The semi-weekly messenger., 1903-06-12

scores of families cut off from escape
are 1T the mercy Of the rising water.
Dummy trains OF the terminal asso-
citation connecting with skiffs. COM
meuced today the Work of bringing
across the river more than 700 persons
who spent Sunday afternoon and night
on the tops of houses and at other
Points OF elevation above the flood in
Madison. Venice and Newport. -Four
drOwnings We're reported by the refu-
gees. but none know the names of the
victims. One said that Il father moth
er and child had been drowned while
trying TO reach point Of safety and
another told Of the death Of = man
under like circumstances.
In East st. Louis on proclamation Of
Mayor Cook. bushes is suspended. the
saloons are closed and everybody is at
work on the IeVees in a deseprate ef-
fort 70 save the city. which is from one
to four feet below the level of the wa
ter that presses up against the en-
bankments. 4 hastily constructed
levee of sand bags and mud is all that
stands between the city and almost
complete submersion. If the leVee
gives way all the main part of the city
will be quickly flooded and not a street
n the business section will be left out
Of water.
Train service in every direction is
laid out by the high water and no
freight business is being done at all
in the eastside. Two roads, the Mis-
souri, Pacific and Frisco are the only
trains running between here and Kansas
City. Passenger traffic and the most
urgent freight business is all that the
railroads will handle west. 1t is too
early accurately to estimate the dam
age, which however. will run into mil
lions. and the loss due to the interfer
ence with business.
This afternoon the viaduct connecting
East st. Louis with the Eads bridge
was condemned as unsafe. The street
cars were stopped and not allowed to
cross the bridge.
The water of the Cahokia has been
washing against the viaduct for several
days and it has been strained to its
utmost by sightseerS who used it as 4
vantage point to view the flood.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
The climax Of the flood came last
night, when by the breaking of a
Ievee near Granite City. u we'll Of water
six feet high rushed down upon Madi-
son, sweeping houses from their fOun-
datiOn and drowning fifteen refugees
who We're fleeing for their lives. The
report was current that fifteen work
men in the st. Louis car and foundry
works were drowned, but later it was
found that while seven employees had
lost their lives. thirteen others. men.
women and children. had perished
Hundreds of persons We're forced 10
the roofs of their floating houses and
an appeal was sent to st. Louis for
assistance. Every effort was made to
force steamers against the heavy cur
cent four miles north to the stricken
town but was noon before the steamers
Mark Twain and Annie Russell Tapped
together and the engines working un-
hours battle with the current were able
night pouring into the city by hun
For the balance of the day and into
the night the work of reScuing refu-
gees from floating houses, tree tops
and various high places proceeded and
there being no place to take them
nearer than St. Louis they are to-
night pouring into the city by hum
dreds. wet. hungry and dispirited.
BRIDGE GONE AT TOPEKA.
Topeka. Kas.. June S.-The pOntoOn
bridge connecting north Topeka with
the north approach of the Big Nolan
bridge, which latter spans the river
connecting both parts of the town,
went out today. This sewers all con-
nectiOn with the north side save by
boat and it is not thought that it will
be possible to repair the damage before
Wednesday. This will result in great
hardships to the people now in North
Topeka as all the boats sent here from
the outside have been taken away.
KANSAS LEGISLATURE EXPECTED
TO ACT.
Topeka. Kas., June SIT is regarded
as practically certain that there Will
be a special session of the Kansas leg
islature within two weeks to appropri
ate money to relieve some of the dam
age caused by the flood of q week ago.
kilograms are being sent to all the
members asking them to serve with
out pay. Up to this time replies from
twenty have been received who are IA
vOrable to the arrangement.
Mayor Bungdenghal, issued a procla-
nation today asking the merchants to
close their stores tomorrow and that
every able bodied man should go to
work for the day, cleaning the flooded
district.
Mud is a foot deep and it Will re-