Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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And until June 15th, everything: in our store goes June 9 AT COST Except Millinery and Southland Belle line of Shoes for ladies. Every department is comp?lete with new and desirable goods bought this season. Attend this sale, and supply your needs. All we want is cost, and you get the profits. P. S. No goods will be sold except for the cash DEADLY DELUGE IN KANSAS. Fully 2B0 Persons Perish-Property Loss Amounts to Millions. SITUATION STILL PERILOUS. One of the Greatest Disasters Ever Known in America-In Some Respects Worse than the Johnstown Flood. Topeka, Kas., May. 30.-People who . did not leave North Topeka Jast night when they had a chance are now in the greatest danger of losing their lives. As far as can be estimated at this time over 500 people are beyond reach of rescue. The Kansas river is rising at the rate of three inches an hoar. Thirty are known to be dead and the list will be larger. Hundreds are missing. People are drowning and others are burning to . death. If any potion of North Topeka shall escape destruction by the flood it seems tonight as though fire would finish the work. The large lumber yards of Jonathan Thomas caught fire this aft? ernoon and the whole block of houses was burned. Burning houses are floating through the streets and setting fire to others. It is reported that the Union Pacific depot and hotel have been burned. There is no possible way*of quenching the flames. The loss of life will be appalling, the property loss in the millions. Nobody can tell just what has been destroyed. The water extends around Shorey and other suburbs. Every foot of North Topeka, in? habited by 1,000 people, is under water. The current is so . swift that no boat can live in it. Seven thousand ' people have escaped to the south side and are being cared for as well as pos? sible. The remaining hundreds have not yet been accounted for. They have been forced to the top floor, the roofs . of, buildings and are waiting for the water to subside or carry them down stream. They are safe only so long as the building remains standing. Below town scores of men are in tree tops, yelling for help. Thousands of revolver shots and screams have been heard on the north side, signals for aid. Women and children in the west part of North Topeka are standing on the highest points in reach and yet in water to their necks. Burning houses are floating about setting fire to others. The lower story of the burning buildings contain 10 feet of water. The current is so strong that no boat can approach any of the barning buildings. People are gather? ed on the tops of houses and will meet death either by fire or drowning. The cries for help can be distinctly heard a mile away. The whole city is wild? ly excited because no aid can be ex? tended to the sufferers. The river at North Topeka is five miles wide. No possible estimate of the financial loss is obtainable, but it can be stated that it will reach into the millions. North Topeka was the manufactur? ing district of the city. Three large flour mills, three woolen mills and other manufacturing enterprises are entirely destroyed. The water supply of the whole city has been cut off. The water from the river extends nearly a mile on the south side. The Rock Island depot has been abandon? ed, and more than 500 people on this side of the river are also homeless, but no loss of life has resulted in South Topeka. The Kansas avenue bridge is the only one across the river for miles and the approaches to that bridge are flooded by 30 feet of water. A pontoon bridge is being erected, in an effort to reach the sufferers. Seven thousand or more people are on this side of the river sheltered in the public buildings. Topeka is now able to take care of all the unfor? tunates. * The work of caring for the I refugees is being pushed with the ut- j most rapidity. From the State house dome as many as 80 fires can be counted in different1 parts of North Topeka. The entire I central portion of the city had been | burned out at 10 o'clock tonight and ? it is safe to say that by morning not a house in the main part of North Topeka will be left standing. Wichita, Kas., May 30.-News reach- j ed here this evening that Hutchinson, ? 40 miles northwest of this place, is j under water. The opera house has col- j lapsed. Trains on the Missouri Pacific . have been ordered back here. The flood ! situation in Wichita is not serious as yet. Kansas City, Mo, May 30.-At 10 o'clock tonight the Kansas river was rising at the rate of four inches an hour. Swift's packing house has al? ready sustained a loss estimated at SI, ooo, ooo. The damage to* Cudahy's and Schwartz-Childs and Suisburger's will be nearly 8500, OOO, about equally divided between the two plants. It is estimat? ed that the loss in Armourdale to date will exceed $1,000,000. Business in Topeka was practically at a standstill because of Memorial day and most of the stores were closed the greater part of the day. The flood and the condition of the sufferers took the attention of every one, to the ex? clusion of all else. An army of men was engaged in the relief work and it would be idle to attempt to place an estimate on ^the immense number rescued by their efforts. Topeka, Kas., May 31.