Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-02
A FIGHT FOR LIFE.
Continued from page -


city under the direction of the CITY
Board Of Health are making heroic
efforts to check the threatened calam-
ity. An emergency board or heaith
has been appointed by the mayor 10
cooperate with the city physician.
PROVISIONS of all sorts are becoming
scarce IN Topeka. No freight Trains
have entered the city for seVeral uays
and as large quantities of groceries
were destroyed in North Topeka, there
will not be enough for the people u
eat if the present situation lasts mucn
longer 1t is charged that certain Oh
the merchants have formed com
bination for the purpose of controlllhg
the prices on provisions.
1t was learned here, tonight, that q
Rock Island relief train had reached
North Topeka, last night, in the VI
entity of the Reform School. The train
brought so boats and two steam
launches. Boatmen from Lake CON-
trary are in charge and they are doing
splendid work in taking flood victims
to places of safety. A long tram or
Rock Island passenger coaches We're
also brought and in these the people,
will be taken to places of safety fur-
Their up the track, some to Atchlson
and others to st. Joseph, where they
will be provided for
An official of the road said, tonight:
miles of the Rock Island tracks are
washed out and much of the remaining
track is up on end 1t will be a week
before we can get trains into Topeka.
Three train loads OF material for re-
ho alycs'l, from
Chicago and we expect to be among
the first people to get passenger service
started after the flood goes down."
DR.. A. Keith, accompanied by A. NJ.
Baird, former foreman of the, Santa F'c
boiler shops. went over to the north
side today, to attend some sick people.
Their boat was sWamped and word
comes that they are now in tree. Eff
.orts will be made to- rescue them, to-
night, with a steam launch.
The Sante Fe is laying a floor on it's
bridge across the Kansas river in the
hope of being able to rescue some suf-
ferers that way.
The Sante Fe is doing a great work
in behalf of the sufferers. The officers
rave caused a pumping apparatus to
oe constructed and they are now send
ng 4 supply of water through the
mains in the east portion of the city.
BY boiling the water it can be made
1t to drink.
The relief work is we'll in hand. The
committee has been able to keep up
With the calls upon it and fill all de-
hands for supplies.
Kansas City, Mo-, June 1.-The flood
situation here shows no improvement,
this morning, except that the fires
which it was feared, last night would
spread have been put out by the rain
md by the flood itself. Business all
over the city has been suspended.
Manufactures on high ground have
shut down owing to the cutting Off OF
he water supply. No street cars are
runnng nor any railroad trains to or
rom the city, north. west or south. The
blockade at the outlet to the southeast
is so severe that traffic in that diree-
ion is practically at a standstii.
Great anxiety is felt for the safety
Of the people of Kansas City, kas.
There has been no communication with
that city since yesterday. Five re-
1orters who crossed the Kaw, yester-
lay. before the flood became so serious
have not been heard from since. Tele-
graph and telephone wires north, south
and west are down and but few wires
TO the east are able to do business.
The river gauge, this morning, shows
35 feet, having risen from 3O.7 during
the night This is nearly 9 feet higher
than the previous high record made in
1881 There is feet of water in the
Union depot.
A great swirling lake, dotted with
floating cottages. trees, telegraph poles
and other wreckage, covers the low
lands so far as the eye can reach.
Similar floating objects came rushing
down the Missouri river, some of it
possibly from Topeka.
The committees having in charge the
work of relief and rescue were busy
early, and a special meeting of the city
council was held during the forenoon.
Thousands of refugees at the conven-
ton hall made their breakfast from the
liberal rations issued by the relief COM
mttee.
The police have been ordered to shoot
on sight anyone caught plundering.
The number of lives lost in this vi
cinity cannot be learned for time and
| probably never will be known definite
| ly. However, there seems to be ample
verification of report which account
| for the loss of more than dozen
| lives on the bottoms.
! The keenest anxiety is felt over the
situation at Kansas City. Kas.
One rumor circulated during the
night was that scores of people had
| persisted in that city, owing to the fact
| that there has been absolutely no COM
| munication with that place since yes
| terday. There is a general disposition
| to discredit this and other sensational
| reports.
That there has been some loss of life
/ there, however, is regarded as prob
able.