Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-05-30
DISASTROUS STORMS.

Six bridges across the Kansas river at
Topeka, Kansas. collapsed yesterday
afternoon on account of high water.
The food situation is the worse
ever known in Kansas. Last night
the water had surrounded the whole
of North Topeka. More than two
thousand people are homeless. The river
is rising fast, and it is estimated that
fully $1,000 will be homeless at Topeka,
Iand thousands more in other parts of the
State are in the same predicament. The
Union Pacific Railroad station is flooded.
The town of Americas, northwest Of
Emporia, is three feet under water, and
the Neosho river is four feet higher than
ever known before. At Eureka homes
we're abandoned and household effects
we're moved to higher ground. Heavy
damage to property has already been
done. No wire communication has BEEN
had from Kansas City with Salina, Kans.,
since Thursday night, that city being
reached only from the west. Nearly four
inches of rain fell in portions Of Kansas
Thursday night, adding to the already
halffnl streams and making the
food worse than ever. Hundreds OF
telegraph poles are down and Geographic
communication with many points IS
off. The floods have thoroughly Dis
organized train service In Abilene the
losses already aggregate 500, 900. The
towns of Chapman, Solomon and Tai
mage, nearby, Jared equally as badly as
Abilene, and the loss to the country is
tremendous. The water in the principal
streets of Abilene is four feet deep.
Several buildings have collapsed.
The river at Dies Moines, Iowa,
reached its highest point at 3 O'Clock
yesterday morning, when it recorded Il
$40 feet above low water mark. This
is the highest mark upon the records of
the government by four inches. In the
Des Moines Valley, from Spirit Lake to
the Missouri river, the entire bottoms
we're covered with water, and the
damage to the corn crop is inestimable.
In Fort Dodge, Bonnie, Madrid, Des
Moines, Ottumwa and other points fully
500 homes have been inundated by the
waters. In Des Moines alone the loss
will reach S500,00O In South Des
Moines the bottoms present a sheet OF
water with houses dotted here and there,
some turned over and others with their
chimneys only extending above the
water line.
Reports Of destructive storm through
out Oklahoma continued to arrive. At
Harrison the food killed five people.
Southwestern Sussex county, Del,
and upper Wicomico county, Nd,
we're visited Thursday night by
one of the most disastrous storms
ever known in those places. Trees
were uprooted, buildings unroofed
and much damage done to grow
ing crops. AT Spring Grove Moses
Henry was instantly killed by light
ming and his daughter was stunned.
Near Walteryille the barn ofSmith BaX-
ter was struck and burned, and a col
ored farm hand who slept in the barn,
with all of Mr.. Baxter's stock, persisted
in the flames. The residence of James
Vincent was wrecked and Mrs. Vincent
cut by broken glass. Mr.. Vincent was
knocked unconscious and sustained
severe burns while extinguishing the
flames. The home of Benjamin Grave
nor was struck and almost entirely
destroyed. Mr.. Gravenor was sleeping
near window and the post of his bed
was split He was seriously shocked
and severely cut by the broken glass.
Several other buildings are reported to
have been wrecked. A severe storm
visited the Laurel, Md, section last
night and considerable damage was done.
News last night from the peninsula
said that terrific storm was raging, and
great damage had been done in the
counties between Spring Grove and
Delmar.