The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-03
THE KANSAS RIVER
BEGINS TO SUBS|DE
There are Thirty-four Known
Dead in Topeka.
AN EPIDEMIC is FEARED
hell-BOro Greed Takes Advantage Of Distress
10 Corner and Advance Price Of Food
stuffs---Prostratiou Of Railway
Traffic About Kansas City.
Traffic About Kansas City.
(By the Associated Press.)

10y the ASsOCfdleu 1.FesS.J
Topeka, Kas., June Tonight at eight
O'Clock the water in the Kansas River had
gone down fourteen inches and is falling
at the rate of half an inch an hour From
Manhattan up the river comes the report
that the water is slowly falling At Wa
mego the same condition prevails and it
is now reasonably certain that the waters
here win steadily recede.
At this time there are thirty-four known
dead among whom are: Jackson, John
l., left on roof where his family was res
cued from their home; gone when reseuers
came back for him; Mrs. Ida Montgomery,
who lived back of Citizens Bank on Kan
sas Avenue drowned in her room Satur
day morning: Andrew Pretzel, a market
gardener, living east OF Oakland; Henry
Ludington, who lived in Oakland, last seen
hanging to the branches of a tree in North
Topeka Saturday morning; two dead bod
les seen by Muniee family floating past
the Muncie home; woman and baby, seen
by Carl Golf. Jr., son of Topeka's police
chief. to fall from house roof, body being
swept away by current; two unknown
men, seen by Associated Press reporter, to
fall from housetop; unknown girl, died
soon after being taken to hospital after
her rescue from Kansas street Saturday
afternoon: unknown woman, who slipped
from housetop and drowned before boat,
which was coming to her aid, could reach
her; unknown family of seven bodies, |
seen by rescuer Smith, floating in water
IN second story of a westside house; I'M
known womn and child. drowned while
crossing to OAKLAND; four seen TO fall
from trees by watchers at Sardou bridge
east approach.
The distress of the sufferers is being re-
heved. Those who are still in North To-
peka are being supplied with food and
they are in practically no danger unless
it be from sickness
One of the most distressing features of
the situation now is the possibility that
there viii be a spread of contagious di-
seases. People of all classes are huddled |
together in houses not large enough for /
them, and on all sides they are surrounded |
by water. Doctors and medical relief can
not reach the sufferers to any great ex-
tent This afternoon a case of diptheria
was reported from the wooden mill in
North Topeka where there are q large
number of children in addition to the
adults There is also a case or two of
scarlet fever among the refugees on the
northsiie Hundreds of cases of measles
are prevalent among the children.
The possibility of an epidemic is now
the most serious thing the city must con
tend with. The physicians of the city, un-
der the direction of the health board. are
making heroic efforts to check the threat
ened calamity.
Provisions of all sorts are becoming
scarce in Topeka. No freight trains have
entered the city for several days. and as
large quantities of groceries were destroy
ed in North Topeka there will not be
enough for the people to eat if the pres
ent situation lasts much longer. 1t is
charged that certain of the merchants
have formed a combintiaon for the pur-
pose of controlling the prices of provis
IONS
1t is reported that a local commission
firm bought up all the potatoes in town
last Saturday and advanced the price to
fifty cents a bushel 1t will be at least
a week before freight trains from the east
can enter Topeka, and perhaps longer An
effort will be made to secure a stock of
provisions from the smaller towns south
of here, and this may relieve the situation
somewhat.
It was learned tonight that a Rock
Island relief train had reached North
Topeka last night in the vicinity of the
round house. The train brought sixty
boats and three steam launches Boats
men from Lake CONTRARY are in charge,
and they are doing splendid work in
taking food victims to places of safety.
A long train OF Rock Island passenger
coaches was Also brought and in these
the people will be taken to places further
UP the track, some to Atchson and
others to st. Joseph, where they will be
provided for.
The people OF Topeka have responded
Loyalty to the calls sor supplies and shelf
er for the needy and the homeless, Up
to the present time the relief committee
has had no trouble to supply what
clothes are necessary and to feed all the
hungry Further than this no steps have
been taken
The relief work is well in hand and is
progressing in good shape. The commit
tee has been able to keep up with the
calls upon it and I'LL all demands for
supplies.