The Mena weekly star., 1909-07-15
A FLOOD IN KANSAS
THE MARAis DIES cYcNEs RIVER IS HIGHER AT OTTAWA
 THAN EVER BEFORE.
HEAVY LOSSES TO MERCHANTS
Several Frame Buildings Have Been Carried Away and Many Families Are Homeless -- Springfield, Mo-, Also Suffers.

Ottawa. Kan, July s.-Five years ago Ottawa had its greatest flood and coincidently set the mark high above any possibility of future flood condi tions. At noon today the town strug- gles with a flood more than a foot beyond the previous record, and with conditions which could only be aggra vated by loss of life
 At 10 o'clock this morning the Marais des Cygnes river stands at 37 feet at the Main street gauge Of the bridge itself only the upper framework is visible Communication between North and South Ottawa is cut off by a channel half mile wide, through which sweeps a millrace which even skilled boatman could scarcely cross Frame buildings in the North Main street business portion have been car ried down stream. Others are deeply submerged, and even the .allday preparations of yesterday did not avail to save heavy loss to merchants, so far beyond expectations was the rise
 Estimates on the number of home less families are necessarily guess work Sections never before reached by floods are tenantless now, swept by wastes of muddy water. Schoolhouses and churches are filled with refugees There are numerous reports of loss of life. but none has so far been sub stantiated.
 A swift current four feet in depth sweeps through the Santa Fe union station. The Missouri Pacific station is in the center of sea Railroad traffic is abandoned and only exten- sIve repairs to tracks and yards can re-establish It. Santa Fe division off. cials are here protecting their proper ty Freight and baggage has been removed 10 high ground.
 The city authorities have organized police patrol by boats and arc preserv ing order in the flooded districts Much rescue work is still 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. in the most fertile agricultural region In the county, water stretches for many miles. Bridges along the country creeks are out.
 Reports this morning show slow fall up stream and the river is ex- pected to become stationary here by noon. So far the city water, electric and gas services have been main. tained. There Is believed to be little actual suffering in the city.
 The Maras des Cygnes river flood will not affect the Kansas City situa- ton. It flows into the Missouri river below Jefferson City.
 Springfield. Mo-, Also Suffers.
 Springfield, Mo, July 9.-Seores of persons rendered homeless, three per sons reported drowned and property loss estimated at s750.00O is the result of a flood which swept through the heart of Springfield late last night Rain began falling hereeat o'clocl  last evening and continued til earl this morning, the precipitation beins seven inches. The Jordan river, whic livides Springfield, at normal stage, ! less than 20 feet wide. Last night il was one-half mile wide. The rive flows through the wholesale and manl featuring district, and the water stoot five feet deep in many buildings washing away large quantities O. goods Several houses in the east part of the city were washed away and it was necessary to rescue the occupants in boats, holes bcinf chopped in the roofs of the house to provide exits
 Hundreds of passengers were ma rooned in the Frisco passenger sta tion, and 1t was necessary to carry women to the second floor. as the water stood five feet deep. Railroad traffic is demoralized, there being many washouts on all divisions of the Frisco out of Springfield It is report