The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-10
CHASED FROM THEIR HOMES


and RATS and assisting
skiits already in serv~
from the east
2w suo. ed and from
Sad are neeing toward
ei@fr ANY taking
5 issueu - the pub.
that city and ~ ening all
Tor the temporary ac-
lon of the flood refugees
ais. Mo. June 10.=With the
sen TO 31.9 feet this morning the
point reached during the prea~
9od, East St Louis, city of $4,000
.-Ger water.
ne southern half Of East St Louis
ais morning was deep in the flood. and
the ettNS $500 leyee builders had fallen
back on Missouri avenue in the attemDs
to save the remainder OF the city, men
aced by swelling waters from three
sides Broadway the central east ana
west thor Cughfare. has been abandoned
to the flood Lee Harper. former city
engineer says that the water viii be
two feet deep in front of the city hall
before o'clock this evening
Seven miles of water pressing from
the south and southeast overcame the
citys line OF defense shortly before /
o'clock this morning and 5000 persons
We're driven from their homes. Numer-
Gus reports of drownings have been re-
AT o'clock this morning the water
sides, preserved temporarily by the b
q o. railroad embankment and hae
reached to the viaduct only seven
blocks east of the city hall In this
public building a foot and a half ofI
seep water had already collected All
the points of tile city are under water
When the break occurred warnings
were nrSt sent through the Dexter ad-
dition by messene gers who discharged
firearms. blew horns and shouted warm
lnss- IN leW moments the whole
popuiace of the low district six square
mites IN area, were fleeing to higher
ground The noise Of the apnroachin.-
flood was heard: the fight. at first Il
rapid retreat with some semblance of
order assumed a panic state Most OF
them He'd without any effort to save
proDertv
As the bottoms filed and the river
settiieH q larger entrance the terror in
IN business section Of the city grew
lltenSe IT was all the greater because
OF the darkness and the fear thar yvhil4
guard WIS maintained ia one direction
tne torrent would break through at an
vt4+I point and engulf the luckless in
IdD1tants between two foods PeoplA
deserted their homes bv the thousands
running Nalnlv up and down the streets
seeking q place of succOr Hundreds OF
;ls giz5iis rom the finer residence por-
ll9Hs carrying trunks. grips bundles OF
clothing and valua bles. beear crossires
tile fsdaS bridge toward St Louis Most
q q the refugees were scantilv clad
ID
tneif arms followed bv women vifl,
babes Barefooted children were in tha
procession, which continued stoa5f1,y
over tne bridge Hundreds of Others
protection in the sec
ono Stofy OF the public library
building. As the water encrnsete5
about it mS1y rushed through the shall
low overflow TO find a more secure
el ~ n terror Of the rising tide Of
Wttet refugees in hundreds thronged
the streets crowded the cars ana he
seeehea public officials for aid In the
CITY nall alone 500 homeless persons
WIN sqcn scant belongings a they had
been Bile to seize on short notice were
assembled. Provision for the time he
ing was supplied them and they were
mace as comfortable as possible in the
auditorium on the third floor
Business is totally SUSPENDED The
streets are filled with the almost Danic
stricken inha bita1ts Of the invaded dis
tricts. The common direction of all
movement is toward the bridge Over
Whlen the refugees are hurrying to ST
The bridge is practically the onI,
means of crossing the river open to the
Ienreng All traffic to East ST Louis
from the west side was s1enende5 and
ed the trim
An appeal from Mayor Cook tn the
governor of Illinois fer state troops ta
aid in guarding property was ausxversd
would be sent to East St Louis at
once.
A few hours before the break In the
leVee, Ned Roberts. a negro employed
as levee builder. was killed by mem
pef5 OF the levee patrol for attemptina
to tear down a portion of the dyke Re-
lief boats started from st Louis for
East St Louis early this morning. BY
ofder of Park Commissioner Auu the
SKINS used for reCrea ton on the mark
+ ltiheS collected he
F Virgins ferry boat to the east side
Congressman William A ROdenburg
mas issued an appeal for aid for the
East St Louis flood sufferers. Food. he
says is most urgently needed and
means must be had for delivering it to
/ persons who are i'm upper stories of
I their homes or i'm box cars.
One thousand men were working on
/ lhe part of The levee that broke Several
hours before the final break they had
I the active assistance of hundreds of vvo-
men and children The break came at
the st Louis Valley crossing of the II
/ iihols central embankment, two miles
! souJh ct Relay depot While men, W0-
men and children who could stana on
the embankment were heaping sand
I bags between the rails to prevent the
4 menaclng waters from mounting over
the top the current broke through the
lower part of the wall. and sparted ia
TiVuiets in the faces of the workers
Bags thrown into the openings by doz-
ems of men were tossed by the waters
! like feathers. Then the workers fed
and the alarm was given by the ringing
Of bells and blowing of whistles A few
I Of the workers on the embankment re-
( mained at their posts until the rushing
waters made it necessary for them to
swim for their lives. Then they joined
their companions in warning the resi-
dents of the thiczly settled districts Of
their danger.
Awakened families saw the water in
the streets. When they were ready to
I leave with their hurriedly collected
stock Of necessities the flood was at
their sills All fed to the north The
Washington school was the nearest
point of safety. Many made for the
ground near the Illinois Central tracks.
/ Men from Altsa and Denverside who
! nod been Worlzing on ahandoned leNees