The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1909-07-15
DISASTROUS FLOODS
SEVERAL MISSOURI AND KANSAS
TOWNS SUFFER- FROM
HIGH WATER.
MUCH PROPERTY is DESTROYED
~Pattonsburs, Mo-, Suffered tho Most,
But Springfield, No., and Ottawa,
kAns Also Report
Damage.

QltaMh Nan. July N--fiF years
3 Ottawa had It's greatest food and
eo%lncidently set the mark high above
any possibility Of future food condt
tons. Al noon to-day the town strug.
giles with a Hood more than a foot
beyond the previous record. and with
conditions which could only be aggra
waited BY loss Of life.
At 10 o'clock this morning The
Marais des Cygnes river stands at 81
feet at the Main street gauge. OF the
bridge itself only the upper framework
Is visible. Communication between
North and South Ottawa ls cut on By
a channel half a mile vice, through
which sweeps a miilrace which v e
a skilled boatman could scarcely Cross,
Frame buildings in the North Main
street business portion have been car
rled down stream Others are deeply
submerged. and even the all-day
preparations OF yesterday did not avail
70 save heavy loss to merchants, 80
far beyond expectations was the rise.
Estimates on the number o. home
less families are necessarily guess
work Sections never before reached
by foods are t~enantlesa now. swept BY
wastes Of muddy water. schoolhouses
and churches are filed with refugees.
There are numerous reports Of loss OF
life, but lone has 50 far been sub-
stantiated.
A swift current four feet IN depth
sweeps through the Santa Re union
station The Missouri Pacific station
Is Ia the center Of a sea. Railroad
traflc is abandoned ard only extern
sive repairs to tracks and yards can
re-estabIish a. Santa re division on.
elals are here protecting their proper
~. Freight and baggage has been
removed 10 high ground.
Tie city authorities have organized
police patrol by boats and are presery-
ing order IN the flooded districts,
Much rescue work Is stn being done
BY boats.
From the country districts the re-
ports Of property loss Is large. Grain
fields just harvested are swept clear.
Considerable loss Of live stock has
taken place. West OF town. ia the
most fertile agricultural region In the
county. water stretches for many
miles Bridges along the country
creeks are out.
Springfield, No. Also Suffers.
Springfield. Mo. July ~s-scores OF
persons rendered homeless, three per
sons reported drowned and property
loss estimated At s750.000 is the result
OF a food which swept through the
heart Of Springfield late last night.
Rain began falling here AZ 6 o'clock
last evening and continued TN early
this morning, the precipitation being
seven inches. The Jordan river. which
divides Springfield. AZ normal stage. is
less than 20 fees wide. Last night It
Was one-half mile wide. The river
flows through the wholesale and manu-.
~fRcturing district, and the water stood
ave feet deep In many buildings,
washing away large quantities Of
goods. Several houses IN the east
part % the city were washed away,
and q was necessary 70 rescue the
occupants "a boats, holes being
chopped IN the roofs OF the house 70
provide exits
Hundreds OF passengers were ma
rooned IN the Frisco passenger sta
ton. aud it was necessary 20 carry
women 20 the second floor. as the
water stood i've feet deep. Railroad
trafao IS demorallaed. there, being
many washouts on all divisions OF TIE
Frisco out OF Springfield. II is report
ed that a Frisco freight train went
into d river near RoEersyiie, No.
the engineer falling 20 notice The
bridge bad been washed away. Wires
are down and the reports cannot be
verified.
The main streets Of Springfield are
strewn with tons Of debris and che
Wreckaee Of small houses. Flremeu
and police are searching houses which
were In the path Of the flood for per-
sons who may haNo lost their lives.
a Flood AZ P~attonsburp.
ST Joseph, $40, July S-Tho heavy
rains have caused much damage IN
Northwest Missouri MaryEino was
without train service yesterday. The
food lesses OF Nodaway county are
estimated az 100000. witch includes
$4,000 IN bridges destroyed The
wheat orop sin De- a total loss On
Eodaway county on aecouu, OF the
inability Of farmers 10 get into the
nelds. a bumper crop had been
promised.
Late adviees from Pattonshurg. a
town Of 1899 Inhabitants. say that the
water has covered that district TO a
depth Of six OF seven feet and an OF
the Inhabitants who ala not escape to