Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-07-21
Almost A Cyclone.

Our city and county are fast assuming
metropolitan airs and now can boast of a
small sized cyclone passing through our
midst. IL was last Monday afternoon when
the hardest wind and rain storm that the
Oldest inhabitant can remember approach
ed Medicine Lodge from the Northwest,
and when it arrived the fact was realized
by every one. During the day heavy
cloud Of iuky blackness had hung IN that
direction, but it was not until O'Clock
when { headed for this city. 1t came roll
ing and twisting in wonderful and fantas-
tic shapes. Now black as Cerebrus then a
pale green then the resemblance of heavy
falling snow, and the storm was here. At
first an avalanche of dust and then the rain
and hail and blowing mud and vivid light.
ning-all was here except the often de-
scribed funnel shaped cloud. Men women
and children sought places they imagined
safe but which would have afforded little
protection from genuine cyclone.
With the wind came a severe rain, as
thick and fast as it could fall, and this was
soon turned into hail the stones being UNI
usually large. Day appeared turned into
night and darkness was upon the whole
face of the earth; the lightning flashed at
every second and the peal of thunder was
deafening. Light awnings and porches
were crushed as if they had been of paper,
strong buildings trembled AMI window
glass exposed were shattered as if struck
by grape shot. Leaves were stripped from
the branches of trees and the branches
torn from the trunks; corn stalks were
stripped and gardens cut TO pieces. The
streets were turned into creeks and brooks
into rolling rivers. Bridges were torn
from their foundations and washed away.
But the strange part is that the fury of the
storm vas confined to a comparatively
small radius and every one was pleased to
hear that west and north of here where it
was feared the greatest damage had been
done there was little to report. South and
east Of here the storm appeared to lose
is force and excepting the slight damage
in the creek and river bottoms there is lit
to complain of.
On Elm creek three bridges were swept
away, one being in the city limits.
The awning in front of j. c. Orner's
drug store was blown directly over the
building, knocking off the fire wall and
breaking the large plate-glass front. The
awning in front of Hess store was treated
In similar manner. That IN front of Bob.
Eckert's barber shop was reduced to kind
ling wood. The building OIL Main street
occupied by the INDEX until last Saturday,
owned by S. j. Sherry, was picked up and
dashed against Standiford, Youman a. Cos.
brick store and then crushed into splinters
IN the middle of the street, sixty feet from
where the building originally stood. The
new residence of George Geppert was
blown down and the foundation mashed to
the ground. The residence Of Mr.. Standi-
ford was struck by lightning and Mrs. S.
Knocked speechless for the time being, a
window frame was splintered and other
damage done. DR.. Kesslers residence was
also struck by lightning, but fortunately
the inmates were not injured.
The roof over the sleeping rooms in the
rear of Posts billiard room was rolled up
and blown over the livery stable and into
the street beyond. In the room was lot
Of Tom. Posts good clothes, which were
blown away. A vest with $50 in pocket
was recovered, but it is thought the other
clothes are on the backs of the Cheyenne
Indians.
The brick yard of E. A. Welch was en-
tirely inundated and nearly $4,000 brick
destroyed.
Most Of the window glass on the north
side of buildings were broken out and the
rooms flooded. Lebrechts hall, the Medi
cine Lodge hotel and many other building;
suffered extensively.
The covering over the city well was taker
of, and one of the large doors on Jacks
livery stable was taken off the hinges.
Nearly every resident of the city was tC
some extent loser by the storm, but Geo
Geppert, f. A. Welch and j. G. Orner an
damaged the most.
The storm lasted 45 minutes and when
did let upa sigh of relief was breathe'
and the streets were crowded with peopl
anxious as to the welfare of their friend:
every one appearing to think that som
lives must have been lost. Fortunatel.
snch was not the case. Had the city bee
built of wood instead OF brick and gyT
sum there is no telling what the damage
life and property would have been.
Let us all return thanksl