The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-31
FIVE HUNDRED
BEYOND RESCUE
tcontinued From First PaseD

A dispatch from there says the nood
conditions have improved. A big rise In
Tho smoky Hill River last night caused
many more to leave their homes. and
hundreds arc now encamped on tho hills
east of town. Most of tho business
houses are closed.
Hill City has been an island since Tues
day. No trains have been running there
this week. Tho town is small and the
stock OF provisions Is getting IVORY low.
People are suffering greatly.
The outlook In Council Grove Is APP
palling. On smaller scale the situation
there is much the same as that Of North
Topeka. Nine or more people have been
burned TO death In FIRE started by
stacking line Reports received to-day
say there is small prospects of the water
falling within the next twenty-four hours.
-Four hundFl!Sx4 {1 S91se5 1f hSvs burned in
North Topeka and that whole section OF
the city vii be burned. n,,,. 40
Of Blu these e% awe We're e burned 70 death: .
All telegraph wires n To. T sJp., w nnG
The only means. OF communication Is q
riow.wor,sng telephone wire secured at
Turning houses are floating about, set.
ting fire to others. The lower story OF
the burning buildings contains 10 foet OF
boat can approach any Of the burning
buildings. People are gathered on the
tops Of houses End will meet death either t,as,,
whole city is wildly excited because no
aid can be extended to the suffers. The
/ rirors "a Nprfb Tpnek Ia Ave miles Wide.
able, but It CO can i be stated that II viii
go WArEt ;is SUPPLY CUT OFF.
North Topeka was the manufacturing
n 1,,, Of the city Three large -four
s,royed 1'he water supply Of the whole
city has been cut off; The water from
anuth side The Rock island depot has
been bandoned. and more than so people
loss sh Of rXs has pso
South Topeka. The Kansas Avenue bridge
he only one across the river for miles,
by % FEET Of % wa lea 9rd pen,o a5e
bridge Is being erected in an effort to
reach the sufferers
Seven thousand or more people are on
This side OF tho river sheltered in tie
public buildings. Topeka is now able to
take care OF all the unfortunates. Tho
work OF caring for the refugees is being
pushed With the utmost rapIdty. 81
From the State House dome MS many
AS eighty fires can be colnted In different
pa!ts OF North Topeka. The entire cen
trail portion OF the city has been burned
out at 10 o'clock tonight and 1t Is safe
to say that in the morning. not house
In the main part OF North Topeka will DO
left standing. When II Is stated that
North Topeka has 10. 600 Inhabitants tho
extent OF the disaster can be realized
People are sticking I'd the roofs OF houses
mad to trees and many are giving up In
despair and propping into the water be-
low TO be carried away by tho swift cur
rent. 1t is death by fire or drowning to
four hundred persons. unless means can
be found for their rescue. Great efforts
are being made 10 construct steam
launch TO 80 to the aid OF the sufferers
ard whatever is done must be done
promptly or the loss OF life Will be APP
palling
SOME REsCUEs MADE.
A. P. Baldwin. who at great risk OF
his life crossed In q boat to the north
side, returned late tonight and reports
that nothing can upossibly be done to
gave the city from burning. Miss lola
Troutman. sister OF former Lieutenant
Governor TroutInan was rescued with her
aged father late tonight. She two peo-
pie had spent the entire day on the roof
of their house and were just about to
Adrop into the water when aid came.
Chief -or-Police Duff. Thomas Page and
A. C. Holman. all OF prominent families.
of the north side, are among the victims.
Mayor Bergunthnll was rescued by Or.
L. L. Poyell in boat after remaining
in boat all night Congressman CHARLES
curtis, with his family. left the flooded
district this morning. but his aged moth
er refused to go. saying she had seen
much worse foods than this. This even
ing two men Mt the risk OF their own lives
succeeded in getting the old lady away
ga fely. Mrs. A. p. Snyder. with her four
children, all stricken with measles, We're
rescued Many thrilling escapes are told
A company of >tia has taken charge
q, the worg OF rescue. and by their eff
forts several hundred people have been
saved who otherwise would have PERISH
I'D. The situation OF the bellaguered peo-
.nde tonight Is desperate in the extreme
Not only are they threatened BY ilre ana
water but through long exposure IN me
cold dismal atmosphere. without su1llcl-
ont clothing, they would have died IN any
eeynt Delicate women and children
have been without food ana shelter slhce
early last evening.
! : TREMENDOUS LOSSES
AZ 10 O'Clock tonight the Kansas River
was rising at the rate OF four inches an
hour Swift packing house has already
Bllsta ined q loss estmoted ~ one HhliloH
dollars, The damage to Cudahy's and
schwartzchilds and sulzberger's will be
nearly a half million dollars, about
equally divided between the two plants.
II is estimated that the loss In Armour
dale to-day will exf;eed five million
dollars.
Oakland, a suburb five miles northeast
oe Topeka is deserted, The people began
leaving this afternoon, having been
warned by the city engineers. Al
O. clock the water from the river backed
up over the street car tracks III East
Topeka, near the Santa Fe shops, The
way for the people between Brewer Street
innd the river to get out was not made
moment too soon. as that part OF the
,s!ty tonight is completely flooded
Farther out the water rose early N
tho afternoon. In this locality several
people are still In dangerous positions,
IT is said the police have all the boats
under their charge, and that the houses
In this district are given this much pro-
tcction. The houses in this section are
being looted and the police are trying
To get possession Of the boats to stop the
About 3 O'Clock a current began to flow