From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for June 19, 1915:

“ONCE MORE KAW FLOODS LOW LANDS — Heavy Rains in North Central Kansas Fill Tributaries. — Early this afternoon the weather department at Kansas City notified the department at Topeka to look for a 26 foot stage at Topeka; that, according to the Bowersock Mill & Power company, will mean between nineteen and twenty feet or about two feet more water than the 1 o’clock reading which was 17 feet 5 inches…. With the Kaw at its present stage, its tributaries unusually high and continued rains, the situation is not bright. Should the rains continue tonight and tomorrow over any large portion of the Kaw watershed those living in places that would be over flowed in case the dikes should break should prepare for the worst and get their families, livestock and personal property onto higher ground…. So much drift gathered this morning at the first pier to the south that the county and city commissioners put August Dahlene at work with dynamite to blast it out. The first three charges exploded were ineffective, but the work will be continued…. This morning Mayor Francisco arranged to have a thousand sacks filled with sand to be ready to meet any emergency which may come. These sacks will be used to protect the low places on Bridge [Second] street as a further rise of about three feet would send the river across Bridge street at the intersection of Locust and would probably result in isolating North Lawrence…. The Board of County Commissioners this morning named The Journal-World and The Gazette as official headquarters for information concerning river conditions and tonight and tomorrow, Sunday, should the conditions look menacing, both offices will be kept open in order to give out the news.”

“Fred P. Smithmeyer, junior, of the Poehler Mercantile company was one of the party of eight men who were swept into Rock Creek near Westmoreland, Kansas, when the gasoline railway automobile in which they rode was washed from the tracks and sucked into the stream. Three members of the party, Charles Morris, president of the railway, which is only eight miles long and connects the little town of Blaine and Westmoreland, his son, Guy Morris, and John Gunter, a druggist of Westmoreland, were drowned. The other five, including young Smithmeyer, succeeded in grasping overhanging trees and saving themselves. They stayed in the trees from about 5 o’clock Thursday afternoon until 11:30 o’clock Thursday night, when the flood receded so that the rescuers were able to come to their assistance.”

“J. Pluvius remembered the graduates of the common schools of Douglas county this morning as he has on every other occasion when a day has been set for their commencement exercises, but today County Superintendent Hawley slipped one over on the weather man and held the exercises anyhow. It had been planned to have the ceremonies in Woodland Park, but the rain made this impossible so Mr. Hawley took his students to the High school building and started the program…. Many of the graduates, of whom there were 117, were kept away by the rain, high water and bad roads. However, those who were present, and the majority were there, were enthusiastic and happy.”