The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1903-09-25
The First Authentic Information
Since Kansas City, Kas., Be-
came an Isolated Place.
TWENTY THOUSAND PEOPLE HoatlEss,
The Loss of Life Estimated at About Fiuy
Hut May lie Much Greaier-k Kansas
CITY. No.. In Peril Prom Fire by Reason
of Cutting on OF the water aud Power
supply.

Kansas City. Mo-, June 2.-With gas
and electric lights eNtinguishcd, the
watcrworks shut down and the city
practically at the mercy Of the first
fire that breaks out; with railroad
transportation feeble aud uncertain.
Kansas City may. II the waters do
not rcccde within the next i've or
three days. he compelled TO fight for
her very life.
The first authentic information
from Kansas City, kas, was received
Monday night. In that district 10000
people are homeless. a number which
can not bc estimated. have been
drowned, and the property loss has
been heavy. The situation there Is a
parallel to the situation here-ap-
parcntly no bettcr-and no worse.
There Is no great probability that
there will be further loss Of life, ~
the river does not rise very suddenly.
All through the Wholesale district,
and in the east and west bottoms,
there are people still In houscs-many
Of them anxious to be taken away-a
goodly number OF them content TO re-
main where they are, with all the
chances of the flood. The police have
done wonders In rescuiDg people, and
have probably brought two hundred
aud fifty of them safe to the high
ground. One hundred and hfty Of
these were brought to the yiaduct at
Twelfth street. aud the balance were
saved In the east and west bottoms
by boats.
People CiinEirH 90 Their m
Twenty people were taken from the
Martin school and 80 from O'Brien's
lodging house IN the east bottoms.
The balance Of them were brought In
singly and in small numbers. Mon.
day night, in the cast and west bot
toms u number Of obstinate people
were still clinging TO their homes,
aud although the police ran boats he
meath their windows aud offered to
save them, they refused Ia leave.
II Is utterly impossible 10 form any
estimate Of the number Of dead in
Kansas City. There have been mani
fold stories OF how heats laden with
people have been seen to sink-therc
have been reports withou, end Of
bodies seen floating by on wrcckagc:
Of men who have tried to drive wag-
ons laden with their household effects
against certain death in the swift cur
rent and gone down IN the Hood. The
majority of these stories lack proof,
however. and even Il true, the proof
may never he had.
There is no possible way getting at
the names of the dead and no chance
Of forming any estimate that can con-
hdently he termed accurate. II II
| likely, however. that the number OF
fatalities in Kansas City. Mo-, will
approximate fifty.
waving white Cloths.
Down In the Wholesale district peo-
pie at dusk Monday night were wav-
ing white cloths to attract attention.
The condition Of some Of these was
pitiablc. They had been held prison
ers for two days, threatened with
death by drowning, AZ one time by
fire. and for the most part without
food, and for - hours certainly with
out drinking water. Every effort Is
being made To save them.
The financial damage is about as
great now ~ II il likely to become
unless the wntcr rises much higher
than at present. The great danger IL
that foundations may he undermined,
and buildings, with their contents
topple over into the food.
There has been no suffering in IN,
city beyond that sustained 10y The
people driven from their homes. Their,
has been excellent work done by the
local relief committee and those "
control OF this work are confident
that the city will be able to care fol
its o~n without calling upon the bal
ance of the state. Every demand hal
been promptly met thus far, and thu
only danger seems TO be IN q long.con
tinued stage Of high water. Then
necessarily, the demand will eNcee,
the ability of Kansas City TO supply.
city In Absolute Darkness.
Monday night the city was in alb
solute darkness. There was not tn,
glimmer Of a gus jet or the fare of al
electric light save in buildings whicl
have their own electric light plants
Steam for these is supplied by waite
hauled from the river. In all tn
buildings in the city elevator servic
| hrs been discontinued. The newspa
pcrs have been compelled to dlscon
time the use Of their typesettinl
machines, and because Of lack Of pow
err, are sticking type in the good oil
way. U .E ,.t