The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-25
Last Nights Deluge Flooded
South Topeka.
Many People Hurriediy Left
Their Homes.
LITTLE DAMAGE DONE.
Was at First Feared Shunga-
nunga Was Overlooking.
Two and a Half Inches Of Rain
Fell.

Topeka has been visited BY a delugs
that caused a panic in South Topeka
last night The storm struck the city
between the hours of IL p. m and 1
a. m South Topeka from Seventeenth
street to the Shunganunga creek was
under water for an hour. and a small
portion of it is still inundated Inlpsr-
feet drainage facilities have kept the
water standing. and some damage has
resulted from the sudden visitation oc
the elements. The people are reassure1
this morning and are all back in their
homes
Weather Observer Jennings reported
this morning that 215 inches Of rain fell
in this area between the hours OF 1919
last evening and o'clock this mornins-
a space of nine hours. However. tbs
most Of this precipitation came befora
l o'clock Fully two inches fell before
that hour, and it was impossible for ths
sewers to carry the water away as fast
as it accumulated on the high paved
streets and flowed down to the low
places
In an hours time last night South
Topeka was transformed into a lake.
Shortly before midnight the water be-
gan to rise in the flooded locality Al
most the entire community was asleep
and the flood came without warning
In a short time later it had spred1
through South Kansas avenue and ths
streets west to Topeka avenue. south oz
( Seventeenth street. and by / o'clock was
three feet deep in the streets In the
vicinity Of Nineteenth and Harriso-s
streets
BY this time the south part Of town
1 had become thoroughly reused and
panic-stric icken- RecollectiOns of the re-
4 cent North Topeka food were fresh IN
their minds and the prevailing belief
was that the Shunganunga creek has
+ overfiUwed its banks. Wading througfs
and across streets with from a few
inches to three feet of water in them
the people in the smaller houses sought
refuge in the larger ones without delay.
Terrified calls were sent to the poiiee
headquarters for assistance. and the
patrol wagon was called out.
Occasionally shots were TO be hearz
from the more isolated houses and calls
hand Following the call for the pa~
troll wagon, hacks and ambuiances wera
summoned to South Topeka The idea
that the creek was washing in upon
the low streets Of South Topeka was
supported by the fact that a deciee1
current from the west could be detect~
ed AS a matter of fact this current
was caused by the momentum ma tural}r
gained by the water in running frous
the slopes of the fdir grounds ana
South Kansas avenue
Although as a result of the terrific
fail of water the Shunganunga creek IS
/ greatly swollen and is still running an
very unusual gait the water in the
stream in no wise contributed TO the
inundation- Indications are that the
terrific rainfall of Wednesday night ex-
tended for several miles west and south
of town and the prospect for a pro-
longed freshet on the creek is good.
Floods are common things in South
Topeka although Tor the past eight
years that part of town has been rsa-
sonably safe. The great flood Of 1895.
when the creek left its banks. covered
that part of the residence portion. In
places the water stood six feet deep in
houses and for weeks many South To-
peka residents We're compelled TO secure
shelter outside their homes Since then
a little embankment work was done to
hold back the water from running over
the banks. The dykes served last night
to hold the water in and. although It
receded rapidly. il stood far longer
through the streets than il would other
wise have done
NO accurate estimate of damage re-
sulting from last nights storm can be
given. Few property owners actually
lost property Of value. Easements were
flooded and gardens and outside prop
erty was washed out in places Street
crossings and a few washed out brick
walks viii demand the attention Of the
street department for a short time
Otherwise the damage from the Hood
seems remarkably small
The proper drainage of South Topek1
is a problem that has puzzled the heads
T of street departments in Topeka for
!; years Efforts have been made TO ade-
) quately drain it by digging a ditch east
from Kansas avenue TO the Shuuga-
nunga but this has been a failure
South Topeka itself occupies a de-
preston like the hollow of a hand
From Kansas avenue to Topeka avenue
: and the fair grounds and from Seven
: teenth street to the Shunganurga me
locality is quite populous-
In the night many incidents occuEsd
which seem funny since the light Of day
has reached them A family named Ra-
ker proceeded to move its furniture
from a comparatively high and dry
place near Topeka avenue ard Eizh-
ing the driver had taken away two
loads of household furniture
The rain made trouble IN the fair
grounds where the tent city is located
Most of the inhabitants were wakene1
r by the rain with unpleasant recoll=e-
Z tions of the escape from North Topeka
The tents are high. excepting few 9c-
! cupied by negroes and only q little sur
face water got inside the tents fsuL
z the colored people in the colored settle
: ment were nearly washed away. getting
almost as wet as they did ia North To-
peka A row of tents with five or six
families We're wet and had 10 be rescued
: and carried to higher ground
The tent city is on the highest ground
;, in the fair grounds and Of course was
4 not inundated. The work Of digging
1 trenches about the tents for just this
sort of emergency was neglected when
the tents were pitched and the water
ran into the tents The tents were To
have been hoored but this was nevsr
Q done. and in most instances the only
covering which protects the inmates
from the damp ground, IS layer of
e straw or hay. The tent city people are
= 4a1r he roiSforff10l priipznDnf~affw