Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-06-04
SUBURB SEEMS DOOMED
LOSS OF LIFE PLACED AT HUNDRED AND
FIFTY.
IMPOSSIBLE TO RESCUE
Helpless Residents Seen Perehed on House'ops
and Trees Seen Fall lato Water
or Made Prey Of the Fire.

Topeka, Kas., May 3l-North To-
D eka is in the grasp of fire and flood.
The fire started in the lumber YARD
district this afternoon and sbread
swiftly to the partially inundated
buildins the people beirg powerless to
stop its progress.
At a. 10. four hundred honses are
blrucd aud the whole OF North To-
reka will go.
AS near as can be learned about
one hundred and fifty persons are
dead. Most Of these were burned TO
death.
Burning houses are floating about,
settiug fire to Others. The lower
story OF the burning buildings con-
tain ten feet Of water. The current
| is so strong that no boat can APP
nroach any OF the burning buildings.
| People are gathered on the tops OF
| houses and will meet death either by
fire or downing. The cries for help
can be distinctly heard mile away
| The whole city is wildly excited be-
cause of the fact that no aid can he
extended to the sufferers. The river
| al North Tobeka is five miles VIDE.
| No lossible estimate Of the financial
| loss is obtainable. but it can be stated
that it will reach into the millions.
North Topeka was manufacturing
| district of the city. Three large -four
mills, three wooden mills and other
| manufacturing enterprises are entire
ly destroyed. The water supply OF
the city has been cut off The water
from the river extends nearly mile
on the south side. The Rock Island
depot has had to be abandoned and
more than five hundred people on this
side of the river are also homeleses'
but no loss Of life has resulted In
South Topeka. The Kansas avenue
bridge is the only one across the river
for miles, and the approaches to that
are flooded by thirty feet of water.
A pontoon brige is being erected IL
an eff ort to reach the sufferers.
Seven thousand or more people are
on this side of the river sheltered in
public buildings. Topeka is now able
to take care of all the unfoItunates.
The work of caring for the refugees
is being pushed with the utmost ra-
pidity.
Sanding on the state house dome
as many as eighty fires can be count.
ed in different parts Of North To-
peka. The whole central portion Of
the city had been burned out at 10
! O'Clock tonight, and it is safe to say
4, that by morning not house in the
main part of North Topeka viii! be
| left standing. When it is stated that
| n nth Topeka has ten thousand H.
habitants the extent Of the disaster
can be realized.
People are clingins to the roofs Of
houses ard the limbs of trees and
many are giving up jn despair and
dropping into the waters below to be
carried away by the swift current.
! A. p. Baldwin, who at great risk
of his life crossed in a boat to the
nth side, returned at 10 O'Clock to-
night and reports that nothing pos
Sible can be done to save the city
from burning. Miss lola Troutman,
sister OF ex-Lieutenant Governor
Troutman, was rescued with her aged
father, late tonight The two people
had spent the entire day on the roof
Of their house and were just about to
drop into the water when aid came
The comfy court house and the
f, deral building are crowded tonight
With people Of all classes. There is
no lack of help for anything thai is
to be done. Men of all calings aud
! professions. white and black together
work side by side doing whatever lies
IN their power. AS the water adj
yanced it became necessary to DIVE
carriages and am balances TO the sou h
end Of the pontoon ip water so deep
that the horses had to swim Among
{ OSe who took a hand in this work
were James A, Troutman, Cyrus Le-
and politician; pastors Of the lead
ing churches, Father Hayden of the
Church Of the Assumption, he cOun.
! ty attorney, the sheriff and his dep
uties, Several well known journal
lists distinguished themselves In the
work Of rescue.
1t is death by fire or drowning to
400 unless means can be found for
tue rescue. Great efforts are being
made TO construct a stream launch
to go to the aid OF the sufferers, but
whatever is done must be done promp-
tly or the loss Of life will De appalI-
ing.
A number OF TRUSTEES at the county
jail were liberated by the sheriff to
give them chance to help the suff
elcrs there. One OF the TRUSTEES
! named Wethefly was credited with
saving five lives on the north de