The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-02
City May Have TO Fight for
Her Very Life
THE RIVER is STATIONARY
In Kansas City, Kan, 10000 People Are
Homeless--Many Cling to Their
Homes and Take Chances
of Another Night.

Kansas City, Mo-, June 1.--with gas
and electric lights extinsuished, the wa
ter works shut down and the city prac-
tically at the mercy of the first fire that
shall break out; with railroad transport
tation feeble and uncertain, Kansas City
may, If the waters do not recede within
the next two or three days. be compelled
to fight for her very life.
Tonight the skies are dark and lower
ing, rain Is falling, stormy weather is
sweeping up from the west, and the in
satiable river is stoutly holding its own
It is stationary tonight, but what the
flood has. it keeps. and there is no cer-
tain promise of when 1t will recede. The
stage tonight is 34s against IS feet this
morning.
Chief Connor of the weather bureau says
that while the outlook continuese for
rain, no relief from falling water can be
expected
10000 People Homeless.
The first reliable information from
Kansas City. Kan, was to the effect that
fully 10000 persons are homeless num-
Der have been drowned and the property
loss have been heavy.
The situation tonight is no better and
no worse. There is no great probability
that there will be further loss of life. All
through the wholesale district and In the
east and west bottoms, there are people
still In houses.
The police have done wonders today In
rescuing people, and brought $50 persons
| - Afrrf 81, nfxg
persons were taken from the Martin
school and thirty from O. Brien's lodging
house in the east bottoms.
Tonight in the east and west bottoms
| number of obstinate people are still
cllnging to their homes although the po-
lice have run boats beneath their win
| dows and offered to save tnem. They
refuse to leave and will take their
chances for another night.
Many Stories Are Told.
1t is impossible to form any estimate
of the number of dead in Kansas City.
There have been manifold stories of
boats laden with people of having sunk;
of people floating by on wreckage; of
men who have tried to drive wagons
laden with their household goods against
certain death In the swift current, and
gone down in the flood.
ever. there is no way of securing the
names of the dead, and no chance OF
forming any estimate that can conf
IDENTIFY be termed accurate. 1t Is likely,
however. that the number Of fatalities
in Kansas City, Mo-, will approximate
| fifty.
The financial damage is about as great
now as it is likely to become, unless the
water rises much higher than at pres
! ent.
There has been no suffering in the city
beyond that sustained by the people
driven from home. There has been ex-
| cellent work done by the relief commit
tees and those in control Of this work
are confident that the city will be able
| to care for it's own.
In Absolute Darkness.
| Tonight the city is in absolute dark
ness, save in buildings which have their
| own electric light plants.
The pricipal property loss at Armour
| dale is increasing and will continue from
| inability to operate. The three packing
plants of Swift Cudahy and of Schwarz-
schld e. Sulzberger, and firmly built, and
will not give way to the force of the
current.