The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-22

ly strengthened the frail affair .whicr
was hurriedly constructed Saturday
evening. The waters Of the Kaw failed
to reach the point that the little band
OF levee builders had expected but as
the water rose the dykes likewise grew
In proportion and even II the predict
ed rise had amounted to another foot
the dykes would have kept pace with
the rise in the waters.
The strong wind, from the south
threatened the work of the dyke build
ers Sunday afternoon as the waves lap
ped the soft soil and it crumbled into
the river. Then the workers appropri-
ated ties. telegraph poles and loose
lumber belonging to the Union Pacific
railroad and lashing the mass together
formed a protection for the levee and
the expedient worked to perfection.
That it was the work of this BODY
of men which saved North Topeka from
another flood is shown by the figures
at the government weather station ta-
ken from the river gauge. When
the river gauge measured 1876 the wa
ter was beginning to overflow and the
same gauge indicated 206 feet Sunday
afternoon.
This rise had not the levees been
constructed would have permitted q
stream of water 160 feet in width ana
one foot in depth to have overnowed
the banks and coursed through the
streets of North Topeka. There were
a few who were asked to assist In the
work of levee building who refused as
they deemed the effort useless but they
were in the minority by a large ma
jority.
Names of some Of the North To-
pekans who worked on the dyke at
Union Pacific washout Saturday after
noon and Sunday. June goth and 21st,
| 1908, and which dyke held back water
| from North Topeka:
T. M. Forbes of Forbes elevator
| sent men from his mill and wheel
| barrows, also empty sacks for sand
bags.
Wheelbarrow and man from Cen
| trail Sash Co.
Men with spades, shovels, etc: M.
]. Slabaugh and men and sacks from
| Davis elevator, Emmerson McGrew'
Ed Winans, Bert Keele, Geo. Schenck,
Ray Peterson of Baptist church. VIM.
vanness, councilman; J. F. Berry,
grocer; Geo. Beal, j. J. King, law
yer; ]. F. Van Nice, G. o. Palmer, Al
bert Snooks, C. H. Waldman. c. c.
| Milburn, w. J. Hanna, mail carrier;
R. l.. Robson, Ed. Mallory, ]. M. Burt
| Mr.. Bradshaw, Joshua Burch, Jas
Kincaid E. C. Seger and a number OF
others whose names have not Deen op-
| tanned at this time.
! River Has Fallen q Foot.
At O'Clock this afternoon the gov.
ernment river gauge measured iS.t
feet, exactly the same reading tha'
was recorded at the same hour Sat
urcay. The crest of the high water
passed Topeka at 5 o'clock Sunday al
ternoon and measured 20.5 feet ol
practically a foot higher than at the
| present time The river is falling
slowly and no further fear of hooe
waters is felt as the surplus water
west of Topeka will be cared for o!
the gradual fall of the stream. Th'
rate of fall is expected to increase con
siderably during the next 48 hours a.
no rains have occurred west OF thi
point for several days.
The weather condition In Topeka to
day has been much the same as thos
of the past three or four days. Plen
ty of wind, temperatures above nor
! NAL and a good stiff breeze from tn
south. The following are the tempera
ture readings since Z O'Clock th1