Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-02

I0r her very hfe.
And tonight the skies are dark and low
eting-the rain is falling heavily-more
stormy weather IL sweeping up from the
west. and the, Unsuitable river is holding
its own. II is practically stationary to-
night, but what the flood has II keeps, and
there is no certain promise of when it will
recede. The stage tonight Is 349, against
a feet this morning. chief Connor of the
weather bureau says that while the out
look was for continued rains, IL would
necessitate a very heavy fall u the pres
ent high water is to continue, and whether
this will come or not is something he cam
not tell
The first authentic information from
Kansas City, Kan, was received tonight.
In that district 10000 people are homeless.
A number which cannot be estimated have
been drowned, and the property loss has
been heavy. The situation there is par
aIel to the situation here-apparently no
better and no worse. There is no great
probability that there will be further loss
OF life, II the river does not rise very sud
denly All through the wholesale district
and In the east and west bottoms there are
still people in houses, many OF them anX-
ious to be taken away, a goodly number OF
them content to remain where they are,
with all the chances of the flood.
Police DO Heroic work.
The police have done wonders today in
rescuinE people and have probably brought
$50 of them safe 70 the high ground since
sunrise one hundred and fifty Of these
were brought TO the viaduct at Twelfth
street and the balance were saved in the
east and west bottoms by boats. Twenty
persons were taken fran the Marty school
and thirty from O'Brens lodging house
both in the east bottoms. The rest of them
were brought in singly and in small num-
bers.
Tonight in the east and the west bottoms
a number OF obstinate people are still
clinging to their houses. although the po-
lice have run boats beneath their windows
and offered to save them. They refused to
leave and will take their chances for an
other night at least
II is utterly impossible TO form any es-
innate of the number of dead in Kansas
City. There have been manifold stories Of
boats laden with people having been seen
to sink, there are reports without end of
bodies floating by on wreckage, of men
who have tried to drive wagons laden with
their household effects against certain
death ip the swift current and gone down
in the flood.
The majority of these stories lack proof
however, and even If true the proof may
never be had. There is no possible way Of
getting at the names of the dead and no
chance of forming any estimate that can
confidently be termed accurate.
Dead May Number Fifty.
1t is likely, however. that the number Of
fatalities in Kansas City, Mo, will approx
innate fifty.
t.
dusk tonight were waving white cloths to
attract attention. The condition of some
Of these is pitiable. They have been held
prisoners for two days. threatened with
death by drowning, at one time by fire,
and for the most part without food Every
effort is being made and they will all be
saved tomorrow unless the water rises
more and this seems improbable.
Financial damage is about as great now
as II is likely TO become. unless the water
rises much higher than at present. The
great danger is that foundations will be
undermined and buildings with their con-
tents toppled over into the flood How
ever, the situation is no worse tonight than
II was this morning and buildings that
have withstood the floods all day have an
excellent chance of holding out for some
time against them @ % ''- "'.'
There has been no suffering In the city
beyond that sustained by the people, driven
from their homes. There has been excellent
work done by the relief committees and
those in control of this work are confident
that the city will be able to care for its
own without calling on the balance of the
state. Every demand has promptly been
met thus far and the only danger seems to
be in long continued stage of high water.
Then necessarily the demand will exceed
the ability of Kansas City to supply.
city IL in Darkness.
Tonight the city is In absolute darkness.
There is not the glimmer of a gas jet or
the fare Of an electric light, the buildings
which have their own electric light plants
excepted. Steam for these is supplied from
water hauled from the river. Power for
the three street car lines that have re-
sumed operations is furnished by water
plped six squares from a small stream in
one of the valleys. In all the buildings in
the city elevators have been discontinued,
unless provision has been made for furnish
ing water
The newspapers have been compelled ia
discontinue the use of their type setting
machines, and because of lack of power
are sticking" type in the good old way
In the hotels, all of which are crowded
70 their utmost capacity. the most elaborate
care Is taken to prevent the waste OF water
In front of every wash room a guard is
stationed and no guest is admitted even tc
wash his hands unless he Identifies himself
at the desk, secures the key of his room
and in this manner having proved his
character and intention good, he is per.
mitted TO enter. slop out water from a pai
ana do the best he can with it.
Cannot Maintain Gas supply.
The gas company made a fight all day tc
keep gas In the mains, but at ? p. m. Secre
tary MacMilin OF the gas company said h,
would be forced to shut down.
I'VE cannot keep up the supply" he said
THE trouble is that we were drowned ou
OF the plant we have been using and hat
20 start the fires in. the old Missouri Ca
company plant, that had been out of sery
ice for many years. We are making SOM
E3EIlllI.lllIHE
So