The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-04
POINTERS.
People VINO Have Been Through
Others Write.
J. L. Harrison Says There VIII
Be No Epidemic.
DON'T KEEP THEM OUT.
Let People 60 Over and Clean
Up Homes.
No Mud There If Water Is
Stirred.
DON'T KEEP THEM OUT.

To the Editor of the State Journal.
I thought perhaps a few practical sug-
gestions from one who has been through
a half dozen floods in the Ohio valley,
might be of some benefit to north
siders, whose homes are under water.
In the first place there will be no epi-
demic nor viii there be any ill-effecrs
Of that kind from this inundatfon. Re
moval of the dead animals at once and
little care as to exposure in damp
rooms will obviate that danger com
pletely. In my 20 years experience in
city subject to floods there was no in
crease of sickness due to the high wa
ter and there Will be none here.
The keeping of people out of North
Topeka is criminal AS soon as the wa
ter falls to a depth of about six inches
on the first floor of the houses. the work
of cleaning should begin. A shovel and
an old broom should be used to stir up
the deposit of sticky mud and this
should be kept stirred up until the water
falls below the level of the floor This
mud, if left until the water goes com
pietely down is the hardest thing in the
world to get off.
1t will be found that the damage to
the buildings is not near so great as IT
now appears. The buildings on Kansas
avenue viii not have to be torn down
nor will they be found damaged in the
least. A building. if the doors and win
dows are opened wide so that the cur
rent can circulate freely through the
house, Will stand safe and sound no
matter how swift the current, until the
roof is almost completely submerged.
It is in fact Just like a sunken boat.
Now as to the damages. Appearances
are very deceiving in a flood. Within
one weeks time North Topeka will be
herself again. Barns, Outbuildings, drift
ard cornstalks will be found in the
streets and lots but it win not take long
to dispose of them In a surprising
short while this stuff can be gotten rid
of. The sidewalks of course in places
Will be damaged but that is not ire
parable.
It viii dry up too surprisingly quick
and things will recover at a bound-if it
only stops raining.
The greatest loss win be in household
goods and merchandise. Substantial
houses will rent in North Topeka a
month or two after the flood. the same
as before If the people here are any
thing like those in Ohio, and 1 believe
they are.
Don't get discouraged. If you live in
a two-story house, stay there and keep
open the lower rooms and with good
weather and bright Sunshine you can
live down stairs safely in two or three
weeks, perhaps less.
The talk CT North Topeka not being
hahitable for two months is utter non
sense. Dust Will be flying on the north
/ side next week if the sun will shine
These few facts are CLEANED from my
/ experience in floods in the Ohio valley
and 1 believe the same facts hold good
! for Kansas.
]. L. HARRISON.
Mrs. Mary E. Trip gives almost the
same advice as Mr.. Harrison. She has
/ passed through three serious floods in
Indiana and says that If a large num-
Der Of men could go over North Topeka
and keep the water in the houses stirred
/ up that the mud would not be left
there The women could help and the
men could, with such assistance as they
could get, take care Of their own
to cake" on the floors it will be al
most impossible to clean the houses.