The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-02
FALL OF WATERS
RESTORES HOPE TO THE PEOPLE
OF TOPEKA.
THlRTY-FoUR KNOWN DEAD
FROM THE FLOOD THAT DESCEND
ED UPON THE CITY.

Afflicted Refugees are OrO"US~
Together with the Sound.
Topeka, Kan, June i1.-To-night at
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 there is slow
w falling. At Wamego the same con-
dition prevails. and it is now reason
abIv certain that the waters here will
steadily recede.
At this time there are thirty-four
known dead, as follows:
Jordan, Henry, colored; Ward, -
old soldier; Garrett, -, years DID,
son of Fireman G. H. Garrett; Kutz,
Forest, teacher; Kutz, Mrs. Forest;
seaseven, Louise; Storey, -, infant
of George M. Storey; Jackson, Mrs.
widow. caught in her home by Hood;
Adams. John L., left on roof, where
his family was rescued from their
home. gone when rescuers came back
for him; Mrs. Ida Montgomery, who
lived hack of Citizens Bank, on Kan
sas avenue, drowned in her room Sat
urday morning; Andrew Pretzel, a mar
ket gardener, living east of Oakland;
Henry Ludington, who lived in oak
land, last seen hanging to the branches
Of a tree in North Topeka Saturday
morning; two dead bodies, seen by
NIunzey family floating past
the Munzey home; woman and
baby. seen by Carl Golf, Jr,
son of Topeka's police chief,
to fall from house roof, bodies being
swept away by the current; two I'M
known men, seen to fall from house
top: unknown girl, died soon after be-
ing taken to hospital after her rescue
from house at Kansas avenue and Cor
don street Saturday night; unknown
woman swept down river and drowned
Saturday morning; unknown woman,
who slipped from housetop and was
drowned before boat which was COM
ing to her aid could reach her; I'M
known family of seven, bodies seen
by rescuers floating in water in sec
ond story of west side house; I'M
known woman and child, drowned
while crossing to Oakland; four, seen
to fall from trees by watchers at Sar-
dou bridge, east approach.
Provision for Sufferers.
The distress of the sufferers is being
relieved. Those who are still in North
Topeka 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 will pe a spread of conta-
gious diseases. 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 cannot reach the suf-
ferers TO any great extent.
This afternoon a case of diphtheria
was reported from the wooden mill in
North Topeka, where there are large
number of children, in addition to the
adults. There is also a case or two
of scarlet fever among the refugees on
the north side. Hundreds of cases of
measles arc prevalent among the chill
dren.
The possibility of an epidemic is now
the most serious thing with which the
city must contend. The physicians Of
the city, under the direction of the
city health board, are making heroic
efforts to check the threatened calam-
itY.
Provisions Becoming Scarce.
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 destroyed in North Topeka, there
will not be enough for the people to eat
if the present situation lasts much
longer.
1t is charged that certain of the mer-
chants have formed a combination for
the purpose of controlling the prices Of
provisions. 1t is reported that local
commission firm bought up all the po-
tatoes in town last Saturday and ad-
vanced prices SO cents 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 pro-
visions from the smaller towns south
of here, and this may relieve the stu
alton somewhat.
1t was learned tonight that Rock
Island relief train had reached North
Topeka last night in the vicinity of the
roundhouse. The train brought sixty
boats and three steam launches. Boat
men from Lake Contrary are in cha,ge
and they are doing splendid work IN
taking food victims to places of safety
A long train of Rock Island pas
senger coaches was also brought. ami
in these the people will be taken t
places further up the track, some t
Atchison and others to st. Joseph
where they win be provided for.
The people of Topeka have respond
ed loyalty to the calls for supplies ans
shelter for the needy and the home
less. Up TO the present time the Re
lief Committee has had no trouble Il
supply what clothes are necessary ant
20 feed all the hungry. Further thai
this no steps have been taken.
The relief work Is well IN hand AM
is progressing in good shape. TIL
committee has been able 10 keep al
with the calls upon II and MI all de
mands for supplies.
II Is estimated that the loss IN IN
residence part OF North Topeka wal
rench $500. 900. IN addition 10 the loss Z
the Santa Pc. Rock Island and Uniol
Pacific railways, which Will aggregat
szoO.ee0. The loss 70 the Topeka stree