The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-05-30
VESTS DISASTROUS FLOODS
HUNDREDS OF KANSAS CITY
 FAMILIES MADE HOMELESS.

an Alarming Rate With Prospects s That Previous High Water Marks 7 yviII be Broken.
 < Kansas City, May 29-The Kansas and Missouri rivers are rising here at an alarming rate and the prospects are that all previous water records at this point will be broken. Much damage has already been done to property in the lowlands along the two rivers and much apprehension is felt for the safe ly of property in the west bottom dis trict of this city. The Kansas river is rising at the rate of an inch an hour and the heavy rains of to-day have add- ed to the gravity of the local situation. At the little town of Harlem just across from the city, the residents in the flooded district were rescued to- night from their houses in boats, after losing most of their personal effects. The enlbanlxment of the Burlington railroad is holding the flood from the rest Of the town. but rise of few more inches will carry the water over the embankment. The Kansas river has forced hundreds of families to leave their homes in Argentine and various parts of Kansas City, Kan. The base ments of the packing houses are food ed. The river has forced the Missouri Pacific to abandon its bridges between Kansas City, Kan, and Kansas City, Mo, and heavily weighted cars are up- on it to hold it in place.
 Thousands of acres of choice garden land west of this city are overfiowed and the damage to crops will be im- mense. A thousand shack dwellers have been driven from their homes to places of safety.
 Near Parkville, Mo-, the Missouri riv- CT is cutting new channel, and hum 'drens of acres of most fertile farming land will be washed away.
 Beatrice, Neb., May 29.-Never before has this section ot the state experienc- ed such flood as it is now having. The Blue river near here is three miles wide. It is still rising, and the rain is fall- ing in torrents. The Burlington track is under ten inches of water on the bridge. Ten cars loaded with grain and coal were placed on the bridge to T,nI A 4s seI at Dewitt. .~s;,5E
 The electric light plant in this city is under water. Twenty-Five residence blocks on the west side and fifteen blocks on the south side are under from one to five feet of water.
 The watefworks pumping station and the Burlington depot are surrounded with water. .
 Many head of cattle, hogs and horses have gone down to-day. Three inches of water have fallen since last night.
 Holmesville and Barnston have not received any mail since last Monday. Notwithstan the river is now from half mile to three miles wide, it rose ten inches this evening in an hour and quarter. The property loss in this county alone will be enormous. People living In the submerged sections in many instances have lost everything.
 Topeka Kansas, May 29-Late this afternoon the Kansas river bridges at Maple Hill, Rossville, Silver Lake, Bel levue and St. George were washed out The new steel bridge at Willard is damaged beyond repair and at Topekas the street railway bridge is useless. Several hundred cattle have been drowned. The Rock Island has news of a bad cioudburst near Herington, which has put all the streams out of their banks. aa....,... .
 Fifteen inches of water fell in Abilene last night and more to-day. Business houses are collapsing and the entire 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 at many of the flooded points, and this afternoon another heavy rain, almost cloud burst, fell.
 The police and fire departments in Topeka are endeavoring to rescue the people from the flood on the north side of the river. The condition there is alarming.
 The conditions in 'Little Russia" the Russian settlement in North Topeka, is serious. The entire settlement is under water and a, current has started through the district. Several houses already are twisted on their foundations, and they probably will collapse. Every family has it's household goods damaged and some have lost everything.
 Council Grove, Kan., May 29. The loss by flood in Morris county is esti- mated at $1,0o0,0OO. Four persons were drowned here last night Edward Clem- ents perished while endeavoring to save his daughter; Ralph Phillips, while try ing to rescue little girl named Woods, was drowned with her. A baby was found dead in the Missouri Pacific yards. Stacking lime set fire to the M. R. Smith lumber yard, which was burn ed, together with the Farmers and Drovers' bank, the Indicator store and Robbinson's drug store, the loss being $50,0O0, The big Main street bridge over the Neosho river went down. All