The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-01

ola GURUS homestead a block to the
4 west had been passed The water WIS
more shallow here than farther over in
4 North Topeka and calf tied in the
! yard still had its head above water. A
COW near there had been tied but had
/ just broken loose Men on the bridge
1 but she was caught in the current and
I her body was carried across Kansas
avenue, rising and falling with the wa
ter like a piece of timber.
At the old brick building formerly
used for Bedwells private asylum the
water was SO shallow that three horses
that were Euddled at q. corner of the
porch We're in not more than a foot Of
water. A large black hog walked inn
patiently back and forth on the porch
of this building. little to the right
flock of ducks were padding in the
water and climbing upon pieces Of
wreekage apparently the only living
things ia the vicinity which were en-
joying the situation. On a nearby fence
four or five chickens were perched their
feathers dropped, not even inviting Gull
mary objects a block farther and one
of the men in the boat heard a sound
1t was undoubtedly the cry of a child
and the boat was at once turned in
that direction. The cry of distress be-
came palmer and palmer and the beat
was pushed west and as it rounded the
corner Of house the source of the
sound was revealed In the loft of
dilapidated barn stood a lamb about
a month old and it kept up an inces
SAINT bleating so much like that of a
child that any one would be deceived. /
The little animal was left to its fate
though the temptation to relieve its
distress was strong.
Pushing through the bushes the boat
passed the house Of the late II. c. SAT
ford and its tragic history was at once
recalled The water was tapping at the
windows and was just touching a 4
book which had been left on the upper
dow was in tumbled confusion as if it
had been huwiedly abandoned and the (
place like others had an appearance of I
utter desola ton.
CROSS UNION PACIFIC
The PROV of the boat was now turn /
ed to the northward and rowed out in
to the eddying current along the Union +
Pacific right of way. Away to the right
the flames from the burning lumber !
yard could he seen and burning lum- 7
Der and outbuldings were carried T
across Kansas avenue by the current /
endangering the large mills and ele-
va tors.
The crossing of the railroad was made I
at Topeka avenue with great difficulty. /
The bodies of hogs and cattle were car i
ricd by in the current mingled with I
small outbuildings, fences and all sorts /
of wreckage. Just before Hlaleys store 7
was reached the pitifW bowling of a F
dog could be heard and in a moment +
more he was seen on the porch roof of +
4 large frame house. He was glsan- T
tic st. Bernard and hung half over the +
roof IN an almost human appeal for /
help. Nearby was a bun dog sitting I
silently on the wreck of his kennel
AS the boat swung into what was
once Topeka avenue the cries of a man !
could be heard away to the east .
to that time not human being hld
been seen though shouts were heard
away to the north 1t was finally de-
cided to make an attempt TO reach the
man who was calling for help Il he boat
was pushed out in the current Whica
was Of almost irresistible velocity ami
dashed down Gordon street. Here the
water was so deep that the cross arms
of the telegraph poles could be toucneti
anywhere standing up IN the BOAT ahu
the tangled teleEraph ana telephone
wires were a menace to the safety Ct
the boat and its occupants. Turning me
boat slightly to the north the fierce cur
rent of Gordon street was aNQlaed anu
the boat drifted smoothly among the
tons of the shade trees past ut Lyon
residence The cries of the man We're
growing more and more distinct and ne
was soon seen on the roof of the MS
Mahan residence near Gordon and Jack
son streets The boat was run alongside
Of the house and he was helped in. He
was perfectly dry but was very hungry
He had been in the house since the
night before without anything to cat
His hunger was relieved with crackers
boat and the start on the return tflD
was made Then it was found that
with the added weight TO headWfs
could be made against the Gordon sire
current and the boat was pulied = DO
bx ticking hold Of the limbs OF trees
but it was a dangerous undertahlilS-
The beat would sometimes be cauSAt
in an eddy and thrown violently aeain7.
a tree or into a tree TOP where II was
kept right side up only with dlihcults'
no PROGRESS MADE
For two hours this was kept UP and
only block had been traversec me
occupants of tho boat were eAils usl7L
and there was nothing to be dohe put
to make the boat secure and want y
was accordingly tied TO tree Top a'iI
the men had a much needed rest.
In about a half hour another boar
swept by. There were Two men ~ lliS
boat and they finally sucee9usl ~
reaching the tree top where the iafSri
boat was anchored The man AT the
oars was Con Nannatta of the Mall anu
Breeze and he was completely eNnansl- )
ed. There were nov Two boats "a ,l lne
tree and six men Nanr TIA had q IAN
tern and it was not long until thir1
boat was attracted by IT, They were n
search Of the family of John NJ. baifu ]
and family Nannatta's companion Sot
in this boat and they went on ther
way This left five men ana two noal7
in the tree. IT was not long uhel an
other boat manned by J. Edmorson az
rived 1T was loaded with PROVISIONS
and he said he wanted to reach CRAM
school Dr. Powell was shiveri1S with 5
cold He was not as warmly clad as IN
others and he made Mr.. Edmonson an
offer of $40 to take him home when
was accepted at once and he reached
home before midnight.
SHELTER Is FOUND.
Rain had ROW commenced to fail ana
the situation was anything but conf
Portable 1t was obviously unnecessary
to spena the night in the rain with the
boat moored to "A tree when there were
dozens of houses all around with the
second stories we'll out of water Tn
boats were accordingly cast loose ami
the oars were again used vigorously. 4 &
light was seen in the second story oS :
q house only a short distance away and
TIE two boats We're rowed w to this
house and the occupants scrambled out t
1n to the tin roof of the kitchen Thr &