The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-31
HAS SERIOUS ASPECT
Water Supply of City May be
Cut Off by Floods
PLANT Is ENDANGERED
Waters Covers Great Part OF
Riverside Park

There is grave danger that Wichita S
water supply will be cut off on account
of the high water in the Little Arkansas
river. The water broke over the dikes
en- Lanes island yesterday morning and
a stream fifty feet wide and five feet
deep is running within sixty feet of the
pumping station. and Superintendent
Alley stated to the Eagle last night that
the situation was very serious. There is
little danger of the pumping station go
ing out of business on account of the
water getting into the engine room and
drowning the fires. but it was from the
water washing away the ground about
the buildings and allowing the walls 20
fall that has caused the alarm.
The water is running into the plant
now from the sand beds underneath
and this is being kept from getting into
the engine room by pumping it out All
through the day and last night the COM
pany kept large force of men at Work
building levees and trying to prevent the
water from washing away the ground
about the building and will use as many
men as can work about the building to-
day.
Superintendent Alley stated last night
that the company would use every means
to keep the water from reaching the
building. but the water is so close to
IL now and with little hope of it reced-
ing today he felt that the situation, as
far as this city is concerned, on account
of the water plant being forced to shut
ha nTODlorn q
far as the food was concerned.
About 5 o'clock yesterday morning the
Little Arkansas river broke over the
levees along the park and the greater
mart of Riverside park is under from six
inches to four feet of water. The first
and largest break occurred just at the
west end of the South park. This break
is sixty feet long. Another break oc-
CURED about one hundred feet north or
the dam. Along the north bank In tins
park the water is flowing through the
levee in number of places. Across the
river the situation is even more serious
for the water has flooded the greater
part of Central Riverside. The deer and
elk pens had two feet of water in them
and the animals had to wade through
water knee deed to their watering
troughs The central portion of the park
Is covered with water and the damage to
the flowers in this division cannot be
estimated. In North Riverside all of the
lower part, of the park is under water.
Teams are not allowed TO cross any
but the Murdoch avenue and Woodmar
bridges, as the others are liable to go out
at any time. If there was any drift IN
the river none of the bridges would be
standing today. The water was touch
ing the floor of the Grieffenstein bridge
and this had been anchored. Guards
were at all OF the bridges since Friday
morning The Murdoch avenue bridge IS
a steel one and the Woodman bridge IS
high. so there is little danger Of either
of these going out. The water IS to the
top of the stringers on the Central ave-
nue. bridge.
The water is flowing down James street
eeuth OF Central in big stream and
across all property between that street
and the river. Yesterday afternoon a
reporter for The Eagle rowed boat along
the drives of South Riverside park and
up and down Central avenu from James
street to the river.
At the big bend of the river at the
west side of South Riverside a big break
occurred on the north bank and this is
what is causing the damage at the water
works, and 1t also relieves the strain on
the dam and levees near Central ave
nue. Had this break not occurred the
extra volume of water would have been
forced over the levees along South Riv-
erside park and down through town
When this break was discovered the
watchers at the dam were feeling bet