The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-02

inS water supply or water FOR FLUSH
Ing Purposes Immense PrOpert! Loss
In the Manufacturing md Packing
House District -T,OusR nds Homeless
ana Out Of Work-Refugees Are
Helnk Cared For In thc Upper City
KANSAS CITY. No, June Kansas City
tonight is facing the most critical hour Of
its life Both the Kansas, or Kaw, and Mis-
souri, rivers are flowing from blum to buff
covering the bottom lands, which are mile
wide. with water from to 80 feet deep
The manufacturing districts OF Kansas
City Mo-, and Kansas City. Kan. the
stock yards and the packing houses are all
in these east and west bottoms
The water works system was closed
down last night, and the people are unable
to follow proper sanitary regulations The
supply Of provisions and fuel in the city
is rapidly becoming exhausted.
The gas plants are flooded and the news
papers are setting type by hand. The
papers tomorrow will look like handbills
The wires south and north and west are
down.
Sixteen bridges over the Kaw River
between Kansas City, Mo-, and Kansas City.
Kan, are down. The only bridge that
spanned the river at noon to-day was tho
Missouri Pacific Railroad bridge, and this
may go before long.
REPORTS OF loss OF LIFE.
There are many reports Of deaths, but no
estimate can be made with any accuracy,
According to the statements OF food
refugees from the east bottoms, about
fifty Belgans men, women and childrali.
were drowned near the Crescent Hotel, on
Sycamore avenue, this morning. They
were laborers and their families. who lived
in some of the frame houses along the rail-
road tracks. The ground on which their
houses stood was higher than the water early
last night. The Belgans remained in their
homes About daylight to-day the houses
began to float. and it is reported that the
occupants we're drowned while trying to
reach the south bluns.
Another refugee reported the drowning
OF twelve people in skiff. They were
carried out into the river shouting for help.
Their skin capszed and all were drowned,
CRIES FOR HELP CONSTANTLY HEARD.
The cries for help echo and reecho in the
east bottoms to-day. People are drifting
down the river on housetops Others far
out in the food are in the treetops. Their
cries for aid can be family heard, The
discharge Of firearms by those adrift il
heard constantly.
Those who are adrift near the middle
of the liver could not be aided because no
one would venture to them in small boat.
Several men near the centre of the river cur
rent were seen stranded on pile OF debr'-.
They were working desperately, evidently
trying to construct raft number ri
people fully wo miles ont from shore f1oaed
under the Milwaukee bridge and were los,
Their cries for help could he heard long
after they We're lost from sight.
Almost every large building in the
bottoms il occupied by people waiting for
boats to take them TO shore. The smaller
frame buildings are breaking UP and drift
ing out into the river. 4 two-story brick
saloon, owned by George Egner on Park
avenue and the river front, collapsed ard
was swept away.
There were only about one dozen small
rowboats engaged in rescue work to-day.
They were plying in and out among the
building.
SroRIEs OF REFUGEES.
Refugees reported that Charles Brocher
was drowned near the Martin School, at
400 Garland avenue while trying to drive
to shore His horse and wagon were swept
away
Another refugee reported that Marsh
Hermann was carried out into the river and
probably drowned while trying to reach
shore in a leaky boat.
Reports OF drownngs are common among
those brought in by the boats. One man
told Of father and mother and several
small children carried out into the river
in their house and drowned. Two Belgian
girls who escaped from the flood told in
imperfect English that many OF their people
were drowned
DROWNING OF A WHOLE FAMILY.
+. II. Belts of the mounted police force
saws tina, while stationed at No. station,
in the east bottoms, he saw man with his
wife and two children drown. The water
came up over the low land close TO the
Helm Line Park, and a swift current was
running between the brewery and the pa'R'
\ gardener and his family, driven out ~
their home hy the food, cam" through
F,~ry Man Wants Map ~ ManrhnrC.
.-.ccucr LnrninrrLLAl AvcMl 81 TIC nl."N Nth,rS