Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-06-03
.KANSANS ARE
TAKING WATER
Water Seven Feet Higher Than in Any
Previously Recorded Season
Business Suspended.
LOSS WILL PROVE sTUPeNoous
Twenty Thousand People Are Home.
less and Work Of Rescue occu-
pies Entire Attention.

water works shut down, and the city
practically at the mercy OF the first
fire that shall break out; with rail,
road transportation feeble and uncer-
tain, Kansas City may. II the waters
do not recede, within the next two or
three days. be compelled to fight for
her life. And tonight the skies are
dark and lowering, rain is falling heav-
lily, more stormy weather is sweeping
up from the west, and the Unsuitable
river is stoutly holding its own. 1t
Is practically stationary tonight, but
what the flood has, 1t keeps, and
there is no certain promise of when
1t will recede. The stage tonight is
349 against 35 feet this morning.
Chief Connor of the weather bu-
reau says that while the outlook for
continued rains, it would necessitate
very heavy fall for the present high
water to continue. However, whether
| this will come or not Is something he
cannot tell.
The first authentic information from
Kansas City, Kan, was received to-
night. In that district 10000 people
are homeless. The number of drown
ed cannot be estimated and the prop
erty loss has been heavy. The situ-
alton there is parallel to the situation
here, apparently no better, and no
worse. There is no great probability
that there will be further loss of life
II the river does not rise very sudden
ly. All through the wholesale dis
trict and In the east and west bot
toms. there are people still in houses.
many of them anxious to be taken
away, a goodly number of them con-
tent to remain where they are, with
all chances OF the flood. The police
have done wonders today in rescuing
people. and probably have brought $50
of them ga ely to high ground since
sunrise. One hundred and fifty of
these were brought to the viaduct at
Twelfth street. and the balance were
saved in the east and west bottoms
by boats. Twenty people were taken
from Martin school, and 80 from
O'Brien's lodging house in the east
bottoms. The rest of them were then
brought in singly and in small num-
bers. Tonight. in the east and west
bottoms, a number of obstinate people
are still clinging to their homes. al
though the police have run boats be-
meath their windows and offered to
save them, but they refused to leave,
and will take their chances for anoth-
er night at least.
1t is utterly impossible to form any
estimate of the number of dead in
Kansas City. There have been man.
fold stories OF score of boats laden
with people having been seen to sink
there have been reports without end
of bodies being seen floating by on
wreckage-of men who have tried to
drive wagons laden with their house
hold effects against certain death in
the swift current and gone down in
the food. The majority of these stor-
les lack proof, however. and even in
time may never be had.
There is no possible way of getting
at the names of the dead. and no
chance of forming any estimate that
can confidently be termed accurate.
It is likely. however. that the number
of fatalities in Kansas City, Mo-, will
approach 80.
Down in the wholesale district peo-
pie at dusk tonight were waving white
cloths to attract attention. The con-
dition of some of these is pitiable.
They have been held prisoners for two
days, threatened with death by drown
ing, at one time by fire, and for the
most part without food. and for "a
hours without drinking water. Every
effort is being made. and they will
be saved tomorrow. unless the water
rises more, and this seems improb-
able.
The financial damage is about as
great now as II is likely to become.
unless the water rises much higher
than at present. The great danger
is that foundations may be undermin-
ed and the buildings. with their con-
tents. toppled over into the food.
However, the situation is no worse to-
night than it was this morning and
buildings that have withstood the
food all day have an excellent chance
of holding out for some time against
anything the river might bring against
them.
There has been no suffering in the
city beyond that sustained by people
driven out of their homes. There has
been excellent work done by the local
relief committees, and those in con-
troll of this work are confident that
the city will be able to take care Of
it's own without calling upon the bal
ance Of the state Every demand has
been promptly met thus far and the
only danger seems to be in the long
continued stage OF the high water.
Then. necessarily. the demand will ex-
ceed the ability of Kansas City to
supply.