The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-01
Loss Reaches Millions.

Loss Reaches Millions.
The greatest flood In the his
tory of Kansas City and the
bottoms of Kansas City, Mo-, pre-
vail here today. Millions of dollars
loss will result. A great body of water
coming from the west swelled the Kan
sas river at Kansas City, Kan this morn
ing, 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 depot
At 10 o'clock a mile of big wholesale
houses, elevators and freight depots were
entirely surrounded, Easements that yes
terday were partially submerged were
soon brim-full of water and 1t began tc
reach the first floors.
Within fifteen minutes the track enter
ing the west end of the Union depot was
entirely submerged and at IL o'clock the
water had risen at such a rapid rate that
the thousands of delayed passengers were
making preparations to leave for the
high ground up town.
Union avenue on which the Blossom
house and numerous smaller houses, res
taurants and stores are located, is run
ming mill race. The watet rose so rapid
ly in the vicinity of the depot that many
persons we're fore Il - "rmDve I" the
second floor and preparations were made
hurriedly to remove the passengers ur
town.
Trains that have been waiting in the
depot for hours Cor an opportunity t.
start west and south, stand a foot deep
in water No trains nave lee. Kansas
City for the west or south since last
night and none will leave today and poe.
haps not for several lays.
Trains from the east also are late, many
apparently having met the flood now be-
ing caused by the rise in the Missouri
river, east of here The Santa Fe pas
senger from Chicago due at 10:30 is not
expected till this afternoon.
Losses In Wholesale District.
The losses in the wholesale district will
aggregate we'll into the millions. The
losses to the variouss packing house
nearer the river will be tremendous. The
street directly in front of the big Ar
mour packing plant Is under five feet
of water
Armour G. Co. have a force of 200 mer
working at pumps, trying to keep the
rising waters out of the buildings. Al
the superintendent's office II was stated
this morning that the plant will continue
to operate with a full force unless the
water goes much higher.
All of the hundreds of smaller concerns
near the ordinary banks of the Missouri
river, which depends upon the river fol-
power, are under water, and they will
be forced to suspend till the river recedes
throwing thousands of men out of en-
ployment.
The entire stockyards situated on the
state line, are submerged, many OF the
pens being five feet deep in water. The
basement of the Live Stock exchange con-
tanning a hundred railroad and other Of
fees, as well as the big barns of the mule
and horse markets in that district, are
several feet under water. There Is no way
of reaching the stockyards except by
boat from a point one mile east.
Sheep valued at $1,000 as well as many
head OF cattle and horses, have been
drowned and the loss at this point will
be very heavy.
All night the forces Of the stockyard
men were at work rescuing live stock.
Accumulation of Freight.
All the freight houses of the roads en-
tering Kansas City which are located in
the west bottom, are flooded, and the
loss from this source alone must be
great.
Because of delayed traffic west of Kan
sas City during the last week, a great
amount of freight has accumulated here
and now that the railroad yards are UNI
der water, it will be impossible to move
save by boat.
All telephone communication with the