The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-13
KAW AGAIN LEAVES BANKS

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'IndicatiOns point to conditions up
the Kaw valley similar to those in
Topeka and a general storm condition
along the valleys of the rivers tribu-
tory to the Kaw. A heavy shower fell
i'm Topeka during the later hours of
the morning the precipitation in To-
peka amounting to 1.65 inches. As
the same storm conditions prevail up
the valley of the Kaw as at Topeka it
is safe to presume that the entire
valley has received rains during the
night
At noon today not a drop of water
had flowed across Crane street, yet
at that time the flood was sweeping
through North Topeka almost as
deep and with swifter current than
it did early Tuesday morning. The
break at the bend above the tie treat
ing plant was as bad at noon today
as it was Tuesday when the river
proper was three feet higher. The
break at the coal chutes less than
actually worse at noon than it was at
the crest of the rise last Tuesday
morning Soldier creek has been
swept back into its banks by the flood
from the Kaw river flowing down
from the break in the bend. These
indications all point strongly to the
fact that the river is inclining in it's
flow to the north-away from Topeka
toward North Topeka. 1t appears
that a new channel may be cut
through just south of Garfield park in
whose path stood the Inflated Shonk-
weller house in which seven people
were drowned in the flood five years
ago. This would leave Topeka off the
main channel of the river.
The situation in North Topeka is
very threatening. The people over
They realize that the flood may
be higher this time than it was the
first of the week. How much higher
can only be conjectured, as the flood
is sweeping toward the north. The
actual depth of the river proper as
shown by the gauge does not indicate
the conditions in North Topeka. There
is danger of the river seeking a new
channel, but this is not clearly defined
as yet. 1t is apparent that the sweep
of the flood is toward the North Side.
By 10 o'clock nearly all the people
had been rescued from their homes by
men in boats and in vehicles. At noon
there was still a score of the stubborn
ones who refused to leave their houses.
The boatmen called and implored and
threatened. but they would not leave.
There are women in the second stories
of houses on Kansas avenue north of
Fairchild street. At Kious and Quincy
streets the family of ]. B. Billiard still
remained. The water was four feet
deep In the street there at noon. Fam
flies that refused to leave at o'clock
rushed to the edge of their porches
and climbed eagerly into the boats.
The current is swifter today than it
was Tuesday, even though not so deep
by two feet.
The waters of Soldier creek, that
threatened the town at daylight this
morning, were rolled back by the flood
from the Kaw river which swept down
from the west. large tree had been
blown down and across KiStler street
at Monroe by the storm last night and
made the passage of boats at this place
very dangerous. The current here is
very swift where still water prevailed
last Tuesday.
The work of rescue this morning was
well carried out, quickly and with
method. Five hundred people, most of
them women and children, were landed
on the avenue at Laurent street be-
tween $50 and $50 this morning. Ev-
erybody was cool and determined to do
all the work possible and do it effec-
lively. Inc refugees were remarkably
cool, especially the women who had
been cut off by the fast rising water
and waited their turn for the boats and
buggies.
The State Journal reporter made the
trip in one of the boats at 10 O'Clock
as far north on Monroe street as Kious
street where two men and a woman
were taken from a large two-story
house on the corner. All the people
in the neighborhood had been rescued
at that time except the Billiard family,
the members of which refused to leave.
They were in the second story. The
current will do much more damage at
this place than it did Tuesday.
At Garfield park where the break in
Soldier creek looked so threatening
early this morning the banks are COW
cred with broad expanse of Kaw
water which had overwhelmed the flood
from it's small sister stream.
The merchants on Kansas avenue ar.
trying to get all their goods in to the
second story before the flood reaches
them. In every case where possible
they are having their more valuable
goods hauled over to the South side.
They fear the worst. At the H. NJ.
Cline & Sons hardware store between
Laurent and Gordon streets, where Ia
inches of water flowed through the
store Tuesday morning they are pre-
pairing for four feet. Stagings are
erected ana the gOOuS IldceQ up tHeTc.
The elder Cline declared that he would
stand by his Keep Smiling" sign in
the window until the waters covered
it.
Desperate haste was necessary all
morning in order to again prepare for
the second flood. Men who had worked
all night still toiled at noon today with
feverish haste to save their property.
Union Pacific Tracks Washed Out.
The Union Pacific tracks at the coal
chuts, that had been repaired only the
day before, went out at 10 o'clock and
the water crept down Railroad street
in steady stream almost to the ave-
nue. by noon. Further up above at the
tie plant the tracks had been washed
out for a distance of 500 yards
Workmen gave uD the fight at the
bend at noon and returned through
the water. The tie plant is covered