The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-06-04
GREAT DAMAG E
KANSAS FLOODS DEVASTATE
LARGE AREAS.
Whole of North Topeka Surrounded
and Hundreds of Houses Are De-
serted---Estimated That Five
Thousand Are Homeless--Rail-
road Business at a Standstill.

Topeka, Kan, May 30.-The high
water has surrounded the whole of
North Topeka and hundreds of houses
are deserted. People are moving out
from that part of town as fast as posi-
BILE and great distress prevails. At this
time nearly 5000 people are home
less. 1t will be necessary for every in
habitant of the north side to leave
there within few hours and this will
leave over 10000 people without
homes. The people south of the river
are trying hard to take care of the flood
refugees. The court house. state house
and other buildings have been opened
for their reception and fund started
lor their relief.
The water plant is being worked I'M
der great difficulty and it is feared it
will have to be entirely abandoned. If
this should happen the entire city will
be without fire protection.
Reports from Wamego and other
points along the river report great
volume of water coming down this way.
Wamego reports rise of two feet in
the Blue and three feet in the Repub-
lican river. This will reach Topeka
during the day and the large concrete
Melan Arch bridge will have great diff
Guilty in holding its own.
For six hours yesterday the flood
plowed like river through Abilene,
filling 200 cellars and driving 100 fam
lilies to places of refuge. The Rock
Island, Union Pacific and Santa Fe
tracks are washed away, two lumber
with water and several buildings col
lapsed Nearly all the business houses
are flooded.
Spend Night i'm Trees.
Scores of people were rescued in boats
after having spent whole night in
trees. Merchants are moving their
stocks to higher places, but it is gener-
ally believed that the worst is over.
Salina is isolated and cannot at this
time be reached by wire. The West
ern Union telegraph Office at Salina
has collapsed and no news can be sent
out from there.
At Lawrence the Kansas river contin-
ned to rise rapidly all day and in the
last three hours has come up nearly
three feet. The water stands thirteen
feet on the dam there and has caused
the water works, electric light plant
and brick factory to close down.
At Marysville the water is the high
est ever known and is getting higher.
In many places the water is up to the
second story windows.
From Marion comes The news that
the Rock Island depot is flooded and
had to be abandoned.
Miles Under Water.
Many square miles of country near
Emporia are under water.
At Americas the river is four feet
higher than it has ever been. At Mar
quette the Smoky river is higher than
ever known before. Lindsburg is sur
rounded by water.
At Concordia many have been driven
from their homes by the Republican
river. Over five inches of water fell
there during the day.
At Newton the streets were flooded
last night by cloudburst.
A tornado struck Strong City during
the night, demolishing the high school
building and the Baptist church.
Railroad traffic in this city is prac-
tically at standstill. The food situa-
tion is the worst ever known in the
state.