The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-30
~ REsouEp 1bo.
John Orendorf and Robert Campbell
Do Heroic Work.

DO Heroic Work.
At s o'clock this morning the water
was waist deep in front Of the Union
Pacific depot and running across kan
eas avenue so swiftly that a man could
not stand I'D against the current and
only the most expert boat men could
get through it. Everywhere in North
Topeka where people could be reached
was deserted, and the waters drove the
people gradually back to the Melan
rch bridge. Billiards. mill. the last
building where a stand was made, was
deserted at eight o'clock
The Union Pacific depot and hotel
was deserted about 3 o'clock this morn
ang and everybody fed to the south side.
There is now no one anywhere in that
ueighborhood or in the business section
OF North Topeka, so far as known.
It is not known how many people are
imprisoned in their houses in the out
skirts Of North Topeka, but there may
guess, as It is impossible to tell any
thing definite about 1t.
A number of boatmen worked all
night taking people from their MONIES
20 where they could cross to the south
side Robert Campbell, a colored man,
and John Orendorff, white. were among
the most efficient, each rescuing about
$50 people during the night. Only the
most sktlful boatmen could get through
the food, and several times boats cap
far as known.
a state journal reporter went across
The river at 8 o'clock this morning, and
worked with the officers and others in
helping get people out. After Billiards.
mil was deserted, they entered into a
brick house just north Of the river in
order to reach q telephone and to ind
something to eat, as they were very
cold and hungry from wet and ex-
posture, and It was almost impossible to
cross the river. That is the only COM
munication the State Journal could get
with North Topeka at that time. The
only living things about the house into
which the party broke was hen and
some little chickens on the roof Of the
porch.
At $50 the lime sheds of the Jonathan
Thomas Lumber Co, near the planing
mill. just north of the Union Pacific
tracks, were slowly burning. Some
Union Pacific sheds a block west Of the
depot were also afire. A string Of cars
In the Rock Island yards south of the
Rock Island bridge, also seemed to be
burning.
At $50 the river had risen foot
since . o'clock and seemed to be stil1
rising.
The Melan arch bridge. as far as
could be seen from the north end.
seemed to be all right, except that the
north approach seemed to be slowly
washing out.
In Oakland the water Is I'd to what
is called the second bench" and a
foot rise viii inundate the entire coun~
try from the Indian bluffs on the north
side to the high bluffs on the east side.
ana the river viii be six to eight miles
wide In many places near Oakland the
river was three and four miles wide this
morning
All the gardens and small farms in
the low lands along the river on both
sides are totally submerged and all
crops are ruined.
Ten car loads of flour in the store
house of the Inter-Ocean mills, in North
Topeka, were damaged by water late
Friday afternoon before the -four could
be moved
The streets in North Topeka are cav
ing in at many places, making them
dangerous for traffic.