Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-31

On a smaller scale the situation there Is
much similar to that in Topeka. Nine or
more people have been burned TO death in
a fire started by stacking lime. Reports
received from there late today say there
is small prospect Of the wster falling for
another twenty-four hours.
How Fire was started.
CHICAGO. May SO.-vice President Ken
drick Of the Santa Fe road said tonight:
have received a telegram which states
that the flood water at North Topeka rose
causing the lime to slack and set fire to
the building. Notwithstanding the heavy
rapidly.
Review Of the situation.
KANSAS CITY, May So.-Unprecedented
floods are rigging in central and eastern
Kansas, northwestern Missouri, eastern Ne
braskA and southwestern Iowa, the result
of ten days of almost continuous rainfall
The general situation Is considered most
grave, with no immediate relief In slght
Many lives have been lost and 1t is es'
tnnated that no less than 5000 persons
have been driven from their homes many
of which are washed away and that the
property loss will run well into the millions
of dollars.
The greatest damage has been occasioned
between Kansas City and Ellsworth, Kan,
200 miles west. The chief sufferer Is North
Topeka, which has been separated from
the main part OF the city and become ap
island. At Kansas City, Kan, and in the
suburban towns of Armourdale and Argen-
tine, and At Harlem and Sheffield, Mo,
near Kansas City, Mo, an aggregate OF
1000 persons have been forced to leave
their homes and 5000 employees of the nu-
merous packing houses and Railroad shops
in the bottoms are out of employment.
The situation summarized follows: Home
less: Kansas-North Topeka, 1000; near
Emporia, 500; salina and vicinity, 5000; Law
renee, 800; Kansas City. Armourdale and
Argentine, 10000.
Missouri-Harlem and shefield, 100.
Iowa-Des Moines, 5000; Ottumwa, 200.
Eebraska-Lincoln, 200; Beatrice, 200.
Financial losses: Kansas-North Topeka,
Sl,OOO, 600; Lawrence. 800, 900; Concordia, Si0O,
900; Abilene and vicinity. $4,000; Salina and
Vicinity, $3.50, o0o; Solomon, Chapman, De.
troit and Woodblne and intervening coun-
try, 100000. Iowa-Des Moines, 5000
Became Acute Friday.
The already flooded condition Of central
and eastern Kansas, which had been in
the grasp of the flood for two days, became
acute last night by a sudden rise in all
streams, which were swollen by heavy
rains, The rivers along which the main
damage was lone are the Kansas, which
in many places from its source to Man.
haitian, Kan, a distance of ITO miles, has
spread out over miles Of land on either
side OF It's original bed; the Smoky Hill
river, south from Manhattan, a distance of
another 100 miles, touching Junction City,
Abilene, Salina and Ellsworth, flooding all
these towns and the intervening territory;
| fha pItla rfuer north from Manhattan the
Missouri river north and east of Kansas
City and the Des Moines river at Des
Moines.
Railway trahlc in Kansas is practically
at a ~standstill. dozens OF big bridges having
been washed out between Kansas City and
Ellsworth and many miles OF tracks being
under water. Every western road entering
Kansas City is affected The Rock Island
and Union Pacific between Kansas City and
Colorado are laid out completely, n all
Santa Fe trains from the west have been
annulled at a point west Of Florence. A
short distance cut of Kansas City the Santa
Fe is running trains over the Frisco
tracks. The B. g. M. is moving it's trains
by wide detours. The Rock Island has
four trains stalled at Mcfarland, one al
Wichita and one at Hutchinson. and in
fact are held up at all division points. On
the Union Pacific the most serious damage
was done west of Salina, where a number
Of washouts occurred.
Train Service Abandoned.
Train service between Kansas City and
Topeka has practically been abandoned,
One train from Topeka over the Santa Fe
reached here today after making a detour
Of $50 miles to cover the sixty miles be.
tween the two cities.
All rivers in this part of the country, the
Missouri, Kansas, Smoky Hill, Blue and
smaller streams, are rising tonight. the
Kansas and the Missouri at a rapid rate
and It is apparent that the destructive
floods of 1881 will be exceeded. Additional,
rains are predicted and a further rise II
the Missouri doubtless will result in seri
Gus damage between Kansas City and st
Louis.
The principal damage so far sustained IL
/, this locality is on the Kaw river at Kansal
City, Kan, and at Armourdale and Argen
tine, suburbs OF that city. 1t is estimates
that $500 persons have been driven from
{ their homes within Ave miles Of the moutl
of the Kaw river.
Perhaps 1000 Of this number are at Ar
mourdale, whose citizens mostly are work
ing people. The streets in the greater par
Of Armourdale are from two to three fee
r under water. All last night the citizens, aide
by police and fremen, were busy removing
household effects, r~escuing women and chill
dren and providing shelter for the home
less.
Argentine n VAST Lake.
The north half OF Argentine, occupie,
mainly by railroad and packing house EN-
pIoyes, is one big lake, and at hat plac
more than 500 persons are without homes
, There are only eleven houses, and these OF
a rise OF ground. that are clear Of tn
= water.
In the west bottoms, both on the Kay
and the Missouri, the water during IN
night had encroached still further upon tn
+ packing houses. into the o
many wholesale houses and the stocI
yards. AZ the stock yards a number o
q pens were flooded and water was beginnin
2 to run into the basement OF the Live StocI
: exchange.
At Harlem, a sparsely settled tow
across the river from Kansas City on tn
g Missouri. fifteen houses are surrounded b
e water and their inmates nave deserte
them, in most cases leaving their Household
g belongings.
Much suffering was experienced durin
5 the night, but thus far no lives were lost.
Many railway tracks in the outlying dis
n tricts are under water and trains on mos
q roads are blocked here. The property los