The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-06-01
Flames Complete Destruction Begun
by Water.
NO WAY TO RENDER ASSISTANCE
Rescuer Tells Of Drowning Of Mother
and Child.

Exposure to Cold and Soaking In
Icy water Made Many Persons
Easy victims Of the FIood-Tope-
lsa's Disaster the Greatest In a
Long List OF Casualties wrought
BY the Rising Of western waters.
Topeka, Kan, June 1.--NoFth Tope-
ka, the former home Of 10000 persons,
has been practically wiped out by
food and fire. and more than $50 Of
the population have been burned Or
drowned, and many Of the remainder
are homeless objects Of charity in the
undestroyed part Of the city.
Communication with North Topeka
has been cut off, and newspaper men
have gone to that section Of the city
in boats
Every foot Of North Topeka IS under
water The current Is so swift that no
boat can live In it. Several thousand
people have escaped to the south side
and are being cared for as we'll as pos
sible. The remaining hundreds have
not yet been accounted for They have
been forced to the top doors or the
roofs Of buildings and are waiting fol
the water to subside or carry them
down stream.
They are safe only SO long as the
buildings remain standing Below the
town scores Of men are in tree tops,
yelling for help Thousands Of revolver
shots and screams have been heard
on the north side, signals for aid. Wo
men and children in the western part
Of North Topeka were seen standing
on the highest points in reach and yet
in water up to their neeks.
1t Is reported by men who have been
in sight Of the district that hundreds
there are suffering and sick Several
boats and wagons have been overturn.
ed, and women have been seen strug
Cling In the water.
Covered with Eight Feet Of water.
The water Is eight feet deep, and
the current Is like a mill race. The
river Is twenty-five feet above low wa
ter mark and is still rising. The wealth.
er is cold, and the people who have
not been rescued are suffering intense.
W Unless they have help soon it is
feared that many will die Of exposure
The work Of rescuing and caring foI
the flood survivors is being carried for
ward Systematically by South Topeka
Contributions are being rushed in tc
the relief committee. Citizens are open
ing their homes to survivors, and CIV
cry indication is that the city will be
well able to care for those who have
left their homes Every public build
ing iii the city IL sheltering scores 81
homeless people.
One baker and four Of his workmen
who camped OH their roof all nigh
escaped on planks. They saw d woman
and her two children float away t.
their death and the body Of an un
known man drift BY. All night the citi
zens Of the south side labored in til,
work Of rescue BIZ boat, wagon and
horseback
The city patrol horses were drowned
In the work Of rescue. A cold rain
fell, adding to the discomfort Of the
victims The houses on the south side
were thrown open and the Auditorium
and other public buildings filled will
refugees. Boats are being constructed
as rapidly as possible.
Mrs A. Snyder, with her four chill
dren, all stricken with the measles
was rescued Many thrilling escapes
are told. A company Of militia has
taken charge Of the work Of rescue
and owing to their efforts several hun
bred people have been saved who 9th
erwise would have persisted
Deaths From Exposure Threatened
The situation of the beleaguered PEG
pie is desperate in the extreme MOI
only are they threatened BY FIRE and
water. but through long exposure in the
cold. dismal atmosphere, without sufi
Client clothing, they would have died il
any event Delicate women and chill
dren have been without food Of shelter
for many hours
Several Of the persons rescued toto
Of seeing the drowning Of persons dur
ing the day The names Of tht
drowned cannot be given now Is 1t Il
impossible to ascertain the number OF
victims. VIII Wright who manned ems
of the boats, told of the death Of
mother and child which he saw Ht
said
Il was Just returning with a womaI
and two children from house near
North and Harrison streets. AS | WINS
coming back In Van Buren, street wo
man with a child climbed out on the
porch and attempted TO get into The
boat The small boat ] had was filed
to its capacity, and it would have been
impossible for me 10 have done any
thing If I had tried. The woman was