The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-13
People of South Topeka and
East Side Affected.
Water Rises Rapidly Finding
Them Unprepared.
NO BOATS AT FIRST.
People Rescued on Horseback
and in Wagon.
All the Bridges in the Locality
Menaced.
WENT DOWN RAPIDLY.
Creek Will Be in Channel by
Night.
air
All the Bridges in the Locality
Menaced.
DOWN RAPIDLY.
Boats Brought From vinewood
Pressed Into Service.

A sudden and unexpected rise in
creek at an early hour
this morning drove a great many pec-
pie in South and East Topeka from
their homes. The water rose rapidly
after o'clock and was soon in many
houses. Chief Eaton was notified and
the patrol wagon was put in service
taking people to places of safety.
There were no boats available in the
early morning and horses were pressed
into service, people riding out on horse
back The city railway relieved the
situation at 10 o'clock by bringing
load Of row boats from Vinewood.
Shortly before noon the water began
to fall rapidly and at o'clock had
fallen six feet and was still falling
rapidly. The creek will probably be
back in its channel before night.
Many Families Would Not Leave
A majority of the families marooned
by Shunganunga creek, refused to
leave when approached by rescue
boats. The cottage dwellers have
moved in with. the nearest neighbor
who lives in two-story house, and
very little actual suffering has re-
suited. A hue and cry was raised at
the water edge this morning by
Anders who was very sick at 1928
Van Buren street, taken out to
safety. The water was then seven
feet deep in her home a one-story
cottage. In great haste a boat was
hauled from North Topeka and a
crew went after Mrs Anders. who
was known to be seriously ILL., The
rescue party found Mrs. Anders safely
housed n
two-story house, and she refused to
take the boat ride. The same con-
dition was true in many Etances.
The people who were flooded moved
to higher houses, and there remained.
Judge Joseph Reeds family at Nine
teenth and Kansas avenue, are en-
tertaining three or four other families
on the second floor.
Contrary to expectations, the cur
rent in the South Side flood is very
mild, except in the regular channel
of the creek, where bridges are out
of commission for from one end of
the short creek to the other. The
water has failed to break through the
combined Santa Fe and Missouri Pa
cif1c tracks where they cross the
creek between Quincy and Kansas
avenue. Many families living near the
railroads, waded out and by walking
north on the tracks, easily escaped
A family at Nineteenth and Kan
sas avenues named Tiptop, who were
Quarantined on account of smallpox,
was taken out this morning in boats,
and taken charge of by the city
physician. -
Just before noon, the fire boat
which had been hauled in from North
Topeka on account of the slight fire In
Cuthbert and Sargents stone mill was
hauled back to the North Side by or
der Of Chief Wilmarth, of the de-
partment. The fire was caused by a
few barrels of quick-lime in shed.
Before the fire boat arrived, firemen. :
from central station had invaded the
place in boats, chopped open the /.
barrels of lime and "ducked' the con-
tents. About the same time boats %
were carried across the railroad
tracks into the populated district east,
and the refugees removed.
The fire boat, gasoline motor boat g..
owned and operated by Walter Gill
more, did not make any trips in the
Shunganunga district, as it was held
under orders of the fire chief. and was
hurried back to North Topeka at the
first opportunity, but the Street Rail- .
way company brought in four of the .
Vinewood park boats on the work
car, and launched them the
Shunganunga. Six more of the park
boats were brought in for use on the
North Side.
Between 10 o'clock and noon the
South Side flood fell IL inches. 7
Shunganunga creek is a short stream,
and the South Side flood will go down
rapidly with the cessation of the
present rain.
Biddle Creek Lake.
Shortly before noon today the wat
er in East Topeka had assumed the
proportions of large lake which ex-
tended from the Santa Fe tracks to
the hill on which the cemetery is To-
Gated. The waters of Biddle Creek
and the Shunganunga creek had
merged and the entire Parkdale dis
trict and evolved itself into lake
However, it was hardly the kind of
a lake that Chris Roof and other resi-
dents of that portion have been ask
ing for several years.
The damage, however, will not be as
great as was at first expected. There
is no place where the water will be
over three feet in depth and all the
residents were taken to places OF
safety in wagons. The water along
washington street south of Tenth was
about as deep as any place on the
East side. This is colored residence
section and the natives had but little
trouble In reaching terra firma-
-