The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-09

rainfall at Topeka in June was 1888
inches. being IAN inch less than the
1 normal rainfall. The rainfall record
ed at Concordia during June was
| 1887 inches. and the rainfall at Man
haitian during June was 5.62 inches.
The railroads are beginning to get
passenger and mail traffic back into
normal conditions. The railroads are
not accepting freight at Topeka for i'm
mediate shipment, but their attention is
occupied in getting all perishable
| freight on the lines to the destination.
/ At nine o'clock this morning the Rock
Island reported fnat The main line be-
tween Topeka and Denver and between
Topeka and FL Paso were open and sew
era1 through trains passed through
here in both directions. The east bound
trains are routed over roundabout ways
east out of Topeka, but the officials
state that the east bound trains will
undoubtedly be sent direct to Kansas
City by tonight.
The Union Pacific railroad got the
west-bound passengers who have been
in Topeka for several days out over
the Rock Island last night, and the
east-bound out over the Santa F'e and
| the Missouri Pacific to Kansas City
| last night.
The Union Pacific will undoubtedly
get the main line open some time to-
| day or tonight.
The Santa Fe main line is now
open all the way from De Soto, six
teen miles west of Holiday, to Law
| renee, Topeka, Emporia, Denver and
| Ell Paso. The Santa Fe cutoff to OF
tawa and Emporia is open and traffic
is being routed that way.
At noon today the Santa Fe had a
train to Topeka and the west from
Kansas City by way of Olathe, OF
| tawa, Lawrence and Topeka to EN-
poria.
The Santa Fe officials at 8 o'clock
today made the following announce
ments:
Passenger train No. ia left Topeka
today at 2:10 for Kansas City by way
| of Lawrence, Ottawa and Olathe.
Train No. 116 will leave the Santa
Fe depot this evening at SOS O'Clock
for Kansas City, also by way of Law
renee, Ottawa and O1athe.
Train No 8. the Colorado Flyer of
the Santa Fe, will leave Topeka west
bound over the main line at about 8
O'Clock.
The main line to Kansas by way of
Lawrence. Holiday and Argentine will
be open for traffic Monday morning
and possibly by Sunday evening.
All through Chicago, Kansas City
and Denver trains are being routed
via the Ottawa cutoff and Topeka
patrons are being served by plug
trains to EmDoria for connections
with the through train.
According to statements given out
at the Santa Fe general offices this
| morning, the Salina. Little River and
it is expected that the Strong City,
Mcpherson and Benedict branches
will be open today. The water is
falling at all points except Chanute,
| where it is rising.
People Going Back.
The citizens of North Topeka are re-
turning to their homes. Beginning this
morning after the flood scare was COM
pletely over the wagons loaded with
household goods. etc, began their re-
| = 81
procession of movers was almost as
dense as the procession headed in, the
opposite direction a few days ago.
The damage from the flood of 1904
will not amount to very great sum
aside from the time lost for the citi-
| zens of Topeka. The great loss will re-
suit to the farmers all the way up and
down the Kaw valley.
Crops are partially ruined in places
and thousands of acres of crops are
completely lost The damage in this re-
spect will again mount up into the
thousands of dollars.
great many bridges have been
damaged and washed out.
The factories and a number of the
large plants in Topeka along the river
front Will suffer considerable loss from
damage by the water, but the amounts
will not be large.
The railroads have suffered the great
est loss both in delay to traffic and in
washouts on the track. The railroads
burning cars and a loss of freight
which they had in 1904.
A new and uniform system of
gauging the water in the Kaw river
will be installed within a few days
by the United States department of
agriculture. A new gauge will be
placed at each of the stations recent
ly created by this department along
the Kaw, and reports will be accu-
rately taken and will be reported to
Section Director T. B. Jennings.
The new gauges will be different
from anything seen in this part of the
country before. The new gauge will
not be a graduated pole, the kind that
is used now, but will be simply box
suspended above the water. Inside
the box will be a coil of delicate
chain. When the operator desires to
measure the water he will let the
chain down far as the surface. An
indicator in the box will show the
exact height above low water mark.
There will be eight of these gauges
located at different points along the
kaw river and it's tributaries. The
system will be in charge of Section
Director Thorp B. Jennings of the