The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-06-20
A Severe HaIIstOrm In Butler and Sedg-
wick Counties.
Does Immense Damage to Crops.

Win udTk anu threatening appearance.
About O'Clock, those who were watch
ing the progress of a probable storm
saw the clouds in the southwest assume
the form of an inverted cone and COM
mence to revOlve with great rapidity. In
u short time ii descended to the earth,
partially rose again, again descended,
and kept rising and falling so long as its
course could be followed; the coming of
a heavy rain and hail storm obscuring it
from view.
The track ofthe wind storm was across
the townships of Pleasant, Walnut,
Bloomington and Logan, with some lit
tie damage done in Douglass and Rock
creek. These townships are south of
Augusta, Douglass and Rock creek be-
ing on the county line.
The extent of territory traversed, so
far as we have been able to learn, is about
twenty miles long by two and half
wide, the storm jumping hither and yon
within this space, totally demolishing
fifty-one dwellings and school houses,
and unroofng, upsetting and twisting
around large number of others, with a
general destruction of stables and out
buildings.
Though the families were nearly all in
their houses at the time of the storm,
but few accidents to persons occurred
which, considering the force of the wind,
Is miraculous.
The casualties, so far AS learned, are
as follows: The instant death of Mrs
Thos. Hawkins and her twin SONS, aged
six years; Mrs. Lavender, arm broken
and otherwise severely bruised; Miss
Lavender, foot badly hurt and other
bruises; Mrs. John Potterton, eye and
shoulder badly hurt; daughter of Jos.
Curd severely injured; Jas. Carr's wife
hurt in the back, ana number of per
sons receiving slight wounds, which do
not hinder their being about attending
to their regular business.
The only authentic reports we have
been able to get from Pleasant township
show the following damage:
Mrs. Dunbar's house totally wrecked.
JEFF Killion's house entirely demol-
ished.
Mr.. Hyatt's house wholly destroyed
and his wife badly injured.
Chas. Staley's house total wreck.
Mr.. Browns house demolished.
A stone house on l.. Dunlap's farm a
complete wreck.
A house on the Courier farm compile
tely destroyed.
Jas. AleXander's house perfect wreck
John Cooley's destroyed entirely.
Rumor mentions many others blown
down, and it is well authenticated that
a number have been greatly damaged,
but II is impossible for us To refer to all
at this time. Crops suffered severely in
the track of the storm.
In Walnut township we have to record
as follows:
School house in district No. 100, Just
erected, not yet completed, totally de.
stroyed.
Jas. Carr's frame dwelling a complete
wreck. HIS wife injured in the back.
Mr.. Headley's frame house a complete
wreck.
AL. Golden's box house completely
wrecked.
Mr.. Dillon's stone house partially de
stroyed.
Gus. Ceases house off foundation.
Dan Foss' house blown away.
ID. MacLinn's twisted around.
L. Rupert's totally destroyed.
j. I. M. Davis utterly ruined.
Thos. Hankins' blown into n thousand
pieces, his wife and children killed.
Mrs. Rush's log house wholly demol
ished.
l. B. Bakers residence on the MIlt
Robins farm badly shaken up and twist
ed, and all out buildings demolished.
DIR. AleXander's residence partially of
foundation, stable and other out build
ings demolished.
In Bloomington township we find the
following:
John Potterton's house wrecked, his
wife badly hurt in the eye and shoulder
.. Bostwick's house complete wreck
The "Tadlock school house" off foun
dation and badly wrecked.
j. 8. Elders house blown to pieces.
Geo. Elders house wholly ruined
John Days totally demolished.
Jos. Curd's blown down, and his littl
daughter badly hurt
q. w. Roblnson's cOncreted house to
tally destroyed.
w. Sinkhorn's house utterly demol
ished.
Finley Monroe's main buildin,
tumbled over, and L completely d(
stroyed.
Union school house, district 40, jus
built, is a complete wreck.
John Hams stone kitchen unroofed
and one wall down.
Mr.. Groves house off foundation.
Fred Cooks new house, he had not We
moved into it, completely wrecked.
y. p. Seeds house off foundation an,
badly injured.
The houses of Robert Henderson, job
Henderson and John Bronson, were al
demolished.
Bloomington" school house a con
plete wreck.
webster" school house scattered a
oyer the prairie.
Alex Gunther's wagon was blow
against one corner of his house, on
wheel penetrating the wall, and thelba
ance OF the wagon being scattered broad
cast over the prairie.
The frame work was blown off Robel
Hartley's dug out.
Mrs. JeetS' house was turned over.
Widow Stipp's house unroofed an
end blown out.
s. ID. Anderson's house turned arount
Andy JOhnsOn's house woodbined.
John Rifles house, occupied by Thoml
son, off foundation.
Widow Rifles blown to pieces, an
she badly hurt.
Herman Litzkey's new frame hous
broken into kindling wood.
A granary on X. Bates farm destroye,
Mrs. Lavender's house totally destro
ed; herself and daughter wounded.
Mr.. Padgen's stone house was III
rooted.
A box house near C. Wirth's who'll
destroyed.
E. G. Rice's house off foundation.
Mr.. Wallace's house unroOfed.
In Logan township We find that Cha
Hayes house was completely destroye,
inns. u IOldl X.
l. Butterick's house was totally use
up.
b. F. Jones' and A Bowen's house
and others houses were taken off the
foundations and badly damaged.
The wheat ON Mr.. Lightfoot6 and NJ
HamptOn's farms was literally driven i
10 the ground, and totally destroyed.
Many other houses injured, and croI
sadly damaged.
One arm of the storm extended nort
into Augusta township, and complete
demolished the parsonage of the NJ.
church, south.
Waverly school house, in Rock cree
and Mrs Steach's dwelling, in Dougla
township, were both destroyed.
The out-buildings on these farms we
all injured TO great or less exten
many wagons, harvesters, and other far
implements, were badly damaged, but
is impossible to refer specifically to eaC
Individuals loss.
The crops in the course of the stor
were quite badly injured. The corn
many places is cut OF within few inc
es Of the ground, in others it was left
a very ragged condition, but there
hopes of all of it growing out again, Al
with favorable season we may expe
an average yield. Many fields of whe