Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-07-13
A Kansas Town wrecked by .
TofnadoeThe Floods In
Ontario.
Terrible Result of q Cloud Burst
Two Hundred Dwellings De-
stroyed-Loss $500, 900.
A scene Of Desolation and Destruction
Fifty Persons Remain Unae-
counted For.
New YORK. July II.

New YORK. July IL.
A despatch from Soldier. Kansas. says
shortly before ten O'Clock last night terrific
tornado broke upon the town coming from
the southwest Two farm houses were first
torn down and then path was cnt by the
wind through the center of the town. Fiji
teen residences and business houses on the
east side of Main street were literally scat
tered broadcast.
From thence the wind seemed to jump over
two blocks, and then again wreck four houses
Five persons were killed and many others
badly wounded. The total loss aside from
life is placed at hundred thousand dollars
A London, Ont, despatch says that about
two o'clock Wednesday morning. the school
bell in PetersvilIe suburbs began to clang an
alarm, which in due time WAS taken up by
the city fire alarm.
The morning was calm and still after the
storm SO that the citizens when aroused by
the bells heard cry