The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-02
Water Has Broken Over Lev
eeS in North End
MANY MEN AT WORK
Protecting the City From Be-
ing Flooded

At o'clock this morning Mr.. Weld
enbach, living seven miles north of
Wichita, telePhoned to the EAGLE that
Little river had risen half an inch at
his house within an hour. At Thir-
teenth street at 2:2o a. m, the river
was at standstilI. The Big river is
falling slowly.
Late last night both the Big and Little
Arkansas rivers began falling slightly,
but they are going down very slowly and
there is so much water reported above
this city that the flood situation in this
city is still rather grave 1t is believed
that all danger from any disastrous flood
from the Big river is past, and the dan
ger now lies along the Little Arkansas
where the levees have become weakened
by the constant pressure and there is still
considerab bic danger of a portion of the
City being flooded, even though the water
is going down
Early yesterday morning the water
broke over the banks of Little river just
above Seventeenth street. and is now
flowing down Jackson avenue from Sew
cnteenth to Thirteenth streets and be-
tween the avenue and the river all Of the
houses are surrounded by water A
great part of the land for half a mile west
OF the river is under water. The ap-
proaches TO the Seventeenth and Thir-
teenth street bridges have been washed
away, and il would be very dangerous
Tor anyone to try crossing either bridge.
All day Sunday 2 force of nearly a
hundred men were busy piling sand bags
along the river bank to protect this city.
Other shifts were put TO work at night
and yesterday and last night every man
that could be secured was busy on the
levees. The weakened levees We're pro-
tected and last night the men were en-
ployed in trying to force the water back
into the river at a number of points by
building dykes across the banks where
the water had broken over.
There is a great deal more water flow
ing into South Riverside park than ever
before. The levees along t.ie river have
been thoroughly soaked and the constant
pressure has weakened them i'm a num-
Der of places to such an extent that the
water is flowing over the tops in streams
many feet in width. This water is flowing
south along James and Rochester ave
nueS, and yesterday morning a number
of families piled their household goods on
tables or carried them to the second floors
and the people are now quartered in the
homes of neighbors and friends who are
high and dry.
Last night no change could be noticed
in the amount of water flowing across
Central avenue, and the water at the
bridge had fallen less than an inch. The
reports that the river was falling came
from Seventeenth street, where the water
was not spread over such a large terri
tory.
The water at the Central avenue dam
yesterday afternoon was higher than at
eny time this year From u until 8
o'clock the river was at a standstill at
this point and there was very little fall
at midnight
During Sunday night the Big river
raised little more than a foot, and at
o'clock yesterday afternoon it had
reached its highest stage, TT feet.
Two hundred acres Of land north Of the
Missouri Pacific tracks on the south side
of the river IS covered with water two
TO four feet deep, and 3 number of fami-
Ses haze been forced to move out, as
the water is running into the houses.
Early yesterday morning it was found
that the river was cutting a channel
around the south end OF the Seneca ave
nue. bridge. When this was discovered
fifty men were put to work piling sand
bags and rip-rapping along the south bank
and TO the west of the bridge. At noon
the danger of this bridge going ont was
past. Had the approach been washed
away the water plant would have been
forced to shut down because OF no fuel.
as the Central avenue bridge was not
safe for loads to cross. and il would be
almost impossible To have hauled more
than a few hundred pounds AT q time
through the street before getting TO the
bridge. Just east OF the bridge the cur
rent was fearful.
Both east and west of Seneca avenue
the river overlooked its hanks and almost
the entire territory within the bend is
covered with water. and the families have
been driven out of their homes. The
water extends past Second street and is
within fifty feet of the plant of the Crys-
tai Ice company. corner of Pacific ard
Usage streets. The wafer is touching the
Missouri Pacific fill just north of Douglas
avenue The submerged territory IS
mostly used by truck gardeners. and the
loss TO them will amount to many hun
dreds of dollars. There is a considerable
current and the vegetables on this ground
are beng washed away. The young corn