The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-01

T OPEKA, Kan, Nay 31.-At 1 O'Clock
the number of drowned people
was known 60 be at least $50 and
a large number were yet missing. Sew
eral were reported burned to death but
this could not be substantiated From
all over eastern Kansas boats are be
ing rushed here for the fescue of the
:, sufferers. The north end of the Mellan
q bridge is the only way Of reaching
' North Topeka, and an effort viii be
made 10 stretch a wire cable across the
bridge.
All of the pontoon bridges to the
north side were washed out early this
morning and the only possible chance
or reaching the survivors then was by
boats Shortly after daylight nine
boats arrived from Ottawa on a spe-
cial train and they were put into active
service at once.
Soon after reports of drowning began
u come in. a boat containing eight
men was swept away in the swift cur
rent about O'Clock and as far as
known all were drowned. A boat con-
tanning two men was capsized. The
boats were too fTail TO live in the swir-
ling waters.
Hurry Messages For Help
More boats arrived from Empor1a at
10 O'Clock and hurry messages had been
sent to other towns Cor more The river
remained stationary after having fall
en- seven inches. Heavy rains were re-
ported from up the stream, however,
and it was feared that another rise
would set in Eighty-seven people are
high and dry in the Page elevator. If
the building holds together they Will be
rescued. In the B street colOred Bap-
fist church nearly 100 people have been
standing since yesterday. Many Of
them have. doubtless. fallen from eX-
haustiOn before this and drowned. The
building stands intact however. and
those who are left alive may be res
cued- As seen from high place on
North Tyler street near the Rock
Island bridge, the stream appeared TO
be widening The bridge had not gone
out as was reported last night bur it
was getting very shaky- The current
was running with an incredible swift
ness. Small boats have no chance at
all, and many of them have been al
ready sWamped- Even if they could
successfully traverse the whiriing. ed
dying stream for a nile, they would be
almost sure 20 be overturned by strik-
ing against houses and other wreck
age.
Scene OF DesoIation.
! North Topeka is a scene of utmost
= fesOlatiOn- Not a square foot Of land
can be seen in any direction. There is
but a small chance Of any of the resi-
dences being left standing at the end
of the flood period.
Sherry. Oakland and the region
about the reform school. north of North
Topeka. are all under the rushing wa
ters. but the situation is favorable in
these places compared with what North
Topeka is undergoing.
The plan of trying to cross the river
near what remains Of the Kansas ave
nue. bridge has been abandoned Boats
Will be taken in wagons to point near
AubuTndaie. a suburb two and a half
miles southwest They viii then be
launched and allowed to float with the
current TO points where people are TO
be rescued This plan, of course, viii
involve much danger TO the rescuers,
but this is lost sight of in the desire
10 help the unfortunate ones. 1t is i'm
possible to force boats through the cur
rent.
Rain Filling.
Nearly all the fires have been put out
by the heavy rain which fell all night
The sky was overcast and the rain bid
fair to continue all day
II was soon recognized that row
boats would be OF no use in battling
with the currents. Steam launches
must be secured at once and TO this
end rush messages were sent to the
superintendent and agent of the Rock
Island at st. Joseph and TO Mayor Ber-
genital and the secretary of the Com
meTcial club as follows:
Topeka wants from three to six
steam launches and twelve or eighteen
clinker built row boats with men to
handle. sent here by special train at
once to rescue peop-e in North To-
peSa-"
The agent was ordered to load the
train at once. secure a clear track and
proceed to Topeka. The train was to
feel its way as far as possible on the
submerged tracks and then the boats
would be launched Topeka citizens
guaranteed all the expenses of the
undertaking.
Current Growing Stronger.
It was expected that the launches
could reach here about ( O'Clock. IN
which event many of the people on the
north side could yet be saved. Boats
were received here on number of spe-
. cial trains run by the Missouri Pacific
and the Santa Fe over circuitous
routes. but the current in the n err
seemed to be growing more powerful
. every minute and they were pOwerleSS
60 cope with il. Meanwhile tn be-
1eagured ones were being encoura gad
as Tar as possible 10 nOld on little
longer in the hope that rescue would
soon be effected. The eighty-1ve peo-
pie in the Page elevator in North To-
peka were in desperate straits for food
having had nothing to eat since last
Friday. At 10 o'clock two bOatloads Of
provisions were started TO them. They
had not yet reached the elevator. after
engaging in a hard battle with the
waters for over an hour.
Former Policeman X n Caprou just
returned from a fruitless attempt 10
rescue. some personal friends, saying ne
could make no Roadway against the
current though he and his companions
put forth the most strenuous efforts
with their thTee-oared boat. Mr.. Ca