The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-11
One of Heaviest DOwnpcurs
Ever known in Topeka.
Street Car and Railway Service
Badly Crippled.
RAINFALL WAS 4.92 INCHES
Shunganunga Creek Reached
to Almost Flood Stage.
Rain Was Confined Largely to
East Kaw Valley.


and midnight Wednesday, flooding tho
city in many places, interrupting both
street car and train service and in
flicting considerable damage.
At least four fires in and near the
city resulted from lightning and hum
dreds of Easements were filled with
water when the streets were turned
into rivers and the capacity of the
storm sewers became hopelessly over.
taxed.
Total Rainfall of 4.92 Inches.
The rain came in two heavy down
pours. The first was between and
6 o'clock when lac inches of water
fell. The second squirt occurred be-
tween and o'clock and a total of
252 inches was recorded between q
o'clock and midnight, making total
of 4O1 inches during the seven hours
after s o'clock, and with 81 of an inch
Wednesday morning and early after
noon, the total for the twenty -four
hour period from midnight Tuesday
until midnight Wednesday was 4.92
inches.
These are the figures on the rain
as announced by S. d. Flora of the
local weather bureau who also says IL
was the heaviest rain Tpeka has ex-
perienced, with on exception. since Oc-
tober 1912. The one exception was in
March, 1919, when during twenty
four hour period 5.SS inches Of rain
was recorded here, putting Shunga-
nunga creek out of its banks and
flooding the east portion of the city.
! Much Water in Shunganunga.
Shunganunga creek became a rag
ing torrent following the heavy rain
Wednesday night but did not reach
the flood stage. The Kaw river rose
two and one-half feet but began fall
| ing shortly after midnight and stood
at Sc feet at o'clock this morning.
There will be no flood from the Kaw
as it is expected to fall moro during
the day.
Rain Was Local.
! The reason why Shunganunga creek
and the Kaw river have not gone
higher. according to Flora, is that the
rain was largely local. All reports
show that Topeka was in the cen
ter of the heaviest downpour. which
did not extend very far in any direc-
ton.
| Reports received up to o'clock
show that the rain was confined
| largely to the east Kaw river valley.
! The rain did not extend very far west
and only 1913 inches fell at Kansas
City. None fell at Wichita and the
entire western part of the state is dry.
| Eighteen-Foo Rise in Shunganunga.
| Shunganunga creek did not over
flow its banks in Quinton Heights.
tho 1t rose eighteen feet within a few
hours after the rain began. Two feet
more would have put it over the road
and out of its banks Residents near
the Lincoln street bridge learned at
II o'clock that the rainfall had been
much lighter on the branch of the
creek toward Pauline, and felt that
| the situation was relieved. Had the
rain been as great in that direction
as it was at Seabrook and on the west
branch an overflow would have been
certain.
The greatest menace to the resi-
dents of that section and their cellars
was not the Shunganunga, but the
drainage from the Country club Hill.
! The matted turf sheds water like
roof and n small river is formed when
the downpour is less than 1t was We'd
nesday night. This small river rushts
down Lincoln street for a distance,
then past Twenty-fourth and Bu-
chanan, and Twenty-third and Clay
| streets. From this cause came over
flowed sidewalks, filled cellars, and
| a demoralized street car traffic on the
Country club line during the storm.
Two Washouts on Santa Fe.
The Santa Fe general offices have
reports showing that the rain aver
| aged from five to six inches between
| Topeka and Lawrence, and due to
track trouble no trains are operating
on the Santa Fe between these two
points.
one hundred feet OF track was
washed out about 10 o'clock Wednes-
day night one mile west of Spencer.
1t will now be necessary to bridge the
gap and the track probably VIII not
be opened until some time Friday
Z In the meantime, stub trains are
operating between Topeka and En-
poria, and also between Lawrence ana
Kansas City. All thru trains are be-
ing routed over the cutoff between
Kansas City and Emporia via Ottawa
81 The Santa Fe's line from Lawrenco
to Ottawa is out of commission today
owing to a bad washout near Sibbey-
willie. More than mile OF track there
/. was flooded, washing the road bed out
in many places. AS the ties and rails
were not molested 1t is said that this
line may be opened late this after
noon. Many extra trackmen have
been rushed to that line.
Rain General Over Eastern Division.
Some other minor trouble is re-
ported by the Santa Fe but on none OF
the other lines has the train service
been seriously interrupted.
The Santa Fe reports that the rain
was general over its eastern division,
extending from Kansas City to Efn-
poria, towns reporting all the way
) from two to five inches. The Santa
Fe also has reports showing that from
one to four inches of rain fell over its
lines in Missouri and an inch at many
places in Illinois
No Trouble on Union Pacific.
While all Union Pacific trains were
delayed during the heaviest part OF
the storm Wednesday night, the COM
pany reports no washouts or any other
2 trouble. All trains are running on
= schedule today, it was reported by Of
Z ficials
Street Cars Tied Up.
Virtually every street car on the
( system was tied up between z and Q
o'clock Wednesday night on account
of high water. and four or five cart
lConfinned IN PAGE Ennr Z