Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-13
FIRE FOLLOWS FLOOD.
Morris Packing Plant at Kansas City
Damaged Quarter Million.
FIGHT FLAMES WITH DIFFICULTY
Burning Structure Surrounded by
Receding Waters of Kaw.
RIVER HIGHER AT ST. LOUIS
Mississippi is Above Danger Line and
Still Rising.
STORM PREVAILS OVER KANSAS
Heavy Rains Along Kaw valley, with
High Winds, Cause Renewed
Fears of Further
Trouble.
RIVER HIGHER AT ST. LoU1
Mississippi is Above Danger Line and
Still Rising.
STORM PREVAILS OVER KANSAS

injured and property loss estimated at
between S25O000 and $4,000 was caused by
two explosions followed by fire. in the
packing plant Of Morris q Co. at Riverside,
in Kansas City, kan, this morning. The
force of the explosions, which were felt all
over both cities. ruined the cold storage
building and the fire that followed de-
stroyed the smoke house, with their con-
tents.
An explosion OF sewer gas resulted when
a watchman IN one Of the cold storage
departments lighted match. This was
followed by another and much more seri-
Gus explosion caused by the igniting OF
quantity Of ammonia nearby and stub
born fire soon started.
The Morris plant is located near the
channel OF the Kaw river and being in the
center of the flooded district is in "A swift
current of water from six to eight feet
deep. This condition made the task of
fighting the fire most difficult and It re-
quired five hours TO place the flames un-
der control For a time the entire plant
seemed doomed. Fire apparatus was trans
ported the scene, after much delay, by
means of flat cars. There were fifty men
in the plant when the explosions occurred
but all except four escaped. Two of these
were instantly killed and two others badly
mangled. IT is impossible at this time to
estimate the loss on the meat destroyed,
but that on the buildings Is estimated at
$4,000.
The loss of meat in the present fire was
enormous The coolers were packed to
their capacity. as the flood had interfered
with railway traffic long before the water
shut down the plant
Both Rivers RecedinE.
Despite heavy rains late last night
and early today in the Kaw and Mis-
souri, valleys. reaching from north
eastern Kansas to Omaha, both the
Kaw and the Missouri rivers in this
vicinity continued to fan today. and flood
conditions generally are greatly improved
over yesterday. In tho last twenty-four
hours the Kaw has fallen two feet regis
tering 2B.6 at o'clock this morning. The
Missouri went down more slowly, receding
half foot from o'clock last night to q
o'clock this morning. when It registered 27.s
feet.
A heavy downpour in Kansas City this
morning caused some additional trouble
from flooded Placements in the west bot
toms where the sewers were unable to
carry off, the excess. No further damage
was experienced In the stock yards, Argen-
tine and Armourdale. Kan, and in Harlem,
Mo. however. and none is expected. The
stock yards We're still idle and the packing
houses were unable to continue killing. even
II they had stock. The railroads, on the
other hand, were in better shape and on all
roads trains were running. though on most
of them schedules were still dlsarranged.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. June 1.-THE
Missouri river is rising here at the rate Of
two inches an hour. The water is flooding
the lowlands and the Chicago & Alton
tracks across the river at Cedar City are
h1a a., oil us "a
: day and is expected to flood small streams.
Heavy Rain in Kaw Valley.
TOPEKA, KAN June ia terrific rain
which amounted to a cloudburst in many
portions of the Kaw valley and which
was accompanied by the heaviest wind and
electrical storm of years swept down over
this territory early today. IL is feared
this win tend to check the fall OF the Kaw,
which at 10 o'clock today registered 1914
feet
At Topeka two inches fell this morning.
A small boy named Skibbee was drowned
here today when boat upset with him.
Fully three inches Of rain fell at Wam-
ego. thirty miles west.
Rock Creek, north of wamego, went out
OF the banks this morning, flooding the
local territory.
The wind was in the nature of tornado
blowing down trees and unroofing the
Catholic church at Wamego,
At St. Marys. twenty-five miles west, be-
tween two and three inches of rain fell
Many trees were blown down and crops
injured. The Kaw valley bottoms as Ross
vile are reported covered where a three
inch rain prevailed with heavy wind.
storm Conditions Prevail.
Manhattan had two inches of rain and
much wind. About the same conditions
are reported from Junction City, Abilen,
and Salina.
one Of the worst storms OF years pre-
vailed around HoIton. The wind and light
ming We're terrific while at least thre'
inches OF water fell.
Council Grove. southwest of here, eX
perienced cloudburst, sending the Neosh'
river up rapidly and nearly drowning on
the town.
Valley Falls. northeast OF hero, ha'
nearly four inches and the Delaware rive
is rising eight inches an hour, While, mucl
of the farm land in under water.
Around Topeka the railroad conditions
are better The Santa Fe reports heavl
washout on the Superior branch north o
Strong City, where much track is out
This viii prevent for time the sending
of overland Union Pacific and Rock Islan'
trains west BY that route.
River Highest at So. Louis.
ST LOUIS, Mo. June l2.-The Mississipp
river. which has been practically stationar3
for the last week. although at flood stag
danger mark. Is beginning to rise rapidly
The gauge this morning marked So.7 feet
a rise OF four-tenths OF a foot in the las
twenty-fOur hours. The danger line is ;
feet The weather bureau this morning
predicted a stage Of sl.2 by. tomorrow morn
- - II a.
ing down the Missouri TiVdt from Kansa
CITY and vicinity.
Thousands OF acres Of fine farm land
hundreds OF homeless people and miles o
railroad track under water are results o
the present stage OF high water in the val
leys OF the Mississippi and Missouri river
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