The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-06-02
FLOOD IS NOW EXCEEDING
HOPEFUL OUTLoOKINDELUGED
 KANSAS TOWNS.

peka One of the Most Distressing z Features-Emergency Board of Health ApPOinted-Prices of Food SOar-Re-
 lief Train Reaches North Topeka.
 Topeka, Kansas, June 1.-To-night at o'clock the water in the Kansas river had gone down fourteen inches and is falling at the rate of half an inch an hour. From Manhattan up the river | comes the report that the water there is slowly falling. At Wamego the same ! condition prevails, and it is now reason ably certain that the waters there will steadily recede. At this time there are thirtyfour known dead, most of whom are unknown.
 The distress of the sufferers is being relieved. Those who are still in North Topeka are being supplied with food, and they are in practically no danger, unless it be from sickness,
 One of the most distressing features of the situation now is the possibility that there will be a spread of contag- ious diseases. People of all classes are huddled together in houses not large enough for them, and oh all sides they are surrounded by water. Doctors and medical relief cannot reach the suffer CTS to any great extent. This afternoon case of diphtheria was reported from the woolen mill in North Topeka, where there are large number of children in addition to the adults. There is also a case or two of scarlet fever among the refugees on the north side. Hundreds of cases of measles are prevalent among the children, and. on account of the exposed condition of the patients, will result fatally in many cases.
 The possibility of an epidemic is now the most serious thing the city must contend with, The physicians of the city, under the direction of the city health board, are making heroic efforts to check the threatened calamity.
 An emergency board of health has been appointed by the mayor to co-op- crate with the city physicians in quell- ing the disease which will result from the flood. The board organized, elect ing Dr. l.. Y. Grubbs president.
 Dr. Grubbs says that the sanitary condition of North Topeka when the water shall go down will be such that the place will not be fit for habitation for some months. He says he thinks the best plan would be to get tents from the state and establish tent city on some plot of high ground
 Provisions of all sorts are becoming scarce in Topeka. No freight trains have entered the city for several days. and as large quantities of groceries were destroyed in North Topeka there will not be enough for the people to eat if the present situation lasts much longer. It is charged that certain of the merchants have formed a combina- tion for the purpose of controlling the prices on provisions.
 A prominent miller said this morn ing: We do not intend, and have nev- CT intended, to raise the price of flour, no matter what the grocers are think ing of doing. Unless the markets go up, flour will be sold at the same price,
 A local commission firm bought up all the potatoes in town last Saturday and advanced the price fifty cents a bushel, it is reported.
 It will be at least week before freight trains from the east can enter Topeka, and perhaps longer, An effort will be made to secure a stock of pro- visions from the smaller towns, and this may relieve the situation somewhat.
 It was learned tonight that a Rock Island train had reached North Topeka last night in the vicinity of the Reform school. The train brought sixty boats and two steam launches. Boatmen from Lake Contrary are in charge, and they are doing splendid work in taking flood victims to places of safety.
 A long train of Rock Island passen- ger coaches were also brought, and in these the people will be taken to places further up the track, some to Atchison and others to St. Joseph where they will be provided for.