Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-30
UNDER WATER.
10000 People Driven from
Homes at Topeka, Kan.
Oes Moines, Iowa, Situation Worse
Oklahoma Also Flooded.
Thousands of Farmers Mourning Pros.
pcctive Loss of Crops.


river is rising fast and it is estimated
that by tomorrow morning, fully 10000
will be homeless. The Union Pacific
station is flooded.
Late this afternoon, the Kansas river
bridges at Maple Hill, Rossville, Silver
Lake, Bellevue and st. George were
washed out. The new steel bridge at
Willard is damaged beyond repair and
at Topeka the street railway bridge is
useless. Several hundred cattle nave
been drowned. The Rock Island has
news of cloud burst near Neaving-
ton, which has put all the streams out
of their banks,
Fifteen inches of water fell in Abb
lene, last night, and more, today. Bust
ness houses are collapsing and the en-
tire town is panic stricken.
The Smoky river is three or four
miles wide at Abilene and every wagon
and railroad bridge in that vicinity has
gone.
Last nights rain extended all over
central and northern Kansas all of
which is drained by the Kansas river
Rain fell during the morning, and this
afternoon, another rain, almost a cloud
burst, fell.
The police and fire departments in
Topeka are endeavoring to rescue from
tho flood on the north side of the river.
The condition there is alarming. Sew
cral houses already are twisted on their
foundations and they probably will col
lapse. Many families have lost every
thing.
The high water, tonight, has sur
rounded the whole of North Topeka
and hundreds of houses are deserted.
People are moving out from that part
of the town as fast as possible and
great distress prevails. At this time
nearly 5000 people are homeless 1t will
be necessary for all inhabitants of the
north side to leave their homes by
morning and this will leave more than
10000 people homeless.
Des Moincs. Iowa. May 23.-Thc river
reached it's highest point, at 3 o'clock
this morning, and it is believed that
further danger from floods is over as
reports from various points in the state
are to the effect that the rivers have
begun to reCede.
In the Des Moires valley from Spirit
lake to the Missouri river, the entire
bottoms were covered with water and
the damage to the corn crop is ines
Unable.
Fully 800 homes have been inundated.
In DcS MoncS alone the damage will
reach 100000.
In South Des Moincs the bottoms
present Il solid sheet of water, with
houses dotted here and there, some
TUNED over and others with their Chin
ncy# only extending above the water
line.
Lincoln Ncb., May G2.-ThiTty-SiX
hours of heavy and almost continuHu:
rainfall has aggravated the food situa-
ton at Lincoln. Salt creek and Antlc-
opc creek are out of their banks and the
Iow-lying district in the western part
of the city is. tonight, Il great lake.
many houses being surrounded and
partly submerged. The water has been
rising steadily since noon and many
persons have been forced to abandon
their homes. Whole families among
the poorer classes are, tonight, sheltered
in the court house and ward school
rooms.
The basement Of the building o"cu-
ricb Nv w. J. Bryan'S t0mmoncr office
was Hooded to the depth of nearly two
feet damaging paper stock and part of
Mr.. Bryan's library to the extent Of
several hundred dollars.
Oklahoma city, Okla, May 29.-Threo
ana one-quattcr inches of rain, l3st
night, following four inches, Saturday
night. increases the gravity of the Hood
situation in oklahoma. Their" is no
- danger to the cities and towns on the
Canadian river, but every traffic cast
and west is paralyz"d. The Choctug is
shut out of this city from the east by
the destruction of tracks along the
river. On the Rock Island west OF here
no trains have moved since Sunday
The oklahoma city and Western tracks
at ChckaSaW have been submerged
since Sunday. The Missouri, Kansas
and Texas tracks are badly damaged.
Abilene. Kan. May 29.-Thc flood
waters of Mud creek, swollen by II
hours rain, swept through this city. last
night. doing damage estimated ut
100000. Chapman Solomon, Tai
lnadgc. nearby towns, Jared equally as
bad as Abilene and the loss to the
country is tremendous. The water in
the principal streets of Abilene is fou,
feet deep.
The Union Pacific. Santa Fc & Rock
Island tracks entering the city have
submerged
on the Smoky Hill bottoms 10000
acres are under water and persons are
being rescued in boats.
Nebra ska, Neb., May 29.-Thc dyke
below Hamburg on the Iowa side
broke. last night, and the whole coun-
try south of there is flooded. This
dyke protected the farm lands for over
80 miles south of there along the old
bed of the Nishnabota river. The
farmers were compelled to move out
as their farms are under water and
considerable of their stock was drown
ed. All the crops have been destroyed
Kansas City, Mo-. May 29.-Word al
noon from Americas, Kan, northwest
of Emporia. says that that town is
three feet under water. Eureka, Kan.
i'm the eastern part of the town, homes
We're abandoned and household effects
were moved to higher ground. Heavy
Al, 10 alreai,