$1,000,000 Damage at East Wichita
The Residents Don Bathing Suits as Business Section is Flooded
WATER IN EL DORADO
200 Families Homeless at Winfield, while Other Towns and Cities Stricken

Wichita, Kan., June 9 - Residents of East Wichita laid aside street attired Saturday and donned their bathing suits, when Chisholm Creek north and east of here, west out of its banks and inundated an area of upwards of four square miles of the business and residential sections, causing damage estimated well over $1,000,000. Canoes and rowboats were brought into use and by afternoon a virtual ferry system had been established.

The swollen stream, already brought to a flood stage by raging waters from its source, was augmented by heavy rains Friday night, and early Saturday the small dike along its banks gave way, flooding everything before it. Hundreds of families were forced to flee for safety.

Inundates Business Section

Creeping up to the very door of the Union Station, the waters rose steadily and by noon stood from one to three feet deep in the main street. As the section of the city lying directly east of the Union Station is low, virtually the exact East Side was under water.

The flood was said to be one of the worst ever experienced in the history of the city. Not since 1904, when a large portion of Wichita was inundated, have flood waters exceeded today's high mark.

Salvation Army posts were established and scores of destitute victims were furnished with food and dry clothing.

Train Service Paralyzed

Hundreds of passengers were delayed here when virtually all train service out of Wichita was paralyzed temporarily.

Railroad officials announced that normal service probably would be restored on the Santa Fe by Sunday night but would make no intimation as to when service would be established on the other roads.

From over the southern part of the State reports of the damage caused by rains and flooded streams poured in Wichita Saturday.

Thousands of acres of farm lands were laid waste along the lowlands of the Walnut River, extending from above El Dorado to the Oklahoma border.

El Dorado is Flooded

Reports from El Dorado state that the business section of the town was under from one to three feet of water early Saturday. A report from Winfield states that 200 families were made homeless there as a result of high waters of the stream last night. Red Cross and Salvation Army posts were opened today to care for the flood stricken victims. The rainfall there during the last twenty-four hours measured 3.75 inches.

Harper also is reported to be experiencing the worst flood in its history. Three bridges were washed out there. (Dallas Morning News, June 10, 1923)

Amelia immigrated to the U.S. from Germany. They originally settled in Nebraska, then Oklahoma, finally settling in Wichita about 1906. Her husband Henry Peter Brunhoeber was a carpenter who passed away in 1915. She never remarried.

Henry Brunhoeber (age 11) and their mother Amelia Brunhoeber, widow (52 years)

Amelia immigrated to the U.S. from Germany. They originally settled in Nebraska, then Oklahoma, finally settling in Wichita about 1906. Her husband Henry Peter Brunhoeber was a carpenter who passed away in 1915. She never remarried.

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