The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-01


ground for hope that the worst has
passed. So treacherous has the Kansas
river proved itself today, and IN the ris-
ing of the water so slowly tonight as to
be almost imperceptible, the Five Mile
stream Is settling back into it's rightfuI
channel. Up and down the official gauge
has f1uttedel all day. Tonight. however,
City Engineer McCable issued a bulletin
giving out the cheering intelligence that
the waters had subsidized to the extent Of
exactly seven and one-half inches.
It may be a few hours before another
drop may be noticed. with 175 or 200 lives
lost, millions of dollars of property de-
stroyed, hundreds of pistol shots as sig
nails of distress. blended with the agoniz-
ing cries of unwilling inhabitants in tree
tops and roofs of houses, and the waters
creeping upward and then slowly subsid-
ing and alternately changing hope to de-
spair. the Capital City has passed the
most memorable Sabbath day of its ex-
istence.
Through all this discomforting condi-
tion of affairs was added the presence of
a cold, dismal rain.
Work of Rescuers.
The ardor Of the rescue work Of the
heroic rescuers was not abated in the
last by the conditions which confronted
them.
For long dreary hours, knee deep in
water and some time in water up to their
necks, they worked with might and main.
Tonight they can proudly point to 300 or
more rescued ones who otherwise might
have been swept away in the current.
Leading men have made a careful ex-
animation Of the flood and all It's condi-
tions, and as a result of their investiga-
ton they give $50 as the probable number
of lives lost. A more conservative esti-
mate places the number of dead at 175.
The higher number is as apt to be COR
rect as the lower.
Matter of Estimate.
The number of dead is merely matter
of estimate. Twenty members of the
rescuing parties tell of how they saw peo-
pie drop from houses only to be swept
away by the food, and others tell OF men
who, terrified at the approach OF the
fire, leaped into the water. where they
sank and did not re-appear.
This estimate Of the dead does not In
clude the large numbers who are class
ed as the missing, who cannot otherwise
be accounted for. Neither does 1t include
the number who are supposed to have
lost their lives in the fire.
In the latter class there is absolutely no
means Of arriving at even an approxi-
mate number Of victims. The water is so
high and the current so strong that all
that can be done now Is to rescue those
in the buildings surrounded by water.
1t will be at least three days before
the correct number of dead will be deter
mined upon. Work Of rescuing the VIC
tins of the flood is pushing forward with
vigor. Better results have characterized
the efforts OF the organized forces since
o'clock this afternoon than during all
the preceding twenty-four hours.
Two little steam launches are now puff
finr up and down the river, picking up
survivors. A large steamboat Is expect
ed here by a special train on the Rock
Island within twenty-four hours, II pos
sble to run a train.
train load of small boats were In use
today, but they were useless In battling
against the mighty current.
Gable Is Stretched.
A wire cable has been stretched across
the Kansas avenue bridge. To this will
he attached a sand dip and refugees Will
be brought across in this manner
II the food does not rise further, and
thoae not vet reached can keep their
places a few hours longer. there need not
necessarily be much larger loss OF hte'
Large contributions have already been
received for the benefit of the sufferers.
These amounts with the contributions
from Topeka citizens will aggregate $780,
000
This will be augmented by immense
quantities Of clothing. provisions and gen.
eraI supplies. Outside towns have gen.
erously offered help and notable among
which is Galveston. Tex
Tonight the portion Of Topeka not af-
fected by the flood is crowded with refu-
gees and people from the surrounding
country, who have come to witness the
food conditions.
There is great anxiety tonight as to
what tomorrow will bring forth. II the
river does not receive any more Hood
water west OF here the improvement In
the situation here will be marked. II
the water rises at Manhattan and Wame-
20. tomorrow will see a repetition of the
worst of the flood scenes and the distress
here will be greatly intensified
Either contingency rs entirely within
the range Of possibility.
Chief Of Police Missing.
Chief Of Police Goff and his
family are among those not yet
accounted for They may be among
those on the tops of the buildings. but
this is hardly the case. as their house
was In direct path of last nights fire.
Isaac Standon succeeded In reaching
B street Baptist church with 500 pounds
of provisions He was two hours In maxi
ing the trip of not much more than a