The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-04
WITH NORTHERN REFU gees

they were brought back in a few hours
John Wilhelm who shares in the man.
agement Of the supplies here is a travel
ing man well known by Topeka mer-
chants. He used to be connected with
the famous baseball team, Colby
Golden Giants. having lived in Topeka
years ago. He is more familiar with
this locality than any Of the other ST.
Joe men here.
Superintendent Charles is Hospitality
sheltering and boarding the State Jour
nal reporter and the St Joe relief COM
mittee men and newspaper writer's.
REFORM SCHOOL WEDNESDAY
MIDNIGHT.
South Topeka is caring for but a large
fraction Of the refugees of the flood
A semi-circle, with the Reform school
as its hub. from which aid is reaching
into the country for miles in every dlrec-
ton, is caring for the other fraction
The system that maintains in the rescue
and relief work south of the river IS
duplicated by the magnificent efforts of
the people of St. Joseph on the north
side.
Under the generalship of John Viii
helm and O. H. Quentin representatives
of the St Joseph Commercial club, peo-
pie have been rescued from every point
vet unreao~ed by help from the south
side, temporary aid is being given them
and they are comfortably housed ana
clothed.
From Nenoken on the west. Holton on
the north, to Granville Mr.. Wilhelm
estimates that 4.00O refugees are BENG
cared for in the territory under his con-
troll The hills to the north of Topeka
ere alive with people. The towns within
thirty miles by railroad and ten miles
by wagon are sheltering hundreds. FL
mont Hoyt and Holton have been lit
orally eaten out Of home by refugees
But for aid from St Joseph these kindly
tOwnspeople would now be in sore dis
tress.
ST JOsEPH's GREAT WORK.
bond is being formed between St.
Joseph and Topeka, the succorer and the
succOred, which no subsequent event can
ever estrange. Topeka will learn in
few days the mighty debt which she will
forever owe to the town which has so
unstintingly poured out her resources
for her rescue.
To the able cooperation Of Superin-
I tendent Fl. W. Charles of the Reform
I school the refugees on this side are IN
debted for the rapidity with which sup
/ plies are being distributed The country
surrounding this point is learning 10
! look in this direction for assistance. me
/ hand of superintendent Charles rests
! upon the supply from which they are
fed. His office is the center, and lines
of communication, principally by morse
back extend east. west and north. his
familiarity with the geography Of the
4 locality makes his cooperation with the
supply line from St Joseph invaluable.
Communication is thoroughly estaD-
4 lished with all of northern shawnee
+ county The estimate made by MI VII
helm of the number of refugees IS based
upon authentic reports from every di-
rection. Aid is being supplied by Merl-
den and Thompsonvile. Silver Lake IS
taking care of itself as is st. Marys put
neither town can do more.
NAMES NOT TO BE HAD.
The securing of the names of refugees
who have been and are now being cared
for from this point is an 1mpossIDlhty
/ Not until railroad communication IS
/ again established to South Topeka VIII
friends know how their absent ones have
Jared Topeka must resign herself 10
suspense for days to come.
Meanwhile an army of SEQ laborers,
working constantly, is replacing track
| and pushing its construction cars nearer
and nearer to Topeka on the Rock ISL
and railroad. Wednesday night the ralls
! were nearing the southern edge OF the
Reform school property BY Thursday
right the track Will be built to the
/ waters edge in North Topeka on the
/ subsistence of the food depends the COM
pietion of the railroad connection with
, Topeka on this line With water eight
feet deep across it's tracks in North To-
peka. and those tracks in the most de-
plorable condition to be imagined the
time when trains can be pushed through
must yet be measured by days
HE WAS AT JOHNSTOWN-
Division Supt H. j. Slifer, of Chi
CaEO the man who made the first con-
nection between Philadelphia ana
/ JOhnstown al the time of the Johns
town food. and was personally In
charge Of the relief work there. is
building this track. The telegraph wire
which connects him with St Joseph Is
absolutely closed to everything but
railroad business
Words are scanty garments in which
to clothe conception OF the awful dam
age done property in North Topeka
railroad property and all. Beginning
al a point a quarter Of a mile south OF
the Soldier creek bridge the Rock Is
lands tracks are mangled beyond hone
Patching its way from Elmont to the
Reform school on Monday switch was
built in the Reform school grounds, ard
talegraphic communication established
AS the water receded from the right o.
way stone was hauled from north of
Soldier creek and car load after car
load was dumped where once the neat
Is rounded ballast grade had stood.
Thirty feet to the east of its proper po-
sition lies a half mile of track. begin
ming at the Reform school and extend
ing to Shorey. This interval was un-
der water which now stands in pools
to the east. but still stretches. in what
promises TO continue a lake, to the west
till it joins the main current Of the
zaw
From the Small property at Shore
the river swirls past with an unbroker
surface two miles wide to the sou-f
bank Since the water began to fall 9