The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-03
The HORSES
Stock Now Being Cared for on
the North Side.
Good Work Of Two Unknown
Negroes.
SAVED MANY LIVES
F. II. Brown Thinks Many Are
In Houses.
Things as Seen from Western
Avenue Station.

From the Western avenue station two
dozen men are taking out people from
North Topeka at the rate of three or
four boat loads an hour. Sixty people
came out by that route Tuesday and an
equal or greater have been rescued from
there today. One of the most prominent
people taken out today was Prof. E. A.
Simmerwell.
His wife, mother and children came
with him. J. J. Schenck's aged mother
and his sister came out in one boat
load. One of the houses now empty is
that of l.. L. Frantz at 1904 North
Western avenue where Is people stayed
Tuesday night All came out smiling
and happy Dolman's mill stil con-
tains a very few people as does also
the Davis elevator. Some OF these re-
naming do not want to be taken away.
The purpose IS to induce every person
in west North Topeka to leave their
present refuge before the water
becomes too shallow to send boats
across. 1t will be necessary to starVe
some of the terror stricken people in the
B. street church before they Will submit
to being carried out in the boats. This
seems cruel but it is necessary.
Probably the most arduous trip. with
the most spectacular return, from the
Western avenue station made today was
that of Ben Holland and F. NJ. Brown,
the latter the janitor of Sumner school
These two men in good boat left
ABOUT O CLOCK anu IGldl1lcQ at A4ctA
bringing six people from North Van
Buren, street.
While they were out they went as far
north as 1903 North Kansas avenue,
several blocks past HOlmans addition.
Not only did they do this. They crossed
Soldier creek and went as far north OF
town as the ALI johnson place. which =
OUT of water On the knoll of about
40 acres are 40 head of stock besides
chickens and other barnyard fowl TWO
17a have done l<a Bile
work. according to reports. but whose
names have not been learned. are row
ing a boat from the bluffs a mile and
a half northeast of that point and are
bringing back feed to these animals and
to others stranded in various places IL
the Soldier creek bottoms and al Car
field park. These same men have res
cued scores of people living in the
North Topeka. as far down as the three
Soldier creek bridges until every per-
son in that locality is safe.
There are said to be hundreds OF
North Topeka people in the hills north
east of town, near Calhoun Bluffs and
west of that point. Many of these peO-
pie owe their lives to these two un-
known negroes.
These negroes told Brown and Hol-
land that they were the first people
from the south side Of the river that
they had seen. All their charges in the
hills north of town are safe and well
Island people al the Reform school, The
country directly north of town, out
Kansas avenue and east of there as far
as Calhoun bluffs covering a district
perhaps mile wide, all north of the
north city limits. is flooded.
+ me place known as the ALI Johnson
property has been flooded but is now
out of water. the animals that have
weathered the flood having stood in q
4 foot or two of water during the highest
I part of the inundation.
At 1909 North Kansas avenue are a
number of people, among them the Van
4 Ness family and DR.. Belts. These are
in fairly comfortable circumstances but
( nave seen little of south side people
F. NJ. Brown is of the opinion thai
! there are several hundred people still
/ in two story houses in the territory
bounded on the west by Taylor street
on the south by Gordon, on the east by
/ Jackson and on the north by Soldier
creek. He brought back load from
there and says all the two story houses
4 have people in them. The work from
the Western avenue station is still be
4 ing pushed in there with yigor. although
I it could doubtless be accomplished viii
even more facility from North Kansas
avenue II the men knew the water paths
through North Topeka. Unfamiliarity
with the lay of the town makes it i'm
possible for some boats to go through
there
Among the families stin reported to be
in this locality mentioned are: l. D. Russ
and six people at 1903 Harrison. San
( Keller and four at 1905, Cass Matthews
/ and seven, H. G. Knox and four. James
! Douglas and four, Charles Soup anC
four, w. w. kimm and seven. all in the
same district Nineteen people art
crowded in a one room attic.