The Topeka state journal., 1903-05-29
CUT OFF,.
Topeka Is Almost Water Bound
Today.
Rock Island and Union Pacific
Quit.
NO EASTERN LINES.
Kansas City Now Reached by
Way of EmpOria.
Situation in West Is Growing
More Serious.
TRACKS WASHED OUT.
Santa Fe Line Is Cut at Lake
View.
Rock Island and u. P. on Both
Sides Of Topeka.
Kansas City Now Reached by
Way of Emporia.
Situation in West Is Growing
More Serious.
TRACKS WASHED OUT.
Santa Fe Line Is Cut at Lake
View.
Rock Island and u. P. on Both
Sides Of Topeka.

oAucS OA 1Opehds
Excepting the line Of the santa Fe
from Topeka to Emporia. and the Mis-
souri, Pacific to Fort Scott, Topeka is
today shut off by washouts from rail-
road communication with the rest of
the world.
The Kansas river is five miles wide
at ST. Marys, and the town is half sub
merged The Kansas river bridge at St
Marys is partially washed out The
river at last reports is rising.
The bridge across the Kansas river
at Belvue is reported to have been
washed out during the night.
The new steel bridge at Willard IL
under water. and is reported to be in
danger of going out at any time One
of the abutments is said to be crack
ing, and unless the torrents subside.
the bridge is certain to fail. The river
is still rising.
At Maple Hin, the Kansas river
bridge is reported to be damaged and
impossible.
AT Rossville, the authorities have con-
demned and closed the wagon bridge
and the Union Pacific bridge across
Cross creek. Cross creek has left its
banks, and is higher than it was ever
known to be before
At Silver Lake. the river is reported
to be over a mile wide. The Perry farm.
a mile from the river, is said to be all
under water except the farm house,
which stands on a hill.
Here at Topeka, it is claimed that the
river is higher than ever before. The
water is 10 feet above low water mark
The water is now up to Crane street
The city park is almost entirely under
water. Considerable drift is coming
nd 10 fif
serious danger OF being carried out at
any time
1t is reported that there was a cloud
burst at St. Marys and vicinity last
night. This probably means merely an
other heavy rain. A similar heavy rain
seems to have been general during the
night as far west as Manhattan. This
accounts for the increase in the depth
of the water during the night
The Santa Fe tracks are washed out
between Lawrence and Lake View. The
last train to come in from the east over
the santa sFe was at o'clock this
morning. This train left Lawrence at
II o'clock on time, and consumed an
hour extra time running tEe nye mlies
between Lawrence and Lake View AT
that time the tracks were under water
the whole distance, but had not washed
out Shortly after the train passed Inc
tracks became impossible
The Rock Island tracks along the rsF-
er west of Topeka al Valencia are gone
yesterday AFTERNOON lllt IADtA 1SidAu
sent a train load of men. and thousands
of sacks of sand out along their line
west of Topeka, In vain effort to stop
the force of the current, and save the
track Bags of sand were wired to the
ties and where the river had commenced
to cut into the bank, piles of sandbags
were laid to form levee- But the
track went out during the night.
The Union Pacific tracks at Calhoun
bluffs were washed out during the
night Calhoun bluffs are two miles
east OF Topeka and the Union Pacific
tracks lie between the bluffs and the
THESE are washouts nearest Topeka
Besides these, there are numerous other
washouts at other points along the
lines.
santa Fe traffic is in worse condition
than 1t has been for a long time. Re
ports arrive continually from the dif-
ferent branches of the road stating that
water is covering the tracks and that
the trains are unable to run. Officials
are busy today with the detouring of
the trains. Nearly every piece of track
that is not covered with water is be-
ing used With traffic in the condition
that it now is the railroads turn to
plug trains as their only salvation.
Some towns would be almost entirely
cut off from the world if it were not
for this class of train. Even telegraph
communication is hampered 10 a Ger
tain extent. In some places where the
wires are down the railroads can not
and consequently are in the dark as to
the real situation
For several days past the Santa F'e
has feared high water between Lake
View and Lawrence and now it has
come. One man who came up from
Lawrence last night said that at al
most any place between that point and
Lake View one could sit upon the steps
and drag his feet in the water. At
hardly any place is the water less than
foot deep and it Is impossible to run
trains between Topeka and Lawrence.
Consequently all through trains are
sent over the ottawa cutoff both east
and west bound. Those wishing to make
connections with the through trains can
do so by taking a plug train that VIII
be run to Esmporia today on No. SIS
time This will be about II: so a. m.
This same train win lay over in En-
poria for several hours in order to
make connections with the eastbound
trains and will leave for Topeka this
afternoon on No. SIS time, arriving here
at about 4:30 p. m
The Kansas City plug, No. 109 and no.
which usually runs between Topeka and
Kansas City via Lawrence. was sent to
Kansas City today by way Of Usage
City and Queneno.
ROCK ISLAND REPORTS
General superintendent Cruber of the
Rock Island said this morning. Our