The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-15
DELUGE OF RAIN !:
SpiIIway Prevents Flood on the East
Side.

1t will be several days before Topeka
has anything to say about the long
dry spell. During the afternoon and
evening, less than IL hours from start
to finish, 2 and 48 one-hundredths
inches of rain fell in this city. Part
of it ran down the sewers, and the
rest ran down the streets and pedes-
frians. Street car service was inter-
fered with for q while. The low place
around Kious and Kansas avenue in
North Topeka collected enough water to
stop the Garfield Park cars and scare
some of the houSehOlderS. Low places
east of Shunganunga creek also re-
ceived more water than would run off.
The new Biddle creek spillWay received
its first test, and while it did not carry
all the water, it was pronounced a sue
cess. The rain has raised the Kaw
morning being 914. It will raise about
feet more during the day but has
no chance to reach the food point.
The definition of "cloudburst" has not
been clearly decided, but it would NOT be
considered nature-fa taking to connect 1t
with some of the showers Of yesterday.
During one period of five minutes, IL
one-hundredths of an inch of rain water
collected in the government measure.
This is the heaviest shower of five
minute duration since 1903. when 81 one
hundredths came down in the same
length of time.
II mas Deen demonstrated many times
that the Topeka sewers are capable of
carrying off only a small per cent of
heavy rain as it falls. Last evening the
streets were shoe-top deep 10 minutes
after teh heavy showers stopped.
East Topeka had some very vivid
dreams of another flood late Friday
afternoon and last night during the
high rains. In the neighborhood of
Sixth street and Locust and Liberty
and Lafayette, the water was as high
as it ever has been in the history of
that section of the city. The new
spillway was flushed with water, but
carried it away with rapidity. Where
it used to require five and six hours
for the high water to find its way to
the Shunganunga, the new spillway
in its first test carried the water away
in about an hour. The street cars
were able to resume service clear
through to the end of the line in less
than an hours time where frequently
it formerly required nearly a half
day.
The Shunganunga creek was full
last night, but all of the water was
contained within the banks and no
cases were reported of an overflow.
East of the newBranner street via
duct water is filling low place, but
this is said to be the only place on the
East side that is bothered with the
water today
The residents of the East side how
ever, are all complaining of water in
water was three feet deep this morn
ing. The only way to get rid of the
water is to pump it out.
The government report from the
Kansas weather stations received thi:
morning, shows the following rain
falls in the various districts: Baker
3e; Concordia, 20; Dodge City. .02
Dresden, .16; Fit. Scott. .02; McPher-
son, "a; Manhattan, IS; Usage City
4.04 (the heaviest ever recorded a
that station for the same length O
tine,) Sedan. .08: Topeka, 2.4S; Tor
onto, 1.20; Wichita, &c. In Kansas
City, Mo, the rainfall was 2.S0 inches
Railroads in Trouble.
The Santa Fe is experiencing al
unusual amount of trouble today OF
account of high water and rains o
last night. The greatest trouble ha
been found near Scranton. The cas-
abutment of bridge east of thi
town was washed out last night an
the girder fell into the creek bed. Thi
resulted in the detouring of all tn
night eastbound trains over the cut