Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-06
NEARLY EIGHTY TOPEKA DEAD
seven More victims Found in the
Mud and sand that Cover
the City.

the Topeka flood now number seventy
eight. OF this number thirty-nine are so
reported on good authority. A boatman
this afternoon reported that seven bodies
had been found near the north end OF
Harrison street. The unfortunates were:
MRS. JESSIE SHAW and four children
Of Sherey.
MAN AND WOMAN named shumkweiler
of Sherey.,
The body of a man named Edwards was
picked up by a party near Soldier creek
other bodies found today were those Of
Mrs. Nellie Watson. Miss Minnie Prayers
and George Mcdonald. These we're caught
in the wreckage. People working In the
flooded district fear that many more will
be found drowned as the flood recedes and
that the list of dead will not be far from
100.
Thirty or more persons are now classed
as missing without doubt some of the
bodies never will be recovered. The water
has receded more than six feet and Is
going down at the rate of an inch every
hour. Good work is being done to save
snch property as was not swept away. A
few blocks west OF Kansas avenue some
OF the outbuidings are still standing and
all over town scores and scores Of out
buildings are seen in all sorts of positions.
The small houses which were in the full
force Of the current are about the only
ones which were carried from their founda-
tions.
Great Waste of sand.
The greater part of North Topeka is a
great waste OF sand piled up over the
streets. house floors, railroad tracks and
everything, burying the city from a mere
coating to a depth of two or three feet,
and In some places four feet. All over the
west part of the city the sand banks are
! everywhere. The Union Pacific and the
| Rock Island tracks are covered with them
| in places to depth of three feet, and in
places the water is still running under the
| ties Dooryards are piled high with sand.
| On some of the houses It reaches to the
windows and is banked up against the
doors. At others 1t is piled in the door
yards. Along Gordon street, where all the
boatmen we're wary and careful while the
water was at its height, there are great
sand banks along each side. The sand
is not level but is in great waves and
piles and banks. There are tons and tons
Of it. And the water is slowly sweeping
out and leaving 1t there. an immense waste,
unproductive and barren.
| Generous responses are being made to
| the appeals for aid. From all over the
country kilograms are being received au-
| thorizlng the officers here to draw on or
! ganizations for funds.
! The river today was nine feet below the
highest recorded point, the water having
| fallen during the night at the rate of an
| inch an hour. The approaches to the Melan
| bridge on Kansas avenue were completed
early today and a steady stream of people.
carrying shovels and brooms were soon
on their way to North Topeka to clean
| their homes and stores.
AT 10 O'Clock one wall OF w. G. Thomp-
sons store on Gordon street collapsed,
wrecking the building. No one Is reported
injured. Two other buildings are reported
in a weak condition.
Funds for Relief.
| CLEVELAND, June 5.-The Topeka re-
lief committee of the Cleveland Chamber
of Commerce wired Treasurer Bonebrale
at Topeka today to draw for $1,000 as a
starter on the fund which will be raised in
| this city.
SALINA, Kan, June 5.-Oscar Banker,
aged about 1s years, was drowned in the
Salina river near Trenton last night by
hts boat capsizing while fishing The body
Of King Henderson. colored, aged 60 years
was found in the Smoky river today 1t Is
supposed the man was drowned Friday
night.
ABILENE. Kan. June 5.-The Smoky Hill
river here fell but two and q half inches
during the night. Where water has stood
for a week no crops can be harvested
though corn may yet be planted.
BONNER SPRINGS. Kan. June 5.-Th'
2-year-old child Of c. A. Neuscifter wal
drowned at Wilder while the family wa
being rescued.