The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1903-06-11

ors were persistent, and many people
were saved.
Women and children were always
given the preference, and there were
many pitiful incidents Of aged OF
WORKOUT men, who had been clingine
to trees or hanging on to roofs fol
many hours, meeting with stern re
fusal from rescuers.
The condition Of most of the sur.
yivors was terrible. The strongest
were reduced to utter weakness. The
will power, the love of the father or
the mother for the offspring in nota-
bic cases alone accounts for the sur
yiyal Of 20 many.
No food for two days, and in some
cases for three, hedged in between
the branches Of trees or in small
rooms or lofts in factories, houses and
barns, no sound save that of the roar.
ing flood, no hopeful view, but only
the flashing of fire brands and a look
into the murky, swirling waterfall
these circumstances intensified a
thousand times-combined to whiten
hair in a night and to drive to dis
traction the coolest heads.
The ardor Of the workers was not
abated by a cold drizzling rain. Citi-
zens Of every calling, the rich and
the poor, donned oil skins and worked
for hours in water up to their arm
pits.
An epitome of those few hours in
Topeka is found in the stories Of the
victims and their rescuers. The lat
ter tell OF the unutterable woe Of the
refugees, of the heartrenderlng cries
for help, and, at times, Of the plunge
to watery grave of people who gave
up hope Of relief when 1t was just at
hand.
The former, the people saved, are
telling of the unexampled bravery Of
their rescuers. Testimony Of remark.
able deeds and Of terrible incidents
are not wanting.
In some isolated instances men
showed the white feather. In nearly
every case, however, by their actions
they showed the material Of which
true American manhood is made.
Women and children were given the
precedence in the work of rescue.
g. L. Cowdry and his brother are
among those who escaped from the
food. When asked for a story Of his |
experience the former said: "Oh,
t was terrible; l can't describe it, 1t
seems as il I have lived in a horrible |
nightmare for the last two days.
EARLY on Thursday we saw that
he water would be high, but with the
Usual persistence of people who dis
Ike to leave their own homes, put off
departure as long as possible. 1t
,ame near being our undoing. Friday
he whole of North Topeka, 1t seemed,
,veraowed within an hour, The water
ame creeping up faster than the peo-
lie could get out. We were forced to
cave in such a hurry that we could
lot even take a blanket.
81 am satisfied that our house was
estroyed, as 1t was in the direct path
t the fire. All have in the world
J the clothing that am now wearing.
hundreds Of others are in as bad q
as we are"
There are innumerable instances Of
istress. Hundreds who were rich are
ow poor and the poor people are in
istress. Many lost absolutely every
ling. The savings of years were
wept away by water. Now they have :
My the titles to the water-covered
md, which can never again be &C.
upied with any degree of safety or
ertainty of title,
W. N. Keppard and wife, two aged |
eople, were saved. They were so
umb that they could not feel, and had
be knocked down into the water be-
re the men could reach them. They
ere standing close together In the
tic of house, and so severe had
zen their experience that their
inds gave way under the strain. Il
hey cannot recover.
Notwithstanding their precarious
,ndition many Of the sufferers held B
ligious services in the buildings
here they were imprisoned. 1t was
touching sight, the rescuers say, to 1t
9 people of all walks Of life bowed
'wn in prayer together.