The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-03
Known Dead at North Topeka
Now Number 40
The SUFFERING IS INTENSE
Armed Men Go In Boats to the North
Side of the River, Where They
VIII Guard Property-Have
Orders to Shoot.

Topeka. Kan. June 2.--The flood situa-
ton in Topeka tonight can be briefly
summarized thus
Known dead, forty-eight.
The river has fallen feet and is now
reeeding at the rate OF 2 inches an hour.
Distress will be great among the refu-
gees.
Governor Bailey issues a proclamation
calling for help for the Aood sufferers of
the state.
Fifty deputy sheriffs armed with Win
chesters go to North Topeka to protect
property with orders to shoot looters
whenever they are caught stealing.
Governor Bailey's proclamation calling
for outside aid was decided upon at a
mass meeting today, when the governor
was requested to issue the call 1t was
the people all along the flooded districts
of the state, as well as those In Topeka.
This plan is to make Topeka headquar-
ters and to distribute the aid from here
to the other parts of the state.
Addition to the Appeal.
There will be, in addition to this gem
eral appeal, an appeal through the fra
ternal organizations and other appeals
through various sources
A meeting Of the representative people
of North Topeka who are on the South
side was held today to arrange for sys-
tematie protection of their property in
North Topeka.
Immediately after the meeting a larra
number of men left In boats for the
Northside, where they will guard proper
ty and their orders are to shoot.
The river is three feet below high water
mark. 1t is the opinion of experts that the
river VIII go down rapidly from now on
The Blue, the Republican and the Solmon
have spent their force, and the volume
OF water spread over the Kaw bottom
Will hunts its channel quickly.
Situation Improves.
The situation in the flood districts Is
better than It has yet been for the rea-
son that fewer people are marooned
In houses, in trees and on islands. Nobody
is now clinging to trees. Those who had
to cling were either rescued OF dropped
into the river. Tonight not to exceed 400
people are In North Topeka The work
Of taking them out began at an early
hour today. and II is believed by night
few will be left in the flooded town.
There Is no way of getting at the
amount of damage done by the flood in
Topeka and vicinity. The damage will
reach S2000,000 1t may go beyond that,
and 1t may be much less. Crops in the
Kansas bottoms are destroyed This
makes an enormous loss to the farm
ers.
Governor Bailey tonight will cmmuni-
cate with the federal authorities, and
hopes he will have no trouble in securing
the use whatever tents are needed.
Worse at ST. Louis.
st. Louis. Mo-, June 2.-Thirty feet, the
danger point, was reached today and
passed by the flood that is coming down
the Mississippi river. The river continues
to rise rapidly and point considerably
higher than thirty-four feet, which
Weather Forecaster Bowie has predicted.
would be reached by Thursday or Friday,
Will be an accomplished fact. The crest
of the flood from the Kansas and Mis-
souri, rivers is yet to come and when
1t shall reach here and find augmentation
from the high water in the Mississippi,
some loss of life is feared and destruc-
ton to property must ensue.
The first loss of life attending the pres
ent flood in this vicinity was reached to-
day in the drowning of Mrs. William
Schmidt and her two children in an at
tempt to escape on a fiat boat from
Catfish Island in the Missouri river, seven
miles southwest of ST. Charles.
Five to Seven Miles Wide.
In some places between here and Alton.
the river Is five to seven miles WIDE COW
ering thousands of acres of farm land
in the great American bottoms on the
east side, destroying crops and driving
out the farmers. The greatest damage
yet reported is at Missouri Point. at the
confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi
rivers, where several hundred farmers
and their families have been driven from
their fertile lands by the high water.
Still greater damage In this section Is
feared during the coming rise.
All trains from the west and southwest
are arriving from three to six hours late.
but it is expected that this delay will be
overcome within the next twenty-four
hours. The departing time is unchanged.
When the 34-foot stage shall be reached
there will be two feet of water In the
streets on the levees. Hundreds Of thou
sa 1ds of dollars worth of damage will be
done in st. Louis and in the community.
Manufacturers viii Suffer.
Manufacturers north and south of the
city will suffer great damage from over
flows which will occur. The low-lying
portions of the city. north and south, will
be submerger.
Great damage will be done in the river
bank cities on the east side, both to pri-
vate and manufacturing property. East
St. Louis will be seriously menaced and
the lower portions of the city will be sub
merged.
There should be no loss of life adjacent
to st. Louis For week the weather bu-
reau has been sending out warnings of
the floods sweeping from the upper Mis-
sissippi and upper Missouri rivers. and
all have had ample opportunity to seek
places Of safety
skies Clear at Kansas City.
Kansas City. Mo-. June 2.-BIue skies