Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-06-02
DEATH AND DISASTER.
VIOLENT STORMS IN MISSOURI AND
KANSAS.
Terrific Cyclone-Great Loss Of Life and
Many PersOnsSeriOusly lnjured--Trees
UprOOted, Buildings Lev
eled and Crops
Destroyed.


Kansas and southern Nebraska last
evening. 1t extended through nearly
the whole northern tier of counties in
this State, but was most violent be-
tween Blue Rapids and Centennial Sta
tions, on the Central Branch railroad,
about thirty miles apart. The storm
moved in direction a little north OF East,
and passed into Nebraska through Rich
ardson county. The town OF Irving, 80
miles west OF this place, was nearly de-
stroyed. At that point the storm took on
the character OF a cyclone, and levelled
everything in its path. About 40 build
ings were destroyed, 10 persons killed
and from 80 to 40 wounded. Among
the casualties are the following:
A Globe Democrat special from indie
pendence, Missouri, says: The cyclone
struck the earth four miles from Lees
Summit, and tore a furrow through the
country about one hundred yards wide
and ten miles long, levelling everything
in its track and killing and wounding
several people. The direction OF the
storm was southwest and northeast.
Three miles east of Lees Summit the
house of Mr.. Warren lisa total loss. Two
members of the family were killed and
others severely wounded. Further on
the house of Alex. SCruggs was un-
rooted and his wiie's skull fractured.
The houses of DIR. Dunnington and Mr.
Underwood were destroyed, but their
families escaped unharmed. The resi-
dence of Mr. Hatchins was
torn to pieces and his family badly
hurt. The house OF Mr.. Harris, near
Blue Springs, was demolished. Mr.
Harris, his wife and little girl were
killed. Three other children were NOR
tally wounded. Mr.. Harris was lifted
high up into the air, carried about two
hundred feet in the course the storm
moved, and then dashed to the earth,
while bis wife and child were carried
some distance in an opposite direction.
At this point the storm cloud burst, but
came together again almost instantly
with a terrific crash, bounded from the
earth, came down again near the dwell
ling OF Mr.. Gore, which 1t passed
through, leaving its side walls standing
The funnel shaped cloud then rose high
in the air, and disappeared IN the north
west. The heaviest rain ever known IN
this section accompanied the tornado,
actually deluging the country 1t passed
over
An Atchison special says: The storm
west ofshere was far mOre,fatal in It's ell
iects than the dispatches sent early this
evening indicated.
The Champion has special from
Frankfort giving the following list OF
the casualties there and in vicinltyott that
place: James Downs and wife, killed;
John Howe, boy OF Is, killed; Mr..
Grooves, killed; Miss Grooves, leg
broken; a child OF Mr.. Wosefeld, seri-
ouslv injured; Mrs. Vaughan, badly in
ufed John Vaughan, severely injured;
Mrs. \. B. Fox, right arm broken; Hen
nv Johnson, mortally injured; Ben Fox,
severely injured; Mrs. Johnson, killed;
Mr.. BaltOn, leg broken; Joshua Howe,
Jas. Vaughan, Henry Cairse, Robert
Laughlin and Miles Kelly and family,
all badly injured.
At Irving twelve persons were killed
outright and forty-nine wounded, most
of the latter severely. Many OF them
will die. \ committee of citizens
and physicians from this city arrived
there this afternoon, and medical sup
plies and clothing have been forwarded
from here to provide for the immediate
necessities Of the sufferers.
4 special to the Champion from Con-
cordia states that the storm was extreme
" violent in the vicinity OF Delphos, OF
tawa and Cox, and - dead bodies were
brought in from two square miles OF ter
ritorv. One man from BelOit was taken
up i'm his wagon and thrown to the
ground and instantly killed. a woman
and a child were thrown against a wire
fence and killed, and five persons were
killed i'm one house near DelphOs. The
crops were severely injured all along the
line OF the storm. Reports from Sean
dia, in Republic county, states that the
storm was very severe in that section,
but no casualties have yet been report
cd. The citizens raised, this afternoon,
81 200 in money for the relief OF the SUI
ferers, and a special train leaves here to-
night with 4 supply OF medicine, blank
cts and clothing.
John Keclv, wife, father and son,
killed; Mrs. W. j. Williams, killed; Mrs.
Brickmaster and five children, killed;
Jacob Siebens and wife, fatally injured;
Mr.. sheldon, wife and sister, danger
ouslv hurt and not expected to live;
Mrs. W. c. Bates and two children
badly hurt, one since died, and Mrs
Noah, Mrs. Geo. Martin and several
Others more or less severely
wounded. Among the buildings
DESTROYED were ;wo churches, one
a fine stone building, the public
school, the grain elevator, railroad de
pot, the WeltmOre Institute, and the
residences of John A. Warden, Chas.
Preston, w. II. Sabrine, VI. l.. Leddy,
and Messrs. Armstrong, Thompson,
Sheldon, Bates, Williams and others.
In the neighborhood of Frankfort four
or five farm houses were blown over,
and in the town several houses were de-
stroyed. No casualties at this place,
but several persons in the country are
reported severely injured. At Contra
liza several houses were unroofed and
one house and barn blown down. At
Beatty, on the st. Joe and Denver rail-
road a number OF houses We're blown
down. At Denison Mills, Neb,
on the Atchison and Nebraska
railroad, the Catholic Church was
totally demolished, as was also the store
of Mead. Kelly & Co. One old lady
was severely injured, and several resi-
dencts more or less damaged. Re
ports are mcagre as vet, telegraphic
communication having been badly in
terrupted. The Daily Champion sent a
reporter to Irving this morning ona
special locomotive, and expects fuller
telegral hic reports tonight, which will
be forwarded rs soon as received. The
above account is condemned from such
dispatches as it has already obtained.
ST. LOUIS, Nav 3l.-A dispatch from
the Associated Press reporter at Kansas
CITY about the cyclone which devastated
the eastern part of Jackson county last
night. referring 10 the destruction OF the
house of Mr.. Harris, near Blue Springs,
an account of which was reported from