The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-21
River Only q
Creek Through the Sand.
Light Rainfall in Kansas Last
Two Years.
INTERESTING OLD RECORDS
Worst Flood in History of
Eastern Kansas 1914.
Water From Second and To-
peka Avenues to Bluffs.

'Innum cradle sand bars and Just a
good sized creek" That's the way q
stranger put it in describing what has
at times been the mighty Kaw river.
1t has been a long time since the
Kansas river has so much resembled
a mere stream. But there is a reason.
For the last two years the rainfall
IN kansas has been below normal. The
records in the local government office
show that in 1911 the total amount
of precipitation was but 1911 inches,
or 5.O5 inches below the average for
the period in which the records have
been kept. The rainfall thus far in
1912 has been 31.85 inches-15S be-
low normal. The heavy rains OF Octo-
Der 10 and IL, and November 6, re-
spectively, brought up the amount of
rain to a point close to normal, but a
large part of the $40 inches that fell
on the first named dates rushed into
the streams.
Thus far this month the stage of the
river has averaged AS feet. The stage
was Al feet few days ago and 40
feet today. But" remarked Sunny
Flora, the local observer, "two-tenths
of foot is a mere trif1e; the differ
ence might be caused by a ripple"
Low Water Mark in July, 1911.
The river gauge was established by
the government in Topeka in August,
1904. Since that time the low water
mark for the river was Al feet. That
point was reached on July 90, 1911
Immediately before the intense drouth
OF that season was broken. However,
In 1901 before the measurements were
taken there was practically a dry bed
just a small stream running.
An interesting comparison of the
average stages for the various months
or 1912 wit hthe exception of January
when the river was frozen over has
been made at the local office The
stages were: February, IL feet;
March, IL feet; April, 9 feet; May
- feet; June, ga; July, 6: August,
IL; September, 5.5; October, SIS; No
vember, 81. AS already stated the
average stage thus far this month has
been AS feet.
The highest point reached in recent
years was 1927 feet. That was during
the great FLOOD of 1903. Then again
in June, 1908, a % foot stage was
recorded. What is claimed to have
been the greatest flood ever known in
this region was that of 1914.
Section Director T. B. Jennings in
paper read November 80, 1906, before
the Academy of Science spoke of the
Big Hood of 1874. The paper was
weather Review printed by the gov
eminent weather department The
1olloWlng is taken from this paper:
Worst Flood in 1874.
In 1874 occurred probably the worst
floods eastern Kansas has ever expert
enced. w. w. Cone is his Shawnee
County History, speaking of the flood
of 1874, says: During the flood Major
cummings, paymaSter of the U. s.
army, wishing to cross from the south
to the north side of the Kaw river at
Topeka, stepped into a canoe at about
the present site of the corner of To-
peka avenue and Second street. and
was rowed by an Indian from there
to the bluffs, near the present residence
of J. M. Harding in Soldier township,
the water then being 20 feet deep over
the ground where North Topeka now
stands
1T may be years before another
great flood is experienced" said Sun
NY Flora. at is a general theory
that the rainfall in Kansas is on the
increase. However, records from all
parts of the state do not bear out this
theory, at least to any notable extent.
In fact, reports from some stations
show that there has actually been
decrease in rainfall. The probable rea-
son that the farmers of the western
part of the state are able to raise
better crops than formerly is that they
have adopted more scientific methods
of cultivation