The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-30
DRIVEN OUT.
Six Thousand Homeless People
in Des Moines.
Four Feet of Water Running
Through the City.
Water a Foot Higher Than Ever
Before known.
1T IS STILL RISING.
Many Women "a Hours With
out Food or Shelter.
Rain is Incessant and Temper
ature Near Freezing Point.
River Two Miles Wide and
1900 Bridges Under Water.
FLOODS ELSEWHERE.
FLOODS ELSEWHERE.
Beatrice, Nebraska, Is Without
Water or Light.
Blue Is Rising at Rate of Four
Inches Per Hour.

At Il o'clock Governor Cummins au-
thorized the throwing open of the state
capitol to food refugees. Cots were
placed in the building and food pro-
vided.
Des Moines. Ia. May se.-Four feet of
water was coursing through a large sec
tion of East Des Moines at daylight this
morning, due to a rise of the river Of
one foot over all past records and the
carrying away of section of the levee
and dam at Center street; $4,000 people
in East Des Moines 5000 in South Des
Moines and 1000 in North Des Moines
are cut off from main section of the
city. Absolutely no attempt is made to
transact business. The street railway
company does not expect TO be able 10
start cars for a week Six thousand
persons are homeless, 900 women have
been unfed for "A hours. during which
time they have been exposed to the rain
with thermometer nearing freezing
Many women and children shiverea all
night long in rain soaked garments un-
able to find dry place on which to rest.
Box cars were placed in reach of many
OF the refugees this morning, in which
they could find shelter from the rain.
but relief work is in deplora BILE cOndi-
ton and far behind the needs. Inest j.
mable suffering prevails. The sudden
ness of the flood gave no time for pre-
paration or organization to combat it.
LeFeeS all over the city are yielding. ia
many places the Des A1oines river is two
miles Wide The damage cannot be
computed because Of the fact that clos :
to 1000 bridges are submerged and 1t
cannot be told whether they will be car
ried away Great damage was done by
the breaking of the levee along the c.
b. & @. track which inundated the
principal factory district. Several hun
dred dollars worth of machinery is un-
der water A dozen ice houses have been
washed away resulting in an apprOxi-
mate loss of a hundred thousand dol
lars.
The plant of the Daily Capital is
flooded and boats are plying through
the business district in that vicinity
The waterworks and electric light and
power plant, by heroic efforts, were kept
in operation this morning, although the
water was entering them as fast as the
engines could pump It out If they
should cease, the city would be without
light or water and many big plants US
ing electric power would shut down.
OF the seven bridges in the city. but
one IS open for traffic Railway service
is practically suspended. Water is over
the Northwestern, Wabash, Burlington
and Rock Island tracks in many places
in the city limits. From Fort Dodge,
above here, the DeS Moines river is re-
ported to be two feet higher and still
rising. The weather forecast is for coa-
unued rains. The Racoon river above
here is at standstill.
At ten O'Clock all traffic across the
Des Moines and Racoon rivers were
suspended. East north and south Des
MONIES are completely cut off from this
part of the city. The river was 22-7
feet above low water mark a this time.
The state fair buildings and churches
all over the city are thrown open to
flood refugees.
Des Moines. Ia. May 9o.-At 1920
four men, engaged in an attempt to
rescue household goods from a house
near the East Ninth street bridge, We're
thrown out into the current and quick
" drowned. The name Of but one, J. F.
kingman was known to the witnesses
of the accident. In South Des MOines
from four until nine upper parts of a
score of stranded food victims sat on
the roofs of their houses ana pitiOusly
begged for boats. When rescued they
We're half dead from exposure to cold
and rain
From Marshalltown it is learned that
the Iowa river is spread out over a vest
territory and that the Iowa Central has
been forced to abandon its main line
RAINED ALL NIGHT At OMAHA
Omaha, Neb., May 3G--The rain con-
tinued all night and today with no indi-
cation of ahating. The eastern half Of
the state has been thoroughly soaked
and reports of damage by the foods
continue to come in, the worst being in
towns along the Missouri river On the
Iowa side between Council Bluffs and
Missouri valley, the whole valley is a
lake and the water is beginning to soft
en- the tracks.
Trains came in late from the west and
a great number were annulled a1togeth-
er
FIVE DROWNED
Guthrie. Okla. May 30.-Damagins
reports Of storms throughout the terri
tory continue to arrive. At Harrison
the flood killed five people. Mrs. Bryles
and child. a child of John Alexander,
and two persons, whose bodies have not
vet been recovered The drowning Of
several Indians is reported from Ana
darlxo. In Day county a cyclone killed
Mrs. Isaac Jones. wrecked four post
offices and near Little Robe completely
demolished a farm residence. At Wells
f.4n sile storm IS reported to have fatal
IN injured one woman. and destroyed
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