Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-09-17
Boy and Horse Drown When Bridge Across
Soldier Creek Goes Out.
SIX INCHES OF RAIN At NEBRASKA CITY
Long stretches of Missouri Pacific
and BurIinEton Tracks and
Several Bridges Are
washed out.

Several Bridges Are
washed Out.
TOPEKA Kas Sept. 16-The food situ-
alton here tonight is more serious. The
levees protecting the farming lands along
Soldier creek have broken and thousands
Of acres OF cornfelds are under water. A
wagon bridge across Soldier creek went
out at 4 o'clock this afternoon, carrying
eight boys and horse and buggy down
with It. Seven Of the boys have been res
cued, but one is stir reported missing The
horse was drowned.
The Kaw river is rising rapidly at this
point, and a repition OF the disastrous
flood Of 1903 is feared. Railroad communi-
cation between Topeka and Kansas City
on the north side of the river has been
completely cut of Communication with
ST. Joseph over the Rock Island is still
cut of. The Union Pacific has two bridges
out west Of Topeka and is using the tracks
OF the Rock Island Both the Union Pa
cifc and Rock Island are using the Santa
! Fe tracks between Topeka and Kansas
City. 1t is expected that communication
west over the Rock Island will be cut off
some time tonight The town of Rossville
eighteen miles west OF Topeka. on the
north bank of the Kaw, is having trouble
WIN nEn water. Inc streets were buo-
merged for the greater part Of the day.
but the water fell considerably this after
noon.
The country from the state reform school
to Rossville. distance OF over fifteen miles,
is entirely submerged The water has also
cut OF communication between Topeka and
the reform school and that institution was
completely isolated this afternoon. The
water at the reform school at O'Clock to-
night touched the high water mark reached
during the flood Of 1903. kilograms just
received here state that the Kaw is rising
| rapidly at all points above Topeka.
Many people living in the low districts
of North Topeka preparing to move
! out.
A telephone communication from Shoney,
suburb of North Topeka. states that the
streets are submerged and the water is
/ rapidly rising.
| Kaw stIu Rising at Midnight.
At midnight the Kaw river was still
! r'ging scndtlv ~ this point and at all
/ points above Topeka. Alarm at North
! Topeka is increasing. The streets are
| flooded with three feet of water. At Memo
ken, a village ten miles west of North
Topeka, about 100 persons have been driven
| from their homes by the water. which is
rushing through the streets.
The Rock Island road has succeeded In
! getting a train through to the north over
| its St Joseph line. II is now known that
! Guy Blaze, a lO-year-old boy who was on
the Soldier creek bridge which washed
| out, was drowned.
Tracks washed out Mt Nebraska City.
| NEBRASKA CITY, Sept l6.-(special
! Telegram.)-One Of the most severe rain
and electric storms in many years visited
this city last night, Great damage was
done to railroad tracks by the heavy vol
umes OF water that rushed down the small
streams. over six inches of rain has fallen
since 9 o'clock last night and heavy rain
is falling today
The Missouri Pacific reports long stretches
of track washed out, both north and south
of this city, and the Burlington tracks west
and south of the city are entirely under
water. Several bridges are reported washed
out Train service on both roads has been
abandoned for today.
The large dam at the Morton Gregson
packing plant went out and the water did
considerable damage to property in that
vicinity. The water undermined the boilers
at the gas plant and practically ruined that
portion OF the works
Lightning struck in several places. doing
the most damage at the Overland Country
club house and the Burlington railroad
bridge which spans the Missouri river. The
approach to the bridge was damaged. but
trains are crossing.
Reports from out in the county indicate
that the storm was more severe than II
was here. At Burr exceptionally large hail
stones fell and the damage will be great.
The government rain guage shows that
over six inches of water fell during the
night.
| AUBURN, Neb., Sept 16-(special.)-It
|
three days and nights. The Nemaha river
is higher than IL has been at any time this
season. The entire bottoms east and north
Of town are completely covered, running
hundreds Of acres of nearly matured corn,
and families and stock have been forced
to hunt higher quarters. The Missouri
Pacific railroad is completely tied up, no
trains having either arrived or left town
! since yesterday afternoon. Passengers and
freights crowd the yards and traftic is at a
complete standstiI There are wsshouts
both ways, compelling the trains that ar
rived yesterday 70 remain. II viii no doubt
be some time before trafhc viii resume It's
natural course as II is still raining and the
river is rising higher every hour.
severe Hail In Adams.
HASTINGS, Neb., Sept. l6.-(special Tele-
! gramD-A disastrous hailstorm hit the
| northeast corner Of Adams county at 4:S0
this morning and did much damage. For
nearr thirty minutes there was a hard
rain Of hail and the stones were Of unusual
size and weight Trees were badly beaten
and cut and many were moved down. Corn
was also badly damaged. However, the
hail did not hurt the winter wheat, as II
has just started 20 shoot out OF the ground.
The storm took in Hansen, Trumbull and
Inland. and came within two miles OF the
eastern corporate limits OF Hastings, The
Burlington track seemed 10 be the boundary
line on the south.
BEATRICE, Neb., Sept. ls.-Cspeclal Tel
| egram.J-The Burlington, Rock Island and
| Union Pacific were unoble 70 get their
lines open for trafhc east and south OF this
city today on account OF washouts by the
flood Of Thursday night. Large gangs Of
! | mon are AZ work renaLrinE the tracks and