The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-01
DE-. PowFLI,s sroRy.
Relates His Experience in North To.
peka Flood.

PGAA E4OOQs
Mr. L. l. Kiene and I started across
me river about p m. Saturday" said DR..
foWeii 1t was our intention to secure a
boat in order to rescue some of the par-
lies whom we knew were still at their
homes. Tt was impossible to secure s. boat
which was at all worthy for such currents
as We had to contend with. There were
Two or three boats which might have been
rS'u. Out IN all these cases some parties
wishing to rescue some member Of The
lslaliy, requested the use of these boats
Vr ABOUT an hour l remained al the north
end Of the bridge ASSISTING in landins
tnoSe VINO were rescued by others At this
place the current across Kansas a,-e1l1s
amounts 10 q torrent. Its force was 50
slroag that no one could stand 1t Very
soon 1t broke the entire end of the Skin
ner house, and the only way we could
-. VIZ ~ hoAlng on to heavy guy
lts. winch were attached 10 the bridge
nc teie sraph poles. One man was rescued
MHo Adn waived the telephone cable. ahOld-
Ing on TO the small wires all the distance
rom the Jnion Pacific depot to the end
e or ne e.. bridge; a rope was thrown 70 him
FINALLY Mr.. Kiene and a Young man
whose name ] did not learn. and nvseIf
decided we would use one Of the scoes
which had been built on that dav IT vas
iuilhsHed with four oars and loose row
thought. however. that We might advance
along the edge Of the river west where
e,, ~ ny was hol stfone- ana II we
succeeded IN getting west FAR enough TO
rescue someone. it would be easy enough
% come back with the current. 1t was a
patntuc sl&hl 70 see cows and horses in
water almost deep enough to swim and
ecSs. chiczens and cats perched upon
floating objects AT one time we heard
a cry which sounded like the voice of
DapN. but when we followed it to its
source found that it was the Meatine OF
q little baby lamb. which was confined to
the second floor Of a barn.
We passed the residence of the late
Mrs. Stafford and then lost our way until
we Grifted past the Baptist church. Then
we heard calling of man east of us
w Io"t4 past the Hanley grocery store,
passing through the rear of Dr. Lyons
property, and found a man on he roof Of
5he northeast corner of Jackson and Cor
opn streets After getting nina in our boat
we started west against the current. bur
we round It an extremely difficult matt ar
TO make Roadway against such a force Of
by pulling ourselves along through the
branches Of trees until We reached the
corner Of Gordon and Van Buren,. Here
the scow was driven into the top of a tree
and became so firmly lodged that it took
We're al exhausted. We Snchcred the boat
a5slilst one gt the trees % rest. and while
there Nr CON Nenetta, Of 50l Van Blu
rem street. in company with yDnHg man.
came down Gordon street and STONED At
our boat. He was himself exhausted ar J
asked me if I would not take the oars.
but 1 found the rowloels broken and the
cars unworthy to venture into such cur
rents in few minutes Mr.. Edmund
son. with another young man. came along
in search of Grant school to which place
and some cheese. Mr.. Edmondson was nor
very familiar with North Topeka and it
was not an easy matter to locate streets.
with al the houses except the roofs under
water and the tops Of the branches almost +
touching across the street. We informed
Mr. EdwOndsOn that it would be I'M
possible for him to row to Grant school
from th3t location against the current. As
1 was thlnlY clad and had been up the
night before and was very much chilled. /
Mr. EdmOndsOn took in his boat and
we rowed south on Van Buren, street to
the bridge.
ITO give ar idea of the depth of the WI
ter. DR.. Mitchells house. which is iva
story brick standing at The corner OF
Gordon and Van Buren, was under We ter /
except about five or six feet. and DR.. f
datian. had only five or six feet expos d. (
''The current is from west to east. hence +
its greatest force is felt along those streets +
which run in that direction. The way
was imTedcd by floating sidewalks. tangled (
in telegraph and telephone wires and
broken fences. At Curtis street the cur +
rent seemed to he the sWiftest. and it was
with extreme difficulty that The boat was
rent All the buildings feeling on Curtis +
street. from Van Buren, to Kansas avenue F
were gone. The fire seemed to be limited (
to the lumber yards 7 do not think there +
when I arrived on the bridge Major (
Harvey assured me that he would send
boat hacl- for Mr.. hiene. a promise which +
he faithfully kept Mr.. Kiene arriving f
home at 4 @ clocaz this morning Mt Van [
nctta with his friend rOWed across Cor +
don street to Mr.. Pctros house. where he /
found cook stove and table well filed (
with r0urshing edibles- Here they rested /
dried their clothing and refreshed them
selves with food He Matched UP his boat I
sufficiently so it could be used and worried Z
his way west ward to the vinegar works. +
crossing the river and landing near the I