The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-29
FLOODS IN
OKLAHOMA
RECEDING
Work of Repairing Railroads
Soon to Begin
RESUME TRAIN SERVICE
On Rock Transfer of
Passengers

| from various points in the territory in
| dicate that the high waters along the
rivers have begun TO recede, and as soon
| as they are low enough tc permit of work
| all the railroads affected will be able to
| soon make the necessary repairs to the
! tracks. The exceptions VIII be at points
| where the bridges have been washed
away, where several days must elapse be-
| fore rail communication can be restored.
These bridges are on the Rock Island,
| over the Washita at Chicka sha: the
Frisco, over the South Canadian; and the
Esstern Oklahoma branch of the Santa
| Fe, across the Cimarron at Cushing. At
least a week and possibly longer will be
required to restore these bridges.
A washout of track on the Frisco oc-
Cured at Jones City yesterday, making
| two breaks in the main line. With the
| fall of the river however, the track
will be repaired and train service re-
| stored between ST. Louis and Oklahoma
| City in day or two. The Oklahoma
| City and Southwestern, between this city
and Quanah, Texas, is not so fortunate,
| on account of damage at the South Cana
| dian bridge.
No trains have gone out over the
| Choctaw in either direction since last
| Saturday night until this morning, when
| one started east with the expectation
| of transferring passengers and mail
/ across the washout east of the city to
a train on the other side. Repair work
| is being pushed between here and Ell
Reno on the west, where about 1.0o0 yards
| of track is being built as fast as the
water recedes to permit it. 1t is expect
| ed that with fair weather traffic can be
! resumed in about thirty-six hours, al
though the schedule can hardly be main
| tanned before Sunday. The Choctaw
| northern branch has had no trains since
| the storm, as all its rolling stock Eas
left at this end of the service, cut of
| by the washout near FL Reno.
No trains can be run south from FL
Reno over the Rock Island until a bridge
! is put in across the Washta.
The Katy has also suffered much dam
age, though no train service was 10 be
| affected. It's new roadbed northeast
from the city to Coffeyville hJ, suffered
much injury in many places and consid-
| cradle repairs will be necessary before
construction work can be resumed.
| The loss in the territory from the storm
and its flood sequence cannot be estimat-
| ed. but it viii run into the hundreds OF
! thousands of dollars and possibly pass
! the million mark. Last years record.
both of high water and of damages, is
| exceeded.
FL Reno. o. T.. May 2s-News from
| the big storm is coming In slowly. A
number Of roads leading into the city are
in a deplorable condition Several small
bridges have been washed out and in
low places wheat fields are still covered
with water. Corn will have to be re-
planted. AS far as can be learned there
| has been no damage by hail in this
! county.
Lawton. o. r.. May 2S.-Cloudbursts and
| tornadoes have been occurring in differ
| ent parts of the country for several days.
| On both the Rock Island and Frisco
roads washouts have occurred at different
J places. No trains have gone farther than
! Anadarko or Chickasha for three days.
! Traffic is stopped and no mails from the
north have been received since Saturday.
\ man Travelled Sunday from Elk City
TO Hobart, distance of forty miles. and
! found houses and barns demolished all
! along the route The reports appear to
| been reported.
oklahoma City. May 2S.-Quite num-
/ Der of the passengers on the Choctaw
train who were held up between FL Reno
| and Yukon by high water arrived IN the
| city yesterday. having walked the entire
| distance. They had great stories to re-
! late OF the great food and of the thou
sands of dollars damage done to the
! Choctaw. The track for more than
mile was washed out and some OF the
! passengers made their way across the
flooded district on the rails and ties.
which were suspended in mid-air.
Oklahoma City. May 2s.-The manage
ment Of the Rock Island expect 10 have
| a passenger train each way this evening.
The west bound viii leave about O'Clock
and viii run only TO the river west OF
the city. where they expect TO transfer
their passengers 10 train which VIII
r,In through 10 Amarillo. Texas. II the
river continues 10 fall ~ the present
rate II is quite probable that the train
| Friday morning viii be able 10 run
through without transferring. The east
! bound train Will leave about O'Clock
and Will make an effort to run through
without any transfers. The river at noon
was 50 low that 1t was possible for the
! track gang TO commence repairing the
track. and they expect TO have II ready
by o'clock this evening.
oklahoma City May sS.-The proposed
| conference Of interested parties that was
20 have been held yesterday 70 discuss
ways and means 70 secure certain river
| Improvements to obvia;e damaging foods
IN the future has been postponed await
! ing the return % the city of e G. Jones.
president of the Frisco lines n Okla
/ hons- F. X. Finney. Of the N. X. and
/ O. railway. and other persons interested
I tn the project.
TIE movement Is. however. gaiaiBE
( strength ard e IS quite certain that AZ
+ formed a cooperative plan locking n ths
I carrying out q the river Improvements
/ even more extensive than suggested 81
/ yesterdays Oklahc-zsz-
II has becn ascertsined that On the
I farzn CO 4 J T-enthoTas. about tvo Eises
veSt of The city. euf - ssozt Eighty
/ rpds all resuce he present so~ q the
I rive- about three miles. rreventing Ss-
/ ture ovsreops and redeerning many acres
/ % valuable farming isnt.
FUN rs PREDICTED.