The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-19
TEMPEST AND WHIRLWIND.
an EVENING THAT SEvERAL KANSAS
TOWNS WILL NOT SOON FORGET.
EooO-. sheds. Sidewalk. and Wagons Flying
Through the Air-unilstones ~ BIG ne
uens' Egg.-I.oss Of I.ife-A WATERFRONT.

IooO.. sheds. sidewalks aud Wagons Flying
Through the Air-IIaiistones "a Big ne
Hens Egas-Ios. Of Iife-A WATERFRONT.
EMPoRIA, Kansas. April 14.-This town
was visited on Sunday evening by terrific
thunderstorm. accompanied with hail and rain.
such us WIS never before known in Kansas
About 5 o'clock in the afternoon n cloud oil inky
backncss came up in the northeast II was not
worry large. but zig-zag lines OF lightning played
about the lower edge OF the cloud. followed ny
penis OF thunder. Pres 'ntly another cloud oil
peculiar grecnish color c,.mc W from the south
west. Tho two met There appeared to be
struggled then mngling then the storm was
upon us. First came the winds which took up
the plank sidewalks and sent them flying
hundred feet Into the air; the fences Sheds
and outbudings followed the sidewalks; the
wagons about the streets were whirlod away;
number Of teams in the street were stampeded.
and went rushing madly through the town to
fInd shelter. Then came the hail. not ordinary
hail. but rs large as hens eggs. accompanied
by torrents OF rain. In flvo minutes an amount
OF destruction WIS done which was appalling.
A large and substantially school house
WINS totally demolished; buildings without num-
Dor wore unroofed; large two-story house in
which was family OF eight persons was torn
down. not two Of the boards or tImbcrs being
death. hut they arc all moro or less injured
large furniture factory was unrootrd also a
Touring mill part OF the latter building WAS
blown down. Thirty-flve box cars, standing on
q side track OF the Atchson, Topeka and Santa
Te Railroad. were turned over and badly dam
aged. A train OF twcnty-three cars was lust
south OF the town. coming in: every car was
turned over. leaving the engine ana tender
alone on the trick. The conductor ana N tram an
jured. but not fatally. One child WIS killed in
the village. and large number OF persons arg
cut and bruised. One man has broken leg ana
several have broken ribs.
Five miles southwest OF here is a place called
the Krkandall neighborhood There the storm
rugged with even greater severity Eighteen
houses were blown down and several persons
killed. A farmer named Osborn suffered Sc
pieces two 81 his children, aged and years.
wore killed outright; his third child boy OF 6.
WAS found. after the storm was over. blown into
a thorn hedce-alive. but terribly scratched and
bruised. Mrs. Osborn was found in n gully.
which was filed with water; when her husband
discovered her she was unconscious, but was
brought to life. Many others were badly hurt.
but have learned o. but one other death in
that neigh horhood Eye witnesses told me that
the hailstones wers so large and came with such
force rs to 20 through the clapboards OF the
Between Emporia and Kirkendall the prairles
are strewn with beds. furniture. and every con-
reivable article OF household goods. The storm
covered space about tn rty five miles in width.
but have been unable TO find howfar II reached;
In this section the wheat is not SO far advanced
rs TO have sustained any permanent injury. but
the fruit is all gone. The nine churches in this
city are a sight To- behold. II is estimated that
fully one-fourth OF all the glass in town has
been destroyed.
/ took night freight train and went 10 Cotton
wood Station. twenty mites west of Emporia.
All the way along the road were evidences of
the severity al the storm At the station found
a scene Of dcsoation and misery. The new
hotel was a wreck. Some OF the lower rooms
are still in position but II must all BE- torn down.
Opposite the hotel three dwelling houses were
house once stool there. Mrs. Miller was killed
and one OF her children is So badly hurt that II
must die another child has an arm broken in
three places. Mr.. Miller is badly injured Mrs.
Walters little boy. years old. will die; fifteen
others are injured. some OF them seriously. In
this little village eleven houses were totally de.
etroyed and four badly wrecked. Cottonwood
Falls escaped with the exception OF one house.
Eleven loaded cars standing on the track were
upset.
The tornado struck srring creek. formed
waterspOut. and then followed the stream south
west. TAX NIX all the water out Of the stream Tor
miles. This creek was eight feet deep and
forty feet wide.