof, however, and
even If true the proof may never he
had. There is no possible way OF get
ting at the names Of the dead, and no
chance Of forming any estimate that
can confidently be termed accurate. 1t
Is likely, however, that the number OF
fatalities in Kansas City, Mo-, will ap-
proximate fifty.
The financial damage is about as
great now as it is likely to become I'M
less the water rises much higher. The
great danger Is that the foundations
of buildings may be undermined. How
ever, the buildings that have with
stood the food all day have an excel
lent chance Of holding out for some
time.
There has been no suffering In the
city beyond that sustained by the peo.
! Die driven from their homes. Excel
lent work has been done by the local
relief committees, and those in control
Of the work are confident that the city
will lie able to care for its own without
calling upon other cities Of the State.
At night the city is in absolute dark
ness, save in buildings which have
their own electric light plants. Power
for the three street car lines that
have resumed operation is furnished
by water piped from small stream IN
one Of the valleys. The newspapers
have been compelled to discontinue the
use of their typesetting machines be-
cause of lack Of power and are setting
type by hand.
There is practically no railway traffic
and business all over the city Is sus.
pended Manufacturers on high ground
were compelled to shut down owing to
the almost total shutting off of the
water supply. No street cars are run
ming.
A great, swirling lake. dotted with
floating cottages, trees, telegraph poles
and other wreckage. covers the low
lands as far as the eye can reach. Sim
liar floating objects came rushing down
the Missouri River, some Of it possibly
from Topeka.
Word was brought to police head
quarters that a number Of men were
looting houses in the east bottoms.
They had improvsed rafts from boards
and by propelllng them with poles
were making their way into the houses
through the second-story windows:
Chief of Police Hayes at once ordered
detachment Of officers to the place,
with strict orders that If the story was
| pnnnmn Canal Treaty Doomed.