Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-01
FLOOD AND FLAME
Cause Death and Desc
. |ation in West.
FULLY 50 L|VES.L0ST
Property Damage May Reach
Into Millions.
COVERS A VAST TRACT
~
SITUATION IS LESS GRAVE AT
NORTH TOPEKA, KAN.
Not Since Galveston Disaster Has
Water Caused Such Havoc
Kansas City Terrorized.
COVERS A VAST TRACT
SITUATION IS LESS GRAVE AT
NORTH Topeka, KAN.

TOPEKA Kan. June lit is now be-
heved that the total number of lives lost
In the flood here will not exceed twenty.
No lives were lost in the fires, and only
eight buildings were destroyed by the fire.
Early reports were unavoidably exagger-
ated. The burning Of lumber piles gave
the impression that the whole of the north
part of the city was going, and no one was
found who placed his estimate of the loss
of life under the hundreds.
With the smoke cleared away. the Kaw
falling and communication by boat less
difficult. additional light the subject
was received this morning, and the reduc-
ton in the estimated loss of life followed.
About 200 persons are still at North To-
peka 80 of them being in the upper story
of the wooden mill. They are well fed but
extremely uncomfortable.
Dead So Far as Known.
The following is the list of the known
dead:
Henry Jordan. colored.
Mr.. Ward, aged man.
Arthur Stitt.
Five-year-old son of Mr. Garrett.
Child of George NJ. Story.
Miss Louise Seahaven.
Mrs. Jackson, widow.
Henry Luddington.
John L. Adams.
Mrs. Ida Montgomery.
Karl and Amelia Rutt. both children.
Andrew Pretzel.
Forst Kutz.
Among the missing are DR.. H. c. Miner
and his son-in-law A. c.. Heating. The
rescuers of the Miner family took the wo-
men and children on the first boat. When
hQ
found. Two miles down the river shirt
marked "A. c. Keating'' was found afioat.
Roosevelt Wires Governor.
President Roosevelt telegraphed today
from Cheyenne to Gov. Bailey offering the
assistance of the federal authorities If
needed, as follows:
CHEYENNE, Wyo., May 81.
''Hon. w. ]. Bailey, Topeka. Kan:
"Am inexpressibly shocked at the reports
of the dreadful calamity that has befallen
Topeka. If there is anything the federal
authorities can do. of course let me know.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
The message reached the governor at II
o'clock this morning. Only one railroad
line can get in or out of Topeka today and
that is the Santa Fe by way of Emporia.
A train was sent to Emporia this morn
ing at o'clock and another will be sent
out at noon. From Emporia the train will
try to go west via Ottumwa on the Missouri
Pacific.
Property Loss a Million.
The property loss from the best estimates
now possible will amount to approximately
100000. The whole of North Topeka is
still under water seven feet deep.
While the two hundred persons penned up
in the second stories of various buildings
have plenty of food. they are in great need
OF good drinking water. which Is being
supplied as rapidly possible in barrels
and cans.
The great fear at present Is that some of
the buildings in North Topeka may cal
lapse because of their foundations being
undermined by the water.
There is no immediate apprehension that
the wooden mill will go down. but at the
same time every effort will be made to
extricate people from that point as quickly
possible to avoid any further loss of
life