The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-07-20
A TERRIBLE DISASTER. !.

1he River Thames Overnows its Banks
1t London, Ont.-Mnny Persons Drown
cd and Scores Of Buildings Destroyed
Cyclones In kansas.
LONDON, Can, July IL.
Thirty-two persons lost their lives by q
freshet in the Thames Wednesday A tor.
aado, accompanied by heavy rains, broke
over the western part of the city shortly be.
fore daylight. The river was soon beyond
its banks. The flood swept over the whole
of the lOwlands. In less than an hour the
entire western suburbs were under water.
Large buildings and mills were carried away
IS though they were straws. The popula-
lion of the suburbs, some two thousand in
aumber, were driven from their homes in
their night-clOthes.
The villagers were sleeping when the
storm burst upon them, and awoke only to
and their dwellings floating away in the
stream. Some houses were overturned and
heir occupants drowned in their beds. One
building caught fire while going down
stream, and Lit up the awful scene, showing
some persons rnnning wildly about ON the
roofs of the floating houses, and others at
the windows screaming. Parties went to
the rescue of the occupants, but before they
reached the building it was overturned and
its inmates lost to sight
The scene was direful in the extreme,
Mothers were wailing for lost children, and
infants crying for mothers. Many of those
in the floating houses would have been COM
paratively secure had they remained in
doors. Many of them in their terror rushed
wildly out into the water and were swept
away. One frame house fioated down with
tIohf and LII, l.
| named Miss Wright. was rescued after
mile run on the crest of the wave, but with
her reason lost. The poor girl had torn her
hair and raved piteously all day. A young
married woman was rescued with a new
born infant in her arms. A child of Mr..
Orr, an elderly lady named Hopkins and
boy floated over the dam and We're engulfed
in the waters below. Some forty persons
are missing. All the bridges across the riv-
er were destroyed, and communication with
the west side is cut off. Railways were
also flooded and traffic stopped.
The waters began to fall about noon, and
business was suspended all day, and parties
were organized to rescue those in the float
ing houses and to render them assistance.
Among those known to have persisted are
the following: Mrs. Hopkins, of Kensing.
ton; four children of II. f. Lacey, London
West; woman. name unknown; daughter of
MIR. Orr, of Ann street; three children of
George Stratford, Napier street; three chill
dren of ID. T. Mclean, Blackfriars street;
child of William Maylon, of Ann street;
James Spackman; Mrs; James Spackman;
son of James Spackman; child of Mr.. Orn.
The property loss is estimated at S., Zoo, 900.
Seven hundred dollars has been subscribed
for the relief of the sufferers.
atn - s,lA
passed over Lucan Tuesday night. Much
damage was done to farms and many
bridges swept away. Railroads were food
ed and made impossible. No lives were
lost so far as known. The Grand Trunk
track west of Ingersoll was washed away
and a train wrecked. No one was seriously
hurt. The water in Lake Ontario has risen
10 slch an extent that the beach is entirely
under water along the Niagara County line.
DISASTROUS CYCLONES IN KANSAS.
HOLTON, Kan, July 12.
Soldier City, town of 200 inhabitants,
sixteen ms.es west of here, was completely
demolished Tuesday night Three women
and one child were killed outright, and some
fifteen severely injured. Among the build
ings blown down were two general stores,
one drugstore and one livery stable. The
storm came from the north and passed di-
rectly south. Stephenson, the ex-Sheriff of
this county, living south Of Soldier City, lost
his barn and hot-hOuse.
A cyclone struck Cimarron, station on
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway,
eighteen miles ives: of Dodge City. WedHes-
day afternoon, and wrecked six buildings,
besides large livery barn. Nobody in
jured. One large building occupied as
billiard hall was picked up entirely, turned
twice around, and set down some yards
away uninjured. All telegraph wires are
down.