The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-07
EICHT-INCH RAIN.
Topeka Experiences Heaviest
Fall in History.
Street Car Traffic Impeded by
Water on Tracks.
SIDEWALKS RIVERS
cutters We're Raging and I'M
passable Torrents.
Early Morning Pedestrians Com
PEELED to Wade to Business.

afternoon. amounted to just eight and
zine one-hundreths inches by gov
ernment measurement in Topeka If il
ever rained more than that in the same
length of time. it was in ye olden days
before the government weather bureau
was established here-and the burea u
has been here q years. The previous
record OF rainfall for the same length
of time was in July of this year, with
5-s1 inches. Previous to that. the
highest record was 459 Under ordi-
nary conditions. this rain would flood
every stream in the country, including
the Kaw river On account of the pro-
tracted drouth, which left the ground
cracked and thirsty, about of the 8
inches was absorbed as it fell.
Sidewalks Were Rivers.
Early morning pedestrians found the
sidewalks small rivers varying in depCn
from three to six inches, while the gut
ters were raging torrents Western
avenue at Sixth was under water two
feet at $50 and at Polk street and Van
Buren street it was nearly as bad. Cars
which ploughed their way through
threw water into the front vestibuIes
much like the progress of a snow p1ow.
People stood on the street corners il
drOves and when the cars did come
they waded manfully through the gut
Nothing like it was ever experienced
in Topeka
The heavy rain was noticeable on
the paved streets, where it could not
general condition of all streets during
the night, and the sewers are about
three hours behind in their deliveries
Five weeks accumulation OF dust IN
alleys and side streets out of range of
street sWeepers, was dissipated in
than it has been in a long time
Street car traffic was fmpeded for
several hours last night and also
this morning. and even where the
reach them on account of the. deep
water at the curbs-
Circus Had Trouble.
The Barnum and Bailey circus ar
rived on the Rock Island this morn
ing but could not unload, although
number of small boys had braved the
downpOur to witness the great event
Skene's park. the place chosen for
the circus site, is a low, fiat 1oca-
ton and was not only under standing
water. but threatened by the adjacent
Shun ganunga creek The circus man
started out early to find a new loca-
ton bu- failed and the circus was called
off Soldier creek. the local and
long distance disturber of the North
Side was reported this forenoon as
about a foot an hour
Government reports from the Kan
sas weather stations, for the "a
hours ending at I o'clock this morn
cal. The following stations report as
follows: Baker, 1.70; Concordia,
1876: Dodge City, -26: Fort Scott. .06;
MacksvilIe AZ; Mcpherson. .32; Man
Cup to o'clock-an hour later
than readings from other stations)
SOS: Toronto, 80; wichita. 1-5s.
kansas City reports 2-2O.
gathered that the Kaw river is in no
danger of a rise. It rained less than
. inches at Manhattan. and still less
at anv other point above here on the
Kaw valley. The river measurement
at Topeka this morning was 9-3.
TbfcF is barely normal. and a rise of
onIv a foot and seven-tenths since
yesterday
Trouble With Car Service.
The car service on the street railway
was impaired to such an extent that a
semi-owI time table was Instituted to
accommodate the passengers diti't Mno Hs9
huddled together under sheIterlaS
porches and awnings last night Inc
surface water rose so rapidly that 1t
was dangerous for the crews to attempt
a passage on some OF the streets anu
the cars were stopped until the water
could recede both last night and this
morning
on West sixth avenue near the Tyler
valley the water came across the tracks
like mountain trout stream-mtnus
the cIearness and the fish The sewers
were unable to carry off the downpour
and it hunted the low places 1t was
so deep at this point that the crews did
not dare to make rum for the high
places on the other side.
This morning the cars were only run
ming TO Lake street on the cemetery |
line The water always plays pranks |
with the railway tracks in this dis- |
trict and occasionally it makes trouble |
for the residents. The spillway did AL
il could to quiet the miniature rivers |
but the extent of its ability is limited
when a record breaking rainfall hap
this forenoon
In North Topeka the cars ran as far \
as the end of the double tracks-they \
could not go any farther than this On /
account of the water held behind the 4
likes There is no overflow of any kind 4
in the First ward and the whole trouble 4
IS over the inability of the sewers to 90 /
in regular order to the North side. how
ever. and the demand past the double
tracks this time of the season is never
very heavy
In South Topeka the water ran in Il
torrents down Eighteenth and Nine
teenth streets from Topeka avenue to /
Van Buren street The cars could n u 1
be operated along this route The city /
has failed to place a food gate in the
drainage board dixie along here and tlt-
street railway is one of the heaviest /
sufferers
The rest Of the lines have been trout