The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-06-11
/ tiles SWEPT BY FLOOD
7o Dead and $4,000 Homeless at
Topeka and Kansas City.
MANY BUILDINGS WASHED AWAY

MANY BUILDINGS WASHED AWAY
Financial Loss In the Stricken Dis
trcts viii Run Into the Millions.
An Epidemic Of Disease Threatens
the Refugees.
Topeka. Kan, June 5.-The bodies
of seven more food victims have been
found The list of known dead now
reaches II, with 80 people identified.
1t is believed that many bodies are
yet In the wreckage. Scores of per-
sons are reported missing. The Un-
ion Pacific depot has been improvised
as mOrgue, and there the bodies are
gathered to await identification.
North Topeka is total wreck. The
water is still over a greater part Of
the town. In the residence district it
is seven feet deep in most places, and
there Is considerable current, but 1t is
no longer strong and flows along as if
only anxious to get back into the bed
OF the river. The damage is done and
the subsiding CT the waters will make
little difference except to lift the veil
which now hides the floods damage
The business part of the town Is a
sorry looking place, the damage of the
waters being almost complete. The
fronts Of most Of the stores have open
ings broken through. The contents Of
most OF the stores are ruined. The
currents came rushing through with
such force that they upset counters
and boxes and whatever goods came in
their way and dragged the goods stored
high on the shelves into the water.
In nearly every building which was
not washed away the contents were
piled In heap. and over all there is a
slime Of f1ne sand, mixed within little
mud. This deposit varies from q few
inches to two or three feet
In the residence districts practically
the same sights present themselves.
Briefly stated. the present condition
of the flood is this:
Known dead-71.
About 5000 people without homes.
Over 81, 600, 900 loss Of property
Big business blocks almost ready to
mble, 50.
Wholesale commission houses de-
serted, 6.
River is rapidly falling.
Distress very great among the refu-
gees.
Governor Bailey issues a proclama-
ton calling for help for food suffer
ers of the state.
Fifty deputy sheriffs, armed with
Winchesters. go to North Topeka to
protect property, with orders to shoot
looters whenever they are caught
stealing
One of the most distressing features
Of the situation now is the possibility
that there will be a spread Of conta-
gious diseases. People Of all classes
are huddled together in houses not
large enough for them, and on all
sides they are surrounded by water.
Doctors and medical relief cannot
reach the sufferers to any great ex-
tent. A case of diphtheria has been
reported from the wooden mill in North
Topeka where there are large num-
U6i VI CIlIltlI cIl, III duultIcA W lAc
adults. There is also a case of 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 ex.
posed condition Of the patients will
result fatally in many cases.
Provisions of all sorts are becom
inO in Tnnnk2 No frpiOht
| trains have entered the city for several
days. and as large quantities of gro
ceries were destroyed in North To
peka there will not be enough for the
| people to eat if the present situation
| lasts much longer 1t is charged that
| certain of the merchants have formed
| a combination for the purpose of con
trolling the prices of provisions.
1t will be at least week before
| freight trains from the east can enter
| Topeka. and perhaps longer. An effort
will be made to scure a stock of pro
| visions from the smaller towns south
| of here, and this may relieve the situ
alton somewhat
| A meeting of the representative
| people of North Topeka. who are on
the south side, was held to arrange
for systematic protection OF their prop
erty in North Topeka. Immediately
after the meeting large number OF
armed men left in boats for the north
side, where they will guard property
and their orders are to shoot.
| The situation in the flooded districts
is better than it has been before since
the flood began. Nobody Is now cling
ing to trees. Not to exceed 400 people
are in North Topeka. The work Of re
moving them began early in the day
| and II is believed that few will be left