The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-04
BAD At SALIVA.
Situation There Reported to Be
Very Serious.
Loss in Property Has Been
Enormous
PEOPLE NEED FOOD.
Feared That the Provision
Supply Is Limited.
Letter Received Today Which
Was Written Saturday.

Charles S. Martin. of the pension
office. whose home is at Salina. today
received a letter from his daughter al
that place. which indicates that the
condition at Salina is worse than it is
in North Topeka, except that there was
no loss Of life. The entire town is very
fiat, the water covered the whole city.
the sewage emDtied on top of the
ground. all water is contaminated.
there are no lights. some buildings have
collapsed and many others are unsafe.
and the people have no place to go.
The Smoky Hill river runs through
Salina much as the Kaw does througn
Topeka. There are probably 1 500 PEG
pie on the east side which would CORE
spond to North Topeka here. and sin
or seven thousand on the west side
The west side. however. is very fiat,
and the flood extended west up the
Mulberry valley at least eight miles,
south up the Smoky and Dry creek val
leys an unknown distance. and north
several miles across the Saline river.
On the east side there are bluffs .
mile east of the river. and to these the
people east Of the river escaped and
We're cared for by the farmers back
from the river. but there is no place
Where the people on the west side can
This letter to Mr.. Martin is the first
detailed information which has reached
Topeka from Salina. 1t was begun late
rflddy evening. when the water began
70 come into Mr.. Martins yard and was
written at intervals during the rise till
Saturday noon.
Miss Martins description of the suf-
ferings and suspense during Friday
night while she was writing is pathetic.
The lights We're cut Oft is reported
that the gas and electric plant is de-
sJroyed-and the people did not know
whether they would get out alive or not.
lnch by inch the water rose until all the
houses were surrounded. At 80 early
Saturday morning the people were
alermed by the blowing Of whistles as
another high rise was reported coming.
1t did not materialze then but it did
Few hours later The churches were
opened and those who had been driven
from their homes in the north and west
part of the town We're given shelter IN
them. The entire town was panic
stricken.
Then the building next to the city hall
collapsed. The big store of J. S Gates,
only half block from Mr. Martins
home, was cracking. and the big whole
sale building Of the Watson Durand-
kasper Wholesale Grocery company was
reported settling.
The letter closed some time SATURDAY..
but the postmaTk shows that it did not
get out of Salina till Morday morning.
- - 9NPpV9Vu tildt iJ was taken over
land to the Missouri Pacific to the
south, and it reached Topeka last night.
F. d. Nick eeNer. United States dis
trict attorney, says that he left Salina
on Thursday, and even then the condi-
ton of the town was extremely bad and
it was necessary to ride three blocks
In boats to reach the Union Pacific
depot On top Of that food came the
frightful rainfall Of Thursday night and
Friday, in which a foot or more Of wa
ter fell in a few hours. Mr. McKeever
believes that the condition of the town
must have become something frightful,
as no one was left untouched by the
flood
Mr. Martin is fearful lest the supply
of provisions in the town has run out
and that it is impossible to secure wa
ter which is fit to drink.