-There is ground for hope that the worst has passed. Tonight City Engineer Mc Cable issued a bulletin'giving out the cheering intelligence" that the waters of the Kansas river.bad subsided 1% inches. With 175 or 200 lives lost, $6,000,000 of property destroyed, with hundreds of pistol shots as signals of distress, blended with the agonizing cries of unwilling inhabitnts of tree top and roofs of houses and the waters creeping upward and then slowly, subsiding and alternately changing hope to despair, the capital city h.a3 passed the most memorable Sabbath day of its existence. Through all this discomfiting condition of affairs was added the presence of a cold, dismal rain. The arduous work of the heroic res? cuers was not abated in the least by the conditions which confronted them. For long, dreary hours, knee deep in water and sometimes in water up to their neck, they worked with might and main. Tonight they can point to 300 or more rescued persons who otherwise might have been swept away in the current. Leading men haye made a careful examination of the flood and all its conditions and as a result of their in? vestigation they give 250 as the prob? able number of lives lost. A more conservative estimate places the num-( ber of dead at 175. The higher number is as apt to be correct as the lower. The number of dead is merely a matter of guess. Twenty members of rescuing parties tell how they saw people drop from houses to be swept away by the flood, and others tell of men, who ter? rified at the approach of-the fire, drop? ped into the water, where they sank and did not reappear. The estimated number of dead does not include the large number classed as missing, who cannot otherwise be accounted for. Neither does it in? clude the number who are supposed to have lost their lives in the fire. In the latter class there is absolutely no means of arriving at even an ap proximate number of victims. The water is so high and the current so strong that all can be done now is to rescue those in the buildings surround* ed by water. It will be at least three days before the correct number of dead will be known The work of rescuing the vic? tims of the flood is being pushed with vigor. Better results have characterized j the efforts of the organized forces since 4 o'clock this afternoon than during the preceding 24 hours. Two little ! steam launches are now putting up and down the river picking up survivors, j A train load of small boats was in use i today, but they were ?seles in battling ! against the mighty current. A wire j cable has been stretched across the i Kanas3 avenue bridge. To this will i be attached a sand dip and refugees I will be brought across in this. If the flood shall not rise further and those j not yet reached can keep their places ? few hours longer there need not ne- j cessarily be a much larger loss of life. Large contributions have already been j received for the benefit of the sufferers. The amount given by Topeka citizens alone will aggregate 8100,000. To this is to be added an immense quantity of clothing, provisions and general supplies. Outside towns have genersouly offered aid notably among which is Galveston, Tex. Tonight ' the portion of Topeka not affected by the flood is crowded with refugees. There is great anxiety tonight as to what tomorrow will bring forth. If the river shall not receive any more flood water west of here the improve? ment in the situation here will be marked. If the water shall rise at Manhattan and Wamego tomorrow will see a repetition of the worst flood scenes and the distress here will be greatly intensified. Either contingency is entirely within the range of possi? bility. . Kansas City, Mo., May 31.-With the waters of the Kaw and Missouri rivers nearly four feet above the dis? astrous level of 1881 and their swollen tides reaching over 12 square miles of the city and its suburbs, Kansas City tonight is in the worst flood of its history. In the valley of the Kaw or Kansas river, between this city and Kansas City, Kans., a report has it .that a number of lives have been lost. One report says 14 and another 50. Twelve bodies were counted as they floated past during the day. The financial loss has been increasing all day and bids fair to continue. The heaviest loss is at Armourale, where the losses to the packing industry and others is placed conservatively at $2,500,000. Argentine, another sub? urb, has suffered losses estimated at S500.000. Other losses which cannot now be estimated will increase the to? tal very materially. Armourale, with a population of 16,000 people, is deserted and its site marked only by the tops of buildings and a number of fires. Seven fires, beleived to be chiefly box cars burn? ing, could be seen from the bluffs to night. There is some danger that the flames will spread to the partially submerged buildings adding greatly to the already heavy loss. The first started from the flowing of the flood into a lime house. The refugees from Armourdale for the most part are huddled together in the immense auditorium of the convention hall, although several hundred found refuge with friends in more fortunate parts of the city. Two-thirds of Ar? gentina is under water. More than 4,500 people in this suburb found safety in the higher part of the town. All bridges over the Kaw river are down and the only communiation with Armourdale is by