Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-06-05
Waterspout in Kan.
sas Does Fearful
Damage
ONE RIVER S MILES VIDE
Situation in Western Montana
Serious Railroad Traf.
fic at Standstill.

Topeka, Kans., June 5-Reports
which reached Topeka today from the
valley of the Kaw river and Its tribu
taries west Of this city indicate
fiye.foot rise In the river at this
point during the next twenty four
hours. Heavy rains have been falling
during the past twenty-four hours
along headwaters Of the streams trib-
T, utary to the Kaw. The present
stage Of the river at Topeka Is l6
feet To be a food stage 1t would
have to reach q feet. The high water
Of 1909 reached 80 feet The rainfall
in the valleys Of the tributary streams
during the past twenty-four hours has
exceeded two inches. A heavy rain
fell during the night at Topeka and
an almost continual fall prevailed dur
ing the morning hours today.
Waterspout Visits Two Counties.
Independence, Kans, June s. - A
waterspout extending over Wilson and
Greenwood counties early today
caused the Verdegris river to rise rap
idly resulting in much damage, the
flooding of the lowlands along the
river and the wiping out Of crops
Many cattle were also swept away
The river is 4 or miles wide at this
point and IS IT the highest stage 10
its history.
Situation Serious in Montana.
Missoula, Mont, June Sat noon
today the food situation in western
Montana was more serious than 1t has
been at any time since the thirty-days
rain began The rainfall for the past
twenty four hours has been the heau
est of the month and all streams are
at the danger point. Word came 70
Missoula this morning that the Moul,
ton dam above Butte had burst and
this food had raised the river at Gar
rison, rs miles east of Missoula, four
feet at noon. This water Is expected to
reach here this afternoon. There are
two large dams between Garrison and
Missoula and their destruction Is now
threatened. The largest of these is a
power dam owned by W. A. Clark. II
this goes out it will cause the destruc
tlon Of farms In the valley for miles
around
No Trains Moving.
The railroad situation in western
Montana Is serious. The Northern Pa.
cific has not moved train between
Missoula and Helena and Butte since
last Monday and it may be weeks be-
fore the damage that the water has
caused can be repaired. Miles Of new
road bed Of the st. Paul railroad east
of here have been swept away and 1t
is estimated that It will be more than
a month before the damage can be re
paired.
Rains Continue; Rivers Keep Rising.
The Big Blackfoot river is at the
flood stage and there Is great danger
of the destruction of the big dam of
the Blackfoot Milling company at
Benner. which contains about go mil.
lion feet of logs. Wagon bridges all
along the river have been swept away.
The Bitterroot river Is becoming
threatening and the railroad bridges
along this stream are unsafe The
Northern Pacific railway has Assem-.
bled on this division all Its pile driv-
ers from the West it can get. The
fight against the raging waters Is be-
Ing carried on by ten thousand men.
but the water is gaining steadily and
the rain continues to fall in torrents.
Railroad Traffic Suspended.
The Missoula river at this point Is
but few feet below the highest mark
ever registered. The expensive city
bridges are in danger and are being
guarded to prevent their use, so dan
gerous are they considered. West Of
here the Northern Pacific has not had
any trouble yet. The Great Northern
railway in western Montana Is said to
be in as bad shape as the st. Paul
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