The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-07

1 rushing down upon your homes, and I'M
! agine the occupants scrambling TO the roofs
| for safety and remaining there in the cold
| and rain often from twenty-four to thirty
| six hours. Imagine many of these houses
| stream, a piaything in the fierce currents.
This will give idea of the magnitude Of
and loss of life. Five hundred seems a fair
estimate at this time of the death list in
Kansas, and in Kansas City. Mo-, and along
| the Missouri just east OF Kansas City.
| That Topeka and Kansas City, the two
points most affected. supine under this
visitation of destruction. is mistaken. To
IRENE words. but it is tenfold more diff
| cult to picture the energy and determine
| ton with which the work of relieving dis
| tress and repairing the damage Is prose-
cuted.
ALL TURN TO THE
| WORK OF RESCUE.
| Every able-bodied man and boy rallied to
the rescue of his fellow-citizens and of
| his municipality. In very few instances
vulture- minded men were discovered loot
| ing and robbing in the deserted districts.
But these cases were scarce, whereas hun
| dreds performed deeds OF heroism in the
| rescue work, and thousands displayed
splendid fortitude in undertaking. the enor-
, nous task of relieving the suffering and Of
! organizing preparatory to reconstruction.
Everybody knows the rapid. growth Of
itants. That Kansas city win rise 7
| stronger and better city within several
short months its every citizen n,, believes.
| corning its future is most significant:
Look at our convention hail."
| Kansas City was to hold the National
Democratic Convention and the hall burned
on April 2. In two months one of the finest
and largest rooted halls in the United
| of terra-cotta brick. of a fine type Of
! architecture, covering an entire block. 1t
seems as If it would require year in the
| building. Kansas City built 1t in sixty days
| The food descended upon Sunday. Sun.
! day night all was confusion The news OF
Topeka's fate had come. and with II warn
| ings to all who lived in the west bottoms
But that the mass of water was so great
could not be believed. and few moved from
be made quickly. leaving household pos
sessions to the merc!es of the Hood.
| TOOK REFUGE
IN BOX CARS.
Even with the torrent upon them. many
thought that their homes would Withstand
the current. Others took refuge in larger
structures. while it was said by escaped
refugees that numbers of the terrified had
| climbed into box cars, which subsequently
| turned over or foated away.
But the majority ran for the bluffs, and
| there they were at least safe from drowning.
| Those who remained in the bottoms, how
| ever, If the buildings continued stanch,
were in imminent danger of great suffering
from exposure and lack OF fo3di to , say
the structures might become undermined
and collapse.
ton of a relief corps in Kansas City, kas..
| began. The Commercial Club held a meet
ing at which the situation was discussed.
ard il was decided Kansas City could take
care of its own; that no outside assistance
would be necessary. The problem first 10
be met was the rescue of all those in the
| inundated districts whose position was dan
gerous or who wished to get out.
Next 70 be considered was the necessity
of food and clothing for the needy refu'
/ 80, ltg,nI nst a
The third immediate issue was the plight
resulting from the Gripping of the city,s
street,car and lighting service ana es
FIRES ADD TO THE
HORRORS OF FLOOD.
The night of Sunday and the day of Mon.
day also was time of terror The people
had seen great iron bridges disappear be-
fore the onslaught of the flood They had
seen buildings fall with roar and mighty
splash and they saw the current in the
streets leapins along the waves.
The climax of all was the fires which
| added to the horrors of the flood Many
| freight cars laden with lime ignited. The
flames in several INSTANCES spread. Thu:
the horrors OF both fire and flood wert
threatening all living things in the West
, Bottoms. The confidence which induced
many 10 remain in their homes vanished
in Kansas City. No. and Kansas City. Kas
When the light came the panic-stricker
were upon the roofs They waved cloths
! gestculated and shouted. Other of til,
structures obviously were sagging. Tn,
!. tcrrors of the bloodhound population be
! came more acute.
1t was then that the fearful nature o
the catastrophe first became apparent. Blu
nevertheless it was then that their work O
| relief was entered upon with an energ,
which halted at nothing.
Rich men gave their money and many Of
, | them their personal work in the ragin.
| waters. Jack Cudahy and several other o.
the younger millionaires who have in
: herited business interests, riSked their live
: time and time again.
HEROISM DISPLAYED
IN WORK OF RESCUE.
The chief work of rescue was performe,
by the experienced boatmen. the Police an;
! Fire departments by members of tn,
Third Missouri National Guard and by other.
who volunteered upon dangerous servic
when the occasion was presented. The in
cidents attending the daring deeds of tn
reScuers in the flood best illustrate the spiri
with which the foods ravageS were fought
thirty persons were rescued Monda,
morning in dramatic fashion. Fire Che
Trickett of Kansas City, Kas.. upon tn
broken western end of L. viaduct. saw
!, white sheet waved from the top of tn
Armour elevator across the Kaw. Man,
persons were upon the roof waving whit
flags and calling out though what the,
SAID could not be distinguished.
A boat was lowered to the foot of tn