Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-01

water there is no way OF nSntlnS Tic
flames.
From the State House dome as
many as so fires can be counted in dill
ferent parts of North Topeka. the
entire central portion of the city had
been burned out at 10 o'clock tonight,
and it is safe to say that by Monday
not house in that part of North To-
peka will be left standing. When it is
stated that North Topeka had 10000
inhabitants, the extent of the disaster
can be realized.
People are seen clinging to the roofs
of houses and the limbs of trees ana
many are giving up in despair ana
dropping into the waters below, to be
carried away by the swift current.
Chief of Iolice Colt and his family are
among those not yet accounted LOT: lHcy
may be among those on the tops of build
ings. but this is hardly likely as their
house was in the path of last night nre-
Isaac Stanton succeeded in reaching the
d street Bautist church with 500 pounds
of provisions. Half a dozen persons are
in an abandoned street car north OF the
bridge and have been there for ~ hours,
but will be rescued Eighteen people We're
rescued. this afternoon. from mousse at
los North Monroe street. Firm this place
the current is now swift and atter great
LABOR the pl'tCc was IeIciltu- ~ mon ~
has just returned from the flood says he
could see as many as 10 persons hanging
from trees. F. d. Long and Charles wal
don, Santa Fe employees. started out IN a
boat, early today, to rescue RUSSIAN
whom they saw on the roof of house not
far from the bank of the river. They got
the Russian in the boat. which immediate
places in trees where they remain at this
time: Another party is trying to rescue
the trio.
At $50. the water had reccded exactly
~ inches an hour before this rise of an
inch had been reported. The gauge went
up and down all afternoon until at 3
clock; fall set in, At o'clock, the wa
land general offices but was yet six feet
deep just outside the building. 1t was
then that Il gang of telegraph llnemen
succeeded in getting a heavy wire cable
stretched across the top of the pontoon
bridge. A large sand dipper was attached
to this and used to take lagos quantities
of provisions to those who were not yet
The first food victim to be rescued by
means of the cable was the Rev A.. N.
Pearson, pastor of the North Topeka Eng
liSh church. Mr.. Pearson said: I'VE
spent three days on the top of our house.
We We're fairly warmly dressed. but had
only two ,oaves of bread for our family of
four during that time. All day Saturday
situation was desperate and extremely UNI
comfortable, but We at no time lost faith
in the ultimate ability of our friends to
rescue us. Yesterday. my wife and chill
dren were rescued, today, my turn came
and | cannot begin to tell how thankful
lam"
were rescued at o'clock. They were so
numb they. could not feel and had to be
knocked down into the water before the
men could reach them They were stand
and so severe had been the experience that
their minds gave way under the strain.
They cannot recover
Mrs. Anderson and her year-old baby
have been for three days in a tree in plain
sight of people who were poweress to
rescue them The mother clasped her
brace herself against tree in a reason
ably secure position For three days she
kept up the battle for life. At O'CLOCK.
her rescue was very near, but she lost con-
seriousness and both mother and child fell
into y feet of water and were drowned
Harvey Parsons. a local newspaper man.
took boat, Wednesday night, and made
his way to a house in the hope of making
rescues. A woman and her baby. name s
unknown, were in the house and Parsons
took them into his boat. They had pro-
ceeded only short distance when the boat
capsized. Parsons contrived to get him
self and the others up into a tree and
there they remained until 3 o'clock this
afternoon. when rescued. They were TAX
en- to a place Of safety but probably will
not survive. Two small steamboats, Were
put into service at 40. BY this the work
of rescue was greatly facilitated.
2. l.. Wise, former city engineer, was
dragged from the hay loft of a barn. He
WAS unconscious and numb from cold but
soon revived
BY aid of the small steam and gasoline
launches 40 men in South Garfield park
were rescued. They had perched them
selves in trees and had had nothing to
eat for Sc hours.
Patrick Feline, his wife and three small
children were taken from the attic of their
small dwelling. The parents were Obliged
to hold the two younger children con
stantly to keep their heads above water
They were nearly starved and probably
cannot recover. Near the Rock Island de
stalled by the flood. The train came in
Friday night. About $50 passengers are
on the train
At o'clock tonight, people were quar-
street church. 100; in Topeka wooden mills
100: in Casey's flour mill, o.; in an ele-
vatOr. Sc: in the fire station, 81.
\ boat was sent to the wooden mill with
1000 feet of half-inch rope which was to
have been used in making d life line.
At o'clock, the first sight of floating
bodies was seen. Twelve bodies were seen
passing by the North Topeka fire station
cd that the following We're drowned:
Karl Isupp, Orvillr Rupp, two Rupp
girls end r. q. Garnett
This represents only a fractional part of
| estimate 200 are dead During the height
of the rescue work, this afternoon, a man
houses remaining in North Topeka and
looting them. Police officers started after
| the fellow.
As the number of rescued ones increased,
the supplies for their relief grew largely
| Offerings of help have been received from
outside towns.
AIIRlIRN AMI EwIeroN