boat. Kansas City tonight is without a water supply, the flood having disabled the pumping station and the utmost care is being taken that no fires shall break ont. I Even a small fire, it is feared, would start a conflagration. Only one street car line in the city is running tonight owing to the disabling of the power plants by the flood. The railroad yards are blockaded with trains unable to get out. Not a train has gone out of the city except to the east today, and it is said that there is little prospect of an improve? ment. The stage of the river at 6 o'clock tonight was 30 feet, 7 inches. The previous high record was made in 1881 when the river rose to 26 feet, 3 inch? es. By tomorrow morning, according to the prediction of Supt. O'Connor of the weather bureau, the level will be 31 feet. Des Moines, Ia., May 31.-Eight authenticated fatalities have occurred in and about this city from the flood and the property loss will amount into the millions. At 6 o'clock tonight Des Moines river Jiad declined 14 indies from its maximum height of 24 feet early this morning. Notwithstanding the steady rain that has fallen for three days it is believed danger of further rise is past, as reports from points above Des Moines say the river has been falling for 24 hours. The extent of suffering among the several thousand flood refu? gees has been reduced to a minimum by the better organization of relief work and now they are nearly all free from extreme suffering. The few remaining levees will hold the river, which is said to be from half a mile to two miles wide, howev? er, effectually cutting off communica? tion between the main part of Des Moines from east, north and south. The police report that thieves in boats are plundering stocks of merchandise in the business district to an alarming extent and several arrests have been made. One officer had a battle with a robber who escaped. Neither was wounded. Not a wheel is turning in the fac? tory district and no effort is made to open business houses. The Great Western, Wabash and Burlington, roads J have completely abandoned their lines j in his city and the Northwestern Rock Island and St. Paul roads are very badly crippled. The water and electric light and power plants are still run? ning, but it is only by the employ? ment of several hundred men to man pumps and work on the levees. For over two days it has rained constantly and the mercury has stood close to the freezing point. Seores, of men women and children have spent hours at a time in soaking wet garments sitting on the roofs of their houses awaiting the arrival of rescuers. The last of these was removed at 10 o'clock. More fatalities will result from ex? posure than from drowning. The property loss will amount up into the millions. This afternoon the relief authorities announced that they were confronted with a food and fuel famine. Meat markets all over the city declare they have only two or three days stock on hand. There is no train entering the city and no pospcet of getting a ship? ment of freight into Des Moines in less than three or four days. There is only a meagre coal supply and the light and power plant and the water wTorks have an insufficient supply. Notice was sent to every resident in the city to draw an extra supply of water to provide against the closing of the plant. Cambridge, Mass, May 30.-Harry D. Elkes, of Glens Falls, N. Y., the premier motor pace follower of the United States, was killed, and Will Stinson, almost as well known a bi? cyclist as Elkes, and F. A. Gatey, a motor steering man, were seriousy in? jured in an accident at the initial bike meeting cn the new Charles Kiver Park track this afternoon. PISGAH NEWS NOTES. Pisgah, June 1.-We had a nice rain Thursday evening, and the crops have felt its effects. Tobacco is short, and without a great change at once the crop will be light, as the season is nearly gone to make a full crop. Oats, have turned out well. No one a month ago expected to make a fourth of what has been cut. Several bave made bet? ter oats than they have ever made. No doubt the hot March had something to do with the collapse at that time of the crop. Corn is small, but cotton is trying to show its head. Some of us have hopes to bave a dollar next fall after all dues are paid towards making the crop. The farmers have managed with the labor they have very well. Too many lazy people for the good of the coun? try. Able bodied men shirking the fields, and tramping about hunting soft places, is what makes labor scarce. Let them go to work as their forefath? er did. I don't think thev were hurt by it. We have some sickness scattered around, but not of a very serious type. Generally, we are always healthy. Yesterday being a fifth Sunday there was no preaching in the churches here that I heard of. The negroes had a union meeting and they went to it by the hundreds. Undoubtedly they are the most ch arch going people on the earth and seem to be the happiest with nothing to disturb them. Being well paid for their labor, and white friends to aid and protect them when they need it, where is the oppression by the whites? The newspapers ought to hurl the lie in the teeth of the Northern people when they charge the Southern people with oppressing the negroes. Whenever they charge it in the United States Senate Tillman gives it back to them in royal style. Such men as Booker Washington will prove in the long run a curse to the negro race by trying to elevate them beyond their normal state. A mule had the blind staggers here. The remedy published in this paper j not long since for it was tried with other remedies. The animal is still j living but improves very slowly. I am hard up for news. Most that has been said* here is "pinions," as "Guv." said. I hope, if I ever get to be a law breaker I will fall in his hands, or more precisely speaking, I will be in his legal jurisdiction. I j know he will be light on me. I The Item is doing the farmers a j good service by publishing the local weather reports. By this means they can see what the probability of the weather will be and prepare for it. A farmer can save his fodder, oats, &c, dry, by knowing just what time the rain is coming. These reports are as accurate as-it is possible for the Government to make them and can be relied on. This value to agriculture can hardly be estimated. - - i - t Messrs S. H. Edmunds, of this city and E. E. Thornwell, of Mayesville have received their commissions as members of the county board of educa? tion. The macadam work on Harvin street has been completed to Caldwell street and the construction of a clay and sand roadway on South Sumter street is making good progress. The commissioners appointed to make the settlement between Sumter and Lee counties will meet in this city on June 9th. The term of Master in Equity H. j Frank Wilson will expire in a short i time and Governor Hey ward bas an- j nounced his intention of referring the) appointment of his snccessor to the; county delegation. So far as is known,' Maj. Wilson will be named to sue-? ceed himself without opposition, as j he has discharged the duties of the office to the satisfaction of every one. i County Treasurer Lee has piaced the last batch of tax executions in the hands of the Sheriff and the Consta tables are being sent out to collect from the delinquents. The number of ex? ecutions issued is surprising in view of the abundance of money in circulation last fall and the general state of prosperity that was thought to prevail. The case of Barrett vs. Barrett was [ heard in court Wednesday. The fol? lowing lawyers are interested in the case: Lee & Moise, Mark Reynolds, Haynsworth & Haynswor-th,,Cooper ? Fraser, and A. B. Stuckey, of this bar and J. T. Hay of Camden and Knox Livingston of Bennettsville. The case involves the title of a large tract of land near Bishopvilie and a large number of persons are interested. The judge reserved his decision. The Directors cf the First National Bank have decided that it is advisable to increase the capital stock of the hank to 8100,000. and a meeting of stockholders has been called to vote on the question. The present capital of the bank is 875,000, while the surplus and undivided profits amount to about fifty thousand dollars. The bank W3S never more prosperous, and the in? crease of capital was a necessary re? sult of the steady growth of the in? stitution. The police have orders to gather in the vagrants and they can carry out their orders without great trouble. Convicting the culprits is a more difficult matter. Every extension of the' water mains I and every additional hydrant contract j ed for by the city increase the value ! of the Sumter Water Co's, property j and adds to the price the city mus? pay if it is purchased. Some farmers now say that they have made the finest oat crop they have ever had notwithstanding the ravages? of the pest of oat lice. The revival of the crop surprised everyone, and fields that appeared to be a total failure are now harvesting fairly good yields.. The train from Charleston was delay I ed Monday morning by a freight wreck which blocked the track at Ashley Junction for several hours and pre ! vented the passage of all trains for ! that time. The wreck was not: ! a serious affair and no lives were lost.. I One negro train hand was injured,., j but not fatally. I Mr. James Reeves, of the Concord ? section lost a pocket book containing more than fifty dollars and vadua&ie p3pers on Saturday afternoon while returning home frcm this city. He discovered his loss before reaching home and returned orer the route to make a search for it, but failed to find i The pocket book had been picked up in the meanwhile by a young man named Tisdale and he came to town on Monday and reported his find to persons who were able to tell him the name of the owner. He will re? turn the pocket book to Mr. Reeves at the first opportunity. The County Summer School" for teachers opened Monday morning. Thc attendance was not large, but i?e en? rollment is expected to increase con? siderably to-morrow and the day fol? lowing. A committee of four will cali cn the business men of the city to solicit subscriptions to the fund for tilt? band. Be liberal. Those who wish to contribute but are not visited bv the solicitors may send their checks or cash to The Item office. This is a fund toward which everybody should contribute. Supervisor Seale has the chain gang wagons hauling clay to repair the walks and driveway through the Court House square. This work has been needed for sometime, and the im? provement will be quite noticeable. Those who fail to read O'Donnell & Co's advertisement today will miss an opportunity to find out about bar? gain prices.