Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-01
AT TOPEKA.
Continued from page -

Large contributions have already
been received for the benefit of the
sufferers. The amount given by To-
peka citizens alone will aggregate $780,
200. To this is to be added an i'm
mense quantity of clothing, provisions
and general supplies Outside towns
have generously offered aid, notable
among which is Galveston, Tex.
Tonight. the portion of Topeka not
affected by the flood is crowded with
refugees and people from the surround
ing country who have come to witness
the flood conditions.
There is great anxiety, tonight, as to
| what tomorrow will bring forth. If the
| river does not receive any more flood
water west of here, the improvement
in the situation will be marked. If the
water rises at Manhattan and Wame
go. tomorrow, will see repetition of
the worst Of the flood scenes and the
distress here will be greatly intensified.
Either contingency is entirely within
the range of possibility.
1t is reported late, tonight, that the
streams around Manhattan are rising
| rapidly.
At IL P. M. the lumber yard in North
Topeka is again burning. Houses are
burned out on each side of the lumber
yard and the fire is not expected to
spread FAR.
Two women and baby We're drown
ed tonight, by the capsizing of boat
| Thousands of dead horses, cattle and
smaller animals are f1oa ting down
stream. tonight.
| One who worked with the life savers
| ali night was r. F. Hayden, probate
Judge of Shawnee county. At 8 clock
| this morning, he entered his boat to re-
turn to the north side. The strong
current mastered him and he was
swept down the river. He has not been
| seen since.
Topeka, Kas., May 31.-At 1 o'clock,
| the number of drowned people was
known to be at least 120 and large
number were yet missing. Several were
reported burned to death, but this
could not be substantiated. From all
over eastern Kansas boats are being
rushed here for the rescue of the suf-
| ferers. The MOTH end of the Melan
bridge, the only way of reaching both
Topekas, has gone out and an effort
will be made stretch wire cable
across the bridge.
The entire city is covered and it
looks as if practically all buildings in
the north section will be swept away.
All of the pontoon bridges on the
north side were washed out, early this
morning, and the only possible chance
of reaching the survivors was by boats.
Shortly after daylight, nine boats ar
a1 in
band they were put into active service
at once.
Soon after reports of drowning be-
gan to come in. A boat containing
eight men was swept away in the swift
current about o'clock, and another
boat containing two men was capsiZed.
Eighty-seven people are high and dry
in the Page elevator. If the building
holds together they will be rescued.
In the Il street colored Baptist church
nearly 100 people have been standing
since yesterday. Many of them have
doubtless fallen from exhaustion be-
! fore this and drowned. AS seen from
Il high place on North Tyler street
near the Rock Island bridge, the stream
Iappcared to be widening. The bridge
had not gone out, as was reported, last
might, but it was getting very shaky.
| North Topeka is a scene of utmost
desolation. Not a square foot of land
can be seen in any direction; there is
| but Il small chance of any of the resi-
dences being left standing at the end
of the flood period. Sherry. Oakland
and the region about the Reform school
north of North Topeka are all under
the rushing waters, but the situation
is favorable i'm these places compared
with what North Topeka is under
going.
The plan of trying to cross the river
near what remains of the Kansas ave
nue. bridge has been abandoned Boats
will be taken in wagons to a point
rear Auburndalc a suburb two and a
half miles southwest. They will then
be launched and allowed to float with
the current to points where people arc
to be rescued.
Nearly all the fires have been put
out by the heavy rain which has been
failing nearly all night. The sky was
Overcast and the rain bids fair to con-
tinue.
1t was soon recognized that row.
boats would be of no use in battling
with the currents. Steam launches
must be secured at once and to this enc
rush messages were sent to the super
ntendent and agent of the Rock IslanC
at ST. Joseph and to Mayor Rergund-
thai and to the secretary of the Com
mcrcial Club as follows:
Topeka wants three to six steam
launches and II or IS clinkcr row
boats with men to handle, sent here by
special train at once to rescue people
' in North Topeka"
The agent was ordered to load thu
train at once. secure a clear track anC
> proceed to Topeka the train to fee
its way-ss far as possible on the sub
merged tracks and then the boat
would be launched.
1t was expected that the launche
F. could reach here about 4 o'clock, il
t which event many of the people on TIL
north side could be saved. The s
people in the Page elevator in Nortl
Topeka were in desperate straits %
food, having had nothing to eat sine
, last Friday. At 10 o'clock two boa
loads of provisions were started t
T them. They had not vet reached tn