The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-06-02

thcm with poles were making their
way into the houses Il rough the se,.
ond story windows. AS soon as this
word was received by Chief Hayes
he ordered a detachment Of officers
to the place with strict orders that
the thieves should be shot down at
once.
At IL o'clock the weather bureau
issued the following:
There will probably be slight
change in river conditions at Kansas
City during the next "a hours. Slight
fluctuations mean little in way of
change SO long as the weather re-
mains unsettled. A. storm area is
central in the middle Mississippi val
ley, from which the west has not
emerged, and the threatened develop
ment of another storm area in the
southwest cerries no assurance OF
immediate relief.
Light to moderate rains have fall
len in the Kaw and middle and lower
Missouri valleys in the past forty
eight hours and rain is falling over the
greater part of Kansas, Iowa, Mis-
souri, and Nebraska this morning"
Bridge Torn Out.
At 1880 o'clock the Bluff street
,..ilge was ton cut and its x:cckaye
went crashing up against the build
=. close to it. baitariog it badly. r..
I-1dge was en!;:eiy IN Kansas Cis.y,
Mo, and spauncd the Burlington
tracks at Fifth street. 1t has been
out of S for some days and it's fall
at this time occasions no additional
inconvenience.
At moo the river showed a falling
Of yer an inch from the previous
hour. An improvised cable has been
erected from the north end Of the
Kansas river bridge to the fire sta
ton and people are being rapidly
rushed to the south side, where they
are given food and clothing.
The family of T. J. P. Irish, consist
ing of five persons, are reported miss
ing. Late Sunday a neighbor who
has since been rescued, saw tn ,m in
trees. No trace of them has been
heard since.
The work of relief is being carried
ON nobly.
A sad feature of the situation is the
tendency of thieves to loot buildings.
They go in by RATS and boats away
out in the suburbs where the homes
are abandoned. The Rock Island
Colorado flyer, with a large number
OF passengers, is tied up at this point.
The railroad people are serving them
with meals. The Union Pacific road
is in a similar condition, save that
they have no trains tied up at this
point. '.".
According to the statements of flood
refugees from the east bottoms about
fifty Belgians, men, women and chill
dren, were drowned near the Crescent
hotel this morning. They were la
borers and their fomilies lived in
small frame houses along the rail-
road track. The ground on which
their homes stood was higher than
the water early last night. The Bell
gians remained in their homes. About
daylight today their homes began to
float and they were drowned while
trying to reach the bluffs.
Twelve Drowned.
Another refugee reported the drown ,
ing OF twelve people in a skiff. They
were carried out into the river shout
ing for help. Their skiff capsized
and all were drowned.
None OF these reports have been j,
substantiated. Many people are yet I
by the waters in the west
bottoms. From the high west bluff
between Thirteenth and Seventeenth {,
streets this morning could be seen
white sheets waving up and down
rom the roofs of several buildings
lWay out across the water. Shouts
or help came across the waters to
OF people who lined the
bluffs. s.
Numerous attempts were made to f,
escue people in the east bottoms, b
Ind while several of them were sue a
a number failed. Eleven "
women and children were taken from D
oofs in this section. t,
A number of women said to be
ixty, are shut up in a house at Roch- el
and Garland streets and have h,
cen without food cinao- xoa4onda.x M