The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-01

According to the statements of flood ref,
ugees from the east bottoms, about fifty
Belgians, men, women and children, were :
drowned near the Crescent hotel on Syca-
more avenue. early this morning. They
were laborers and their families lived in
small houses along the tracks. y
The ground on which their homes stood
was higher than the water early lastn light.
The Belgians remained in their homes
About daylight to-day their. homes began
to float and they were drowned while try;
ing to reach the south bluffs.
Another refugee reported the drowning
of twelve persons in skiff. They were
carried out into the river shouting for,
help Their skiff capsized and all were
drowned. None of these stories has been
Substantiated
Many persons are yet imprisoned 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 from the roofs of several buildings
away out across the waters. Shouts forl
help came across the water to the thou
sands along the bluffs.
ArnourdaIe is Deserted.
ArmourdaIe, with population of $4,000!
people, is deserted, and the site is marked
| only by the tops of buildings.
The refugees for the most part are hud-
died together in the immense auditorium
! of the convention hall, ealtho several thou:
Island found refuge with friends. Two
| thirds of Argentine is under water. More
| than $500 people of this suburb found
safety in the highest part of the town.
I All bridges over the Kaw river are down
and the only communication with Ar
mourdale is by boat.
| Kansas City. is without water supply,
the Hood having disabled the pumping
4 station. S 4
situation at Argentine.
Il s
4 Two-tIirds Of Argentine. railway and
manufacturing town on the south bank Of
the KANSAS river, six miles from Kansas
City, is inundated by twelve to twenty
feet of water, and probably 500, 900 dam
lage has been DONE
I Probably 5000 of the $500 inhabitants
i are homeless and 5000 are destitute.
Three bridges have been swept away, all
the railway tracks and factories are un-
der water and business is suspended.
The Santa Fe roads loss is very heavy,
but it scarcely can be estimated until the
flood abates. The railroad has 100 miles
of track in the Argentine yards and sew
eral miles Of freight cars submerged.
Some cars have broken loose from their
trucks and have foated down the river.
The current has left the old channel and
has moved south, taking all the build
ings in its path. The Santa Fe track is
under water all the way to Holiday, eight
! miles from Argentine up the Kansas river
; valley.
All Bridges Down.
}, The Turner bridge, three miles above
Argentine, went out at 1920 o'clock yes
terday morning. Its wreckage lodged
against the county bridge at Argentine.
which succumbed at noon. The Belt Line
steel railroad bridge, just below the
county bridge, fell Immediately afterward.
Then in succession the Twenty fourth
; lstreet bridge and the county bridge at
! i ctr jod he ,>ail.
? road bridge was valued at $75, ooo, and the
, other four at 1000 each, making the
bridge loss $175,000. Five hundred frame
Z dwelling houses are under water, and with
= q further rise many will be swept away.
j Estimate Of Dead.
h From information admitted to be fras-
f mentary and inexact the loss OF life is
9 i.estimated at fifty. The property loss will
reach $4,000;000 at the lowest and may
t far exceed that sum-
:. No Relief In Sight.
: At II o'clock the weather bureau issued
a the following. There will probably be q
: slight change in river conditions at Kan
r .sas City during the. next twenty -four
: hours. Slight fluctuations mean but little
in the way of relief so long as the weather
conditions. remain unsettled. A storm area
: is central in the middle Mississippi valley
n from which the west has not emerged, and
. the threatened development Of another
q storm area in the southwest carried no as
q surance of Immediate relief.
!, Light to moderate rains have fallen In
. tho Kaw and middle and lower Mississippi
. valleys in the past forty eight hours and
9 rain is falling over the greater part Of
q Kansas. Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska this
morning. "
- Stage of the river at a. M:
n Kansas City, 35, and still rising; Omaha,
o 144; Sioux City, 113, a fall of Z.
= Railroads Tied Un
d1 Never in the history of the west has
It There been a more complete prostration
ID Iof railway traffic than exists now west.
al south and north of Kansas City.
I The approaches to the bridge of the Chi