Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-06-03
NORTH TOPEKA A SUFFERER
Loss of Life at This Point, Kansas
City, Mo-, and Des MOines, Ia,
Over 2OO-PrOpcrty Loss
Many Millions.

and roofs of houses, and the waters
creeping upward and then slowly
subsiding and alternately changing
hope to despair, the capital city
passed the memorable Sabbath day
of its existence. Through all this
discomforting condition of affairs
was added the presence of cold,
dismal rain. The ardor of the rescue
work of the heroic reScuerS was not
abated in the least by the conditions
which confronted them. For long
dreary hours knee-deep in water and
sometimes in water up to their necks
they worked with might and main
They can proudly point to 800 or
more rescued ones who otherwise
might have been swept away in the
current.
Briefly stated the present condition
of the food in Topeka is:
Number of dead estimated at from
10 to $50
Eight thousand people without
homes.
Property loss $4,oOO,ooO.
Identified dead, 5.
Floating bodies seen, 20.
People missing, 200.
Houses burned, result of fire in luln-
Z Der from Stacking lime, probably 200.
Banks collapsed, 2; wholesale gro
Gerry stores flooded, 2.
Big business blocks almost ready to
crumble, so.
Wholesale commission houses de-
serted, 6.
City waterworks plant useless.
1t will De at least three days before
the correct number of dead will be
decided upon. Leading men have
made a careful examination of the
flood and all it's conditions and as
result of their investigation they give
$50 as the probable number of lives
lost. A more conservative estimate
places the number of dead at IT'S.
The higher number is as apt to be
correct as the lower. The number
Of dead is merely a matter of esti-
mate. Twenty members Of rescuing
parties tell of how they saw people
drop from houses only TO be swept
away by the flood, and others tell of
of the fire, dropped into the water,
where they sank and did not reap
pear. This estimated number of dead
does not include the large number
classed as missing, who cannot other
wise be accounted Tor. Neither does
1T include the number who are sup
posed to have lost their lives in the
North Topeka fires of Saturday
night. In the latter class there is
absolutely no means of arriving at
even an approximate number of vic
tins.
Rescue Work.
Work Of rescuing the victims of the
flood is being pushed forward with
vigor Better results have character
lied the efforts of the organized forces
since four o'clock Sunday afternoon
than during all the preceding "A hours.
Two little steam launches are now puff
fing up and down the river, picking up
survivors. A larger steamboat is eN-
pected here by a special train on the
Rock Island within "a hours. A wire
cable has been stretched across the
Kansas avenue bridge. To this will be
attached sand dip. and refugees will
be brought across in this manner. If
the flood does not rise further and
those not yet reached can keep their
places few hours longer, there need
not necessarily be much larger loss
of life.
Aid for the Sufferers.
Large contributions have already
e ~, l. 4 e IL.
ferers. The amount given by Topeka
citizens alone will aggregate $780, 900.
To this is to be added an immense
quantity of clothing, provisions and
general supplies. Outside towns have
generously offered aid, notably among
which is Galveston, Tex. The portion
of Topeka not affected by the flood is
crowded with refugees, and people
from the surrounding country who
have come to witness the flood condi-
lions.
A Scene of DesoIation.
North Topeka is scene of utmost
desolation. Not square foot Of land
can be seen in any direction. There is
but small chance of any of the resi-
Gences being left standing at the end
Of the flood period. Sherry, Oakland
and the region about the reform
school north of North Topeka are all
under the rushing waters, but the stu
alton is favorable in these places com
pared with what North Topeka is I'M
dergoing.
Heroic Rescuers.
Z. L. Bailey and E. NJ. Alexander per-
formed some of the most heroic work
of the night. In the darkness about
three o'clock Sunday morning, at the
greatest risk of their own lives, they
succeeded in reaching one of the burn
ing lumber yards and rescued dozen
women and children. One man whim-
peringly tried to force himself into