The Topeka state journal., 1908-06-08
! Government Gauge Registers 26.7 Feet
This Afternoon.
Republican Falls a Foot at junction
City During the Night.
TROUBLE WITH THE BACK water
Comes Up Soldier Creek and Breaks
Over the Levee.
Flood Water From Kansas River Covers
the City Park.
IT BREAKS THROUGH THE BANK
Water Sweeps Down From the Breach
This Afternoon.
Soon Reaches the Fire Station at Cor
don Street.
Water Sweeps Down From the Breach
This Afternoon.
Soon Reaches the Fire Station at Cor
don Street.

the fire station. This water comes
from the overflow at the bend in the
river over a mile west of Kansas ave-
nue. at a point at the west end of the
Union Pacific tie treating plant.
The river flows over the banks at
this point for distance of half mile,
the current running f1erceiy at
depth that varies from two to six feet
at noon today. 1t washed out the
Union Pacific tracks at 10 o'clock and
at noon was flowing over the tracks
!, over 100 yards wide in a fierce cur
rent two and three feet deep. The
water is flowing over ana seeping
through the tracks at this point for a
distance of 500 yards. After crossing
the tracks this volume of water turns
east into the old river channel and
flows down upon North Topeka to-
ward Garfield park. Gordon street.
being low, forms a branch for this
stream, or flood
Just inside the break this stream is
500 yards wide and three feet deep
and flows with a strong current. 1t is
running into the first story windows Of
a house near the break and over the
fences. One of the wheels or an over
turned wagon in the farm yard turns
around and around in the current like
mill wheel sounding a dIrge 10 the
deserted premises and the threatened
ruin.
A State Journal reporter accom-
panied a Union Pacific trackman up to
the washout of the tracks at IL o'clock
this morning. The roadbed was wash
ed out and the rails twisted like rib
bons in the current and 100 yards Of
track went out while the reporter and
trackman stood at the edge of the
flood. The track had been unsafe
since early in the morning and pas
sengers had been transferred to the
Wamego plug from the regular train
Breaks Over at Coal Cnutes.
On the return trip in the hand car
it was found that the river had
broken through and over it's banks at
the coal chutes and was seeping
through and over the tracks. For
over half a mile the car passed
through water that was running over
the top of the rails and washing the
ballast out like sand. At places the
current was very swift and it cut deep
trenches under the rails At noon the
| water from this break had passed
Sas avenue.
1t is expected that the water WIFI
cover Kansas avenue from Soldier
creek to the river to a depth of over
two feet by night. but the people over
there are prepared this time. All the
| cottages were deserted at 10 o'clock
today, the windows were boarded up
| and the chicken coops placed on top
of the porches. In some instances
| wooden scaffoldings had been built
around the houses to keep the drift
wood away. Boats appeared on Jack
son street as early as 10 O'Clock and
these were moored at the junction of
Gordon street and Central avenue at
| noon. The water was three feet ceep
| in Jackson street at noon and seven
| inches deep in Central avenue.
From 10 o'clock to noon the water
! in North Topeka rose rapidly The
| stream from the break west of the
| tie plant connected with the back
| water from Soldier creek at 10 O'Clock
and then the water crept up streets
and alleys and trickled cross side
walks like living thing. Inch by
| inch it crept up Kansas avenue from
| Morse street. Inside of an hour it had
| reached within a few feet of Gordon
| street where a rise in the pavement
| grade held it for few minutes.
At IL o'clock the river broke
through below the bridge near the
! Curator mills and formed q junction