The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-06-11
More than so Persons
Perish in Calamity at
Topeka, Kan.
Suburb Across the River Is
Almost Destroyed by
the Elements.
Residents Cling to House Roofs
as They Arc Swept by
the Torrent.
Fifty Thousand Made Homeless
by Waste Of Waters in
Three States.

Death, wreck and devastation have
marched in the wake of great floods In
Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. Many
have been drowned, hundreds placed
in mortal peril and tens of thou
sands driven from their homes by
raging rivers swollen beyond all pre-
vious measure by the rains. Two State
capitals-Topeka and Des Moines-
were the centers of the ruin and suffer
ing. To the danger of the rushing
waters which had invaded both busi-
ness and residence districts Of both
capitals was added the more dreadful
peril of fire. Submerged. the water
works of both cities and score OF les
ser towns in the three States had been
shut down and no protection against
flames had been left to them.
Fire and food are responsible for the
taking Of 30 lives in North Topeka. a
suburb of Topeka. Kan, directly
across the Kansas River.
Early Saturday afternoon one or two
Of the water logged houses took fire.
With five miles of water all around
there was no means Of fighting the
flames. A high wind was blowing and
one Of the burning buildings broke
loose from its foundations, and, swept
onward by the sw1rling current. spread
death and destruction on every hand.
Acre. of Buildings Ablaze.
Soon the acres upon acres Of sub
merged territory were dotted with
burning buildings. some stationary.
some wind blown from point to point.
The floating freships ignited whatever
they touched. These spread the flames
SO rapidly that at one time eighty sep
arate fires were counted from the
dome Of the capitol.
All the preceding night and during
the daylight hours the roofs Of houses.
factories. and other buildings had been
hayens of refuge for the men, women
and children who lived and were trap
per in the district They had not suf-
fered for want of food. even though
each house had ten feet Of water in
It. and though the rapidity Of the cur
rent prevented rescue by boat they all
hoped that in twenty-four hours or so
the food would subside sufficiently to
allow their escape.
But when death by fire appeared be-
fore their eyes they became panic
stricken. In a number of cases they
jumped into the water long before
their arks Of refuge were threatened
by the flames, preferring death by
drowning to their chances of being
caught by the fire.
Futile Attempts Mt Escape.
Futile attempts were made to escape
by every method that ingenuity
spurred on by the sight of rapidly ad-
vancing death could suggest. Rats
were improvised, on which the women
and children we're placed. Men threw
trunks. bureaus, tables and other arti-
cles of furniture into the water, then
jumped on them, and sought to float to
safety. Those who escaped the float
ing fire as a general rule. were of little
value in buffeting the swirling torrent
full of burning driftwood and the de-
bris of wrecked houses.
Business in Topeka was practically
ut standstill because of Memorial
day and most Of the stores were closed
the greater part of the day. The flood
and the condition Of the sufferers took
the attention Of everyone, to the exclu-
sion of all else. An army Of men was
engaged IN tie relief work, and it
would be idle to attempt to place an
estimate on the immense number res
cued.
Thousands Given Shelter.
Thousands were sheltered in the
public buildings and in the Auditorium
1000 homeless people are quartered.
Great wagon loads of clothing and
provisions were sent and the imme.
date needs of the unfortunates pro-
vided for. In this large number of ref.
ugees were Russians. Italians and
many other of the poorer class Of the
city's population. A number of these
were afflicted with contagious dis
eases. The physicians of the city say
that Us a result of this an epidemic
Of sickness Of all kinds may be looked
for.
The county courthouse and the fed.
eral building were crowded with peo.
pie Of all classes.
Unprecedented floods have been rag
ing in central and eastern Kansas
northwestern Missouri, eastern Ne
braska and southwestern Iowa, the re
suit of ten days Of almost continuous
rainfall. Many lives have been lost
and 1t is estimated that no less than
10000 persons have been driven from
their homes, many Of which were
washed away, and that the property
loss will run well up into the millions
Of dollars.