Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-04
REPORTS WERE EXAGGERATED
Loss of Life In Kansas City Not as
Heavy ms Had Been
Reported.


KANSAS CITY. June 3-The Missouri
river fell seven inches between a. m. and
Z D. m. today, and the Kansas river fell
nine inches In the same time. The fall OF
both rivers will be at a much faster rate
tomorrow. The sun shone during a large
part of the day and the general feeling
was hopeful. Militiamen and police still
guard ell approaches to the flooded dis
trict and soldiers halt pedestrians in tho
residence streets late at night for thero
are no street lights, the electric light plant
still being shut down. Several street car
lines are in operation and the others will
resume in a day or two. The city water
works will begin pumping late tonight, aid
the business district will be supplied Wttd
water tomorrow The railroads are S;ll
giving incomplete service, but are repair
ing the washouts.
The reports OF heavy loss of life in Kan
sas City Kan. are not true and the stories
OF bodies lying in the drift are unfounded.
The loss OF property has not been over
estimated, however. An Associated Press
launch crossed to Armourdale today and
cruised for miles through the water In
what were formerly streets. In many plaoes
water is twenty feet deep and the 1900
inhabitants have fed. Except the watch
men in the packing houses on the river
'front.' not a human peluB was 10 De seen.
Red and white flags hung from the upper
windows of some houses, the occupants
Of which had evidently been rescued. No
steps have been taken to protect household
goods in the buildings.
Channel May Change.
Armourdale will not be inhabitable for n
long time after the food subsidies Every
building has been more or less damaged,
hundreds utterly ruined. A strong current
has set through the town and the river
may persist in following this course. in
the old channel In front Of Armourdsle
the stream flows moderately, but through
the town the water rushes rapidly. There
will be six feet Of soldly packed mud when
the flood abates. and this will need to be
cleared away On the fiat roofs OF hous
that have been uncovered foot Of mud
lies.
Kansas avenue, the principal thorough
! fare of Armourdale, presents an extrao"
! binary appearance, being checked twenty
! feet deep with the debris of houses, telh-
/ graph poles, sidewalks and fences. Tile
/ brick buildings have stood, loosing all their
windows, but the water has packed the
| streets with rubbish The clearing away
/ of the mud and ruins will be work OF
] months.
! Argentine. seen from the river, seems 10
have suffered little further injury since
/ Sunday In the west bottoms OF Kansas
! city the waters OF the Kansas
river are rushing through the streets like
a mountain torrent. Several other brick
! buildings, undermined by the water. fell To-
day. Not one wooden building is ft to be
used The elevated railroad is tearing
down a number of its stations which we:
/ tot8ing. The police are very active ia
the wholesale district, where many loaded
freight cars stand on the tracks. and tho
warehouses are full of goods Men prowl-
ing around in boats are compelled 10 ar
count for themselves under the pain OF
shooting In the stock yards district dead
horses, mules and cattle are unloading on
every side. The elevated roadways are
fun OF cattle driven from the pens and the
necessity Of looking after these animal g
makes the district busy. men going about
in boats
Railroad Losses Great.
The losses Of the railroads on loaded and
empty cars standing in the yards OF the
west bottoms, Is even larger than repre-
sented The contents OF the loaded car
must be seriously injured ana practically
all Of the thousands OF cars have been
overturned. twisted or smashed. The sub
,sidence Of the water left fringe OF dry
area next 10 the BLUFFS IN the west bottoms.
The owners Of houses and stores vacated