Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-06-19
ABOUT THE FLOOD.
Late Reports are Encouragins-con-
ditions are Now Normal.

Kansas City, June 12:-Despite the
heavy rains today In the Kaw and
Missouri valleys, both the Kaw and
Missouri rivers in this vicinity con-
tinued to fall today. The flood con.
ditions generally are greatly improv.
ed.
st. Louis, June 1.-THE Mississip-
pi river Is beginning to rise rapidly,
water pouring down the Missouri
from KansasCity. Thousands Of acres
Of farm land Is inundated. Hundreds
Of homeless people are existing, and
miles Of railroad track is under water
In valleys Of Mississippi and Nilsson.
| ri.
Kansas City, June 12:-Two labor.
ers lost their lives, two others were
seriously injured, and a property loss
estimated at three hundred and fifty
thousand dollars was caused by two
explosions. followed by a fire in the
packing plant Of Morris & Co., at the
river side in Kansas City, Kas., this
morning. The force Of the explosion
was felt all over the two Kansas City
and completely ruined the cold stor.
age building. The fire that follow.
ed destroyed the smoke house and
its contents. The plant was located
In the center Of the flood district.
A terrific rain, amounting to a
cloudburst In many portions, and &C.
companied by wind of tornado proper
tions struck the Kaw valley early this
morning, causing the streams to rise
again, doing much damage. At To.
peka two inches Of water fell, at Wa,
mego. st. Mary's, Holton and Coun.
ell Grove three inches are reported,
and at Valley Falls four inches. AT
Wamego trees were blown down and
the Catholic church unroofed. A small
tornado struck the southern part Of
Lyon cos+ ~ AT Madison roofs were
blown off some of the largest store
buildings e., seral small buildings
were demolished So far as known
no life has been lost, except one boy
who was drowned at Topeka by fall.
ing from a skiff.
Jefferson City, June 12:-The Mis-.
souri, river is rising here at the rate
Of two inches per hour. The recent
heavy rains are expected to swell the
small streams, overflow the lowlands
and destroy the crops.
Topeka June 13:-The flood con.
ditions in Topeka are serious again
today. North Topeka Is under water
again and the people are being hur-
ried out in boats. Topeka proper is |
surrounded by an overflow from the
Shaganunga. Houses are inundated
for nearly three blocks along IFS
source. In some of the houses tho
water is six feet deep. The rise can
SO sudden that the people were uni
able to remove their household eff
fects. Many conservative citizens
fear the conditions will be worse thar
at the time Of the great flood in 1903
Emporia, June 13:-The Cottonwoo,
river, a tributary OF the Neosho, now
lacks but seven feet Of reaching the
high water mark of 1903, and is ris-
ing at the rate Of a foot hour.
Salina June 13:-Mr. and Mrs. T. |
Kerth, near Palco, were drowned last
night as they were returning from a
wedding. They we're driving through
a ravine when the buggy was caught
by the strong current and upset. The
bodies we're found several hours later
Kansas City, June 1S:-The United
States weather forecaster, Connor has
warned the residents and business
men of Armourdale, Kas., west bot
| toms of Kansas City, NO., and other
districts near the Kaw and Missouri
rivers that serious flood proportions
would prevail by tomorrow noon. He
expects the Kaw to register a rSse
| to a height Of thirty feet, almost two
feet higher than the highest point
when the crest was reached Thurs
day. This win take water into the
Union station, and flood the east bot
toms Of Kansas City, Mo-, which 50
| far has suffered little from the
present flood. Live stock commits
sion men are moving all their effects
from the first floor Of the exchange
building. and the railroads are rapid
|ly moving all cars from the threaten.
ed district. The highest point that
was reached by the Kaw here In the
1903 flood was thirty five feet.
Kansas City, June 15:-The Hood
conditions are more serious In Kan
sas City today than alta ny time since
the rise In the Kaw and Missouri
rivers, but both were stationary at