Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-08
DRIVEN OUT
OF HOMES
Sun Shines To-Day
at Kansas City.
Downpour of Rain Ceased
for a Few Hours in Some
Places--But Started Again
Many Places Flooded.

kansas City, July Sat 10 O'Clock
this morning the sun came out at Kan.
sas City and west as far as Topekas
and rain which has FALLEN Tor several
hours ceased. At Abeline and Manhafz
tan, Kan, however, rain, which began
at 4 o'clock this morning, CONTINUES,
and the Smoky Hin at the former place
and the Kaw at Manhattan began to
rise again
All of the west bottoms on the 1Iis.
souri, side, including the Union depot
and the great wholesale district o1
Kansas City, will have been covered
with water before the day has closed.
A break in the .Kaw river near Armour
dole, Kan, late last night, sent cur.
rent of water into the bottom, doodin&
the outer railroad yards and cellars iA
the wholesale houses.
1t is not believed that the tremendous
losses Of last year win be duplicated,
as the water is not expected to reach
so high a stage. Merchants, too, 11aa
taken warming from their experiences
of year ago and removed their goods
to higher ground or to upper stories.
This morning a heavy rainstorn
started in at Kansas City and west to
Topeka. which will send the Kaw still
higher. Late yesterday fhe Kaw at
Armourdale had become stationary
West of here at Lawrence and Topeka
it was reported falling at midnighl
and while two and one-half foot rise
was predicted for some time to-day as
result OF the tributaries in Kansas
pouring their waters into the Kaw. Il
was believed that this would come
very slowly and be carried of without
entering the west bottoms, where such
disastrous results followed last years
overflow. The water became station
ary, it was stated by Observer ConnoE
because it was spreading out above
here and no great damage might he
looked for. At midnight, however, the
large steel bridges of the Union Pacific
and Missouri Pacific railroads across
the Kaw from Armourdale formed &
dam against which great quantity ok
lumber and wreckage formed. The
water, detected by these barriers
forced its way into the west bottoms
through the railroads.
This morning the Kaw had Reached
a height of 27.4 feet, rise Of one foot
and ten inches in the twentv-four hours
up to that time The high MAJ : = cs'ffI
In June, 1908, was 81 feet.
The Belt line bridge, the Rock
Island bridge and the new Metropois
tan street railway bridge, connecting
the bottoms with Kansas City, Kaass
were damaged severely during the
night, but are still intact. They are
new steel structures and it is belfevea
will be saved Six hundred men ara
working to protect their approaches
In Convention hall, on the Missouri
side. which had been opened to the
people driven from Armourdale and
Argentine temporary cots and bedding
were arranged for the homeless and
preparations started to feed them.
In Kansas City, Kan, also. hundreds
were cared for In churches, public
buildings and in many private homes
On the Kansas side, Mayor Gilbert or
dered all saloons closed and sent an aps
peal to Secretary of War Taft to Direct
the commander at Fort Leavenwortll
to issue rations to the thousands OF desc
titute
To-day all business was suspended
at the stock yards. where the watee
had covered the pens to the depts or
five feet and flooded the basement Of
the live stock exchange At the pack
ing plants at Armourdale water stood
two feet deep in the Office of Swifta
packing house and like conditions pre-
vail at all other plants. Practically no
trains came in from the west bo-day.
but those to the east moved without
trouble.
Besides telegraphing Secretary Tart
for help, Mayor Gilbert wired Senator
Long and Congressman Bowersock.
asking them to assist In securing ala
from the government.
Many families are unable to secure
wagons and along every street trudgea
men and women carrying bundles Of
clothing and other hastily collected
valuables
The water continued to rise, spread
ing across the river in Missouri from
Kansas City toward the east bottoX
where are the yards of the Miss
Pacific, the Chicago and Alton,
Kansas City Southern railroad
many grain elevators and fa
tories.