The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-05
NORTH TOPEKA
A TOTAL WRECK
Bodies Of Seven More Flood
Victims Found Yesterday
THE LIST NOW REACHES II
Damage BY Water In Business Part Of
City Is compIete-ooods Washed
Into Far Corners of the
Big Stores.

Topeka, Kan, June 4.-The bodies Of
seven more flood victims were found to-
day. The list of known dead now reaches
seventy-one, with thirty people identified.
1t is believed that many bodies are yet
In the wreckage Scores are reported
missing and there S no way of imme-
diately locating then. The Union Pacific
depot has improvised a part Of Its build
ing for a morgue. and there the bodies
are gathered to await Identification.
The river today fell thirteen inches.
This makes drop Of over five feet from
the high water mark. It is just now
that the devastating power of the flood
is becoming known.
North Topeka is total wreck There
is town there-tHe plaything of the
elements, which seem to have worried
it until they tired and then left 1t strand
ed. The water is still over a greater part
Of the town. In the resldenced districts
1t is seven feet deep In most places and
there is considerable current. But the
current is no longer strong and flows
along as IL anxious to get back into the
bed of the river.
VIII Only Lift the Veil.
The damage is done and the subsiding
of the waters will make little difference,
simply the lifting of the veil which now
hides the wreck of the undercurrent.
The business part of the town is a sorry
looking place, the damage of the waters
being almost complete. The fronts of
most of the stores have openings broken
through them The contents of most of
the stores are ruined The currents came
rushing through with such force that they
upset counters and boxes and whatever
came in their way, and dragged the goods
stored high on the shelves into the wa
ter. In nearly every building which was
not washed away. the contents are piled
on the side the furthermost down stream,
and over there is a skim of fine sand
mixed with a little mud. This deposit
varies from a few inches to two or three
feet and Is over everything
Sanitary Conditions Wretched.
In the residence districts practically the
same sights present themselves. The
greatest difficulty now exists In the
wretched sanitary conditions The health
boards are busying themselves with the
problem of sanitation, and will do all pos
sble to prevent an epidemic To this end
stringent regulations are being enforced.
The city water will probably be turned on
some time tonight, and this will greatly
relieve the situation.
From Manhattan, Abilen, Salina, Flor
ence, Lincoln, Centre and Hutchison
comes reports that the water has about
spent its force. and the towns are slow
ing recovering.
The yield of wheat will be much small
er as the result of the flood and the finan-
cal loss will be great. However, the state
has great resource and Is bearing up well
under the stunning blow.
Improvement at Kansas City.
Kansas City, June 4.-With the rapid
fall of the rivers, business is assuming
it's normal conditions. The water works
are pumping black water from the Kan
sas river, not fit to drink, and the danger
from fire Is over. Electric street car lines
are in operation. The telephone and tel
egraph connections will be established be-
tween the two Kansas Cities tomorrow.
Gangs of railroad repairers follow close
upon the heels of the retreating flood, and
the tracks are clearing of mud where COW
cred and brought to grade where washed
out At dark tonight the water was be-
ginning to leave the foot of the union
station. At the stockyards $500 head of
hogs and $500 head of cattle were
drowned. A force of men began today to
remove the carcasses wnere lodged in
drift. The current through the stock
yards district flows ten miles an hour
This makes 1t difficult to get about, the
water being still deep, but the stream
carries away the refuse promptly.
Most of the missing persons have been
accounted for, and 1t is now thought that
the total dead will not exceed eight per-
sons.
All Streams Falling
Kansas City, Mo-, June All streams
in Kansas are falling steadily today. At
Leavenworth and at Atchison, the Mis-
souri, receded from to 8 inches during
the night; at Lawrence the Kaw nearly
a foot; at Concorda the Republican went
down over a foot and at Salina the Smoky
Hill river fell a foot. At Concordia the
farmers returned to their farms, many of
which are totally ruined, for the first
time in four days Near Leavenworth
the little town of Linwood has been
flooded and the people have gathered in
the school house on high ground. a half
mile away. A half dozen houses were
Wasned away ana around the city the bot
tom land Is flooded
Missouri River Has Fallen.
st. Joseph, Mo-, June 4.--The Missouri
river has fallen a foot and a half since
yesteday. Reports from all points north
say 1t is falling fast. All danger from
high water here has passed. The Burling-
ton resumed its train service to the north
today.
ArmourdaIe Needs Help.
Kansas City, Mo, June 4. - The Ar
mourdale Flood association has issued
the following appeal for aid
''Armourdale, the south side of Kansas
City. Kan, has met with an appalling
disaster. The Kaw river has overfiowed
its banks and swept away the town. Six
teen thousand people are homeless. They
have lost their furniture, clothing and
everything. Their houses have been car
ried off or totally wrecked. The good
citizens of the town have been able to