The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1903-06-03
By FLOOD AND FIRE.
Almost Total Destruction Of North Tope-
kn, Kansas and Great Loss Of Life.

Almost Total Destruction Of North Tope-
kn, Kansas and Great Loss Of Life.
TOPEKA, Kas., May 30:-People who
did not leave North Topeka last night |
when they had chance are now in
the greatest danger Of losing their
lives. AS far as can be estim ated at
this time over 500 people are beyond
reach of rescue. Kansas river is ris-
ing at the rate of three inches an hour.
From LOO to 150 are known to be dead,
mostly burned, and the list will be
larger Hundreds are missing. Peo.
pie are drowning and others are burn
ing to death.
If any portion Of North Topeka es.
capes destruction by flood it seems as
though fire would finish the work.
The large lumber yard Of Jonathan
Thomas caught fire this afternoon and
whole blocks of houses are burned.
Four hundred houses have been burn
ed already. 1t is reported that the
Union Pacific depot and hotel has
been burned. There is no possible
way Of quenching the flames. The
loss of life will be appalling. The
property loss will be three million
dollars or more.
TOPEKA, May 3l.-There is ground
for hope that the worst has passed.
The tive-mile wide Kansas river is set.
tling back into its rightful channel.
Tonight City Engineer Annable issued
bulletin giving out the cheering in.
telligence that the waters had subsid.
ed to the extent of exactly seven and
one half inches. It may be some
hours before another drop may be
noticed.
About $50 or POO lives are lost; mill
lions of dollars of property destroyed. i.
With hundreds OF pistol shots as sig.
nails of distress, blended with agoniz-
ing cries OF unwilling inhabitants on
tree tops and roofs Of houses, and wa.
ters creeping upwards and then slowly
subsiding and alternately changing
hope to despair, the capital city has
passed the most memorable Sabbath
day Of its existence.
Briefly stated, the present condition
Of the food is this; One hundred and
fifty to two hundred people drowned:
5000 people without homes; $4,000, 900
loss of property; identified dead, five;
floating bodies seen, 20; people miss.
ing, 200; houses burned, result OF fire
in lumber from Stacking lime, prob.
ably 200; banks collapsed, two; whole
sale grocery stores Hooded, two; big
business blocks ready to crumble, So;
wholes ale commission houses deserted,
six
ltis ascertained that last nights
reports regarding the burning build
ings were somewhat overdrawn. Last
night the whole northern part of the
city seemed to be ahame. Closer in.
vestig alton today shows about one.
third of the buildings on the north
side were destroyed by fire. Fully
half of the remaining buildings are so
damaged by water tha. they are abso-
lutc'. useless. Inrre is Il t u house
in the e ire part Of the town that has
no: he-l .iu4siy damaged. The cur.
rent is more swift and destructive to-
night than at any time during the
| food.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, May 3l.-With
the waters of the kaw and Missouri
rivers nearly four feet above the dis
astrOus level of 1881 and their swollen
tide spread over three square miles of
the city and its suburbs, Kansas City
is tonight in the worst flood of its
history. la the valley OF kaw or
Kansas river, between this city and
Kansas City, kas., the report says a
number Of lives have been lost. One
report says II and another 80, but in
the midst of the urmOrallznliOu Of
traffic and ordinary means Of com
munication, il IS impossible to verify
these reports.
Hundreds OF rescu >, some Of them
made by the narrowest margins oc-
Cured here today. Two thirds of
Argentine, a railway and mauufactur.
ing town on the south bank of the
kans as river, six miles from Kansas,
City is Inundated by Il to 20 feet Of
water and probably 800, 900 d damage
has been done. Probably 5000 or
900 are destitute.
Escaped From rcni:cntiary