Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-01

Two weeks after the flood subsidies. There
are passengers on the train. They have not
at any time been in danger. but their
situation r. not pleasant. They are we'll
cared for by the road and most Of them
have remained on the cars, preferring this
arrangement to the uncertainty of securing
suitable quarters.
At 5 o'clock this evening people were
CHARTERED in North Topeka as follows: In
b street church. 100. in Topeka WOODEN
mills, 100; in Casey's -four mill, a.: I'm an
elevator, Sc; in the fire station. "a.
A boat was sent TO the wooden mill with
1000 feet of half inch rope, which was 10
have been used in making a life line.
Some Of the Drowned.
At 3 o'clock the first sight Of floating
bodies was seen, twelve bodies were seen
passing by the North Topeka fire station
Soon after this it was definitely sscertained
that the following were drowned:
KARL RUPP
ORVILLE RUPP.
TWO RUPP GIRLS.
p. H GARRETT.
This represents only a fractional part of
the heavy loss of life. At a conservative
are nobody can tell. When the waters re-
cedes the bodies will doubtless be found
at different places miles down the stream.
During the height of the rescue work this
afternoon a man occupied his time in going
among the houses remaining in North
Topeka and looting them. Police officials
started after the fellow with the intima-
ton that 1t would go hard with him If
caught. Instances of this sort are rare.
People give 1t as their opinion tina never
In an event of this kind has there been
such a minimum of this order Of crime.
AS the number of rescued ones increase
the supplies for their relief grew largely.
Offers of help have been received from out
side towns.
The current is more swift and destructive
tonight than at any time during the flood.
Under the arches of the Melan bridge
rest the remnants of the street railway
bridge, and this makes the water like a
whirlpool near the bridge.
Railroad Men in Doubt.
1T is impossible to tell how long It will
take to get our Kansas City-Topeka line
open again." said General Manager Nudge
OF the Santa Fe today. I'VE cannot tell
how much track is gone until the waters
recede. We have been using the Frisco
tracks from Olathe into Kansas City, but
high water knocked the Frisco out near
Rosedale. We are trying to get into Kan,
sas City over the Missouri Pacific tracks
from Ottawa, but do not know yet how we
will succeed. At the present time we are
cut Off from Kansas City completely. Our
main line from Topeka to Newton is open
again, but with the heavy rains that have
been falling 1t would not be surprising II
we have some more trouble near Strong
City. This has been the worst storm the
railways of Kansas have ever encountered
and the DAMAGE will run up into the mill
lions"
The Rock Island and Union Pacific com.
panies have abandoned all efforts to keep
their tracks in shape. The water washed
the sandbags as fast as they sank
them and it is simply a waste of funds
to continue the work. AS soon as the
water goes down so that the tracks can be
reached hundreds of men will be placed at
work repairing the damage.
For the convenience OF the public ana
flood sufferers. the postofflce remained open
nearly all day. All grocery stores, meat
shops and dry goods stores kept open also
to furnish supplies. The physicians at q
meeting this afternoon advised the author
tiles to establish a camp on some high
ground near the city for the flood sufferers.
North Topeka had an epidemic of measles
when the town was stricken. Several
cases of diphtheria were also well devel-
oped there. Many of the afflicted have
been rescued and great precaution must
be taken against the spread Of the disease.
Provisions Arc short.
Wichita and other cities in the south
which can be reached will be called upon
for provisions tomorrow Already there
- ...-oE4, 80 ,.aafg and HAS and
staple groceries are getting low.
The Kansas City packing houses are
water and the local butchers have
run out of several Kind OF meat products.
The gardeners Of Topeka were all located
on the Raw river and their farms are
under water from three to fifteen feet deep.
This cuts Off the vegetable supply. About
q mile east of the Union Pacific hotel Is a
small strip OF land above water. It Is
probably 100 feet long and ten feet vice.
on 1t more than a dozen horses and cows
are located. They nave been there for
twenty-four hours without food.
More attention is being paid today to
provisions to the people penned up
in houses than to getting them out.
The big Melan river bridge has stood solid
a dam ur to this time. The north ap-
has washed badly and the east ap-
proach is Sagged, Dut the main structure
still stands in line. At the present time
1t not only serves as a bridge, but also as
a dam. The pressure of the current Is ter
rife. but 1t does not move the bridge. The
water is two feet lower below the struc-
ture thar II is above. The Rock Island
and Santa Fe bridges still stand. On Kan
sas avenue north of the river the water IN
some places Is up TO the awnings.
Boats Do Good Work.
Boats from Emporia, ottawa. Kansas
City and ST. Joseph are all doing good SER
vice. They are hauled two miles above
town, filled with provisions n manned
with good rowers. Then they are run across
to the stricken section. The supplies are
distributed among the sufferers in the build
ings, and people are picked out of the trees
and given shelter In some house. When
the boats get so far down that they cannot
pulled up stream sufferers are picked up
brought to this side OF the river a
mile or so below town. Then the boats are
TO town and again sent on a similar
trip.
A COW swan to the Melan bridge TODAY
and is moking its home there. Tonight a
woman with a little babe was brought TO
the bridge by rescuers. Both were almost
starved. A rescuer got a bucket and MIXED
the COW and gave the milk to the woman
and the baby.
Buildings In the submerged district con-
Aa-.- -