Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-02
A FIGHT FOR LIFE.
Kansas City in the Greatest
Peril Of Its History.
Thousands of People Homeless, Driv-
en- Out by Relentless Waters.
If Relief Does Not Soon Come, Worst
Cannot Be Told.

Kansas City, June with gas and
electric lights eXtinguished, the water
works shut down and the city practi-
cally at the mercy of the first fire that
shall break out; with railroad trans
portation feeble and uncertain. Kan
sas City, may, if the waters do not re-
cede within the next two or three days,
be compelled to fight for her very life.
And tonight the skies are bark and
lowering. The rain is falling heavily.
More stormy weather is sweeping up
from the west and the Unsuitable river
is stoutly holding its own. 1t is prac-
ticaily stationary, tonight, but what
the flood has it keeps and there is no
certain promise of when it will recede
The guage, tonight, is 34.9.
The first authentic information from
Kansas City. Kas., was receiced, to-
night In that district 100000 people
are homeless. Many have been drown
ed. but the number cannot be estimat-
ed The property loss has been heavy.
There is no great probability that
there will be further loss of life, if the
river does not rise very suddenly.
All through the wholesale districts
there are people still in houses, many
of thine anxious to be taken away. The
police have brought $50 Of them safe
to the high ground since sunrise.
Twenty people were taken from the
Martin school and 80 from O'Brien's
lodging house in the east bottoms.
Tonight in both east and west bot
toms number of obstinate people are
still clnging to their homes. Although
the police have run boats beneath their
windows and offered to save them, they
refuse to leave and will take their
chances for another night at least. 1t
is utterly impossible to form any esti-
mate of the number of dead in Kansas
City. 1t is likely, however, that the
number of fatalities here will approx
mate 80.
Down in the wholesale district people
at dusk. tonight were waving white
cloths to attract attention. The con-
ditiOn of some of these people is pitt
able. They have been held prisoners
for two days, threatened with death by
drowning and at one time by fire For
the most part they We're without food
and for "a hours without drinking wa
ter. The great danger now is that the
foundations of buildings may be under
mined.
Tonight the city was in absolute
darkness save in buildings which have
their own electric light plants. The
newspapers have been compelled to
discontinue the use of their typesetting
machines because of lack of power and
are setting type by hand.
Several boats arrived here from Kan
stS City, Kas., this evening. and their
occupants were able to give the first
accurate information regarding con-
ditions in that city which has been
available within the past 80 hours.
River View and Wyandotte, which
with ArmOurdale form Kansas City,
i<as., are thronged with refugees, all
tn" churches are filled with people who
have been driven from their homes and
crowds of them are in the public build
ings where they are being cared for by
the city. 1t is estimated that 10000
people who formerly lived in Armour
dale and on the west bottoms have
been driven from their homes. num-
Der OF people have been drowned. but
III cttCu! ii lc tSlllIldLe dS TO their num-
Der is not possible. However, it will
not exceed 80. The financial damage
has been heavy, all the factories and
wholesale establishments on the low
ground being inundated.
The most serious proposition is that
of food. The supply in Kansas City
kas.. is not as ample as in Kansas
City. Mo-. and unless prompt measures
are taken there is probability of
much suffering.
Gas and electric lights are cut off,
leaving the town i'll darkness. The wa
ter works. too, have been compelled to
shut down and there is absolutely no
protection against fire. There is no
coal to be had and those who have pro-
visions are experiencing great diff
Guilty in cooking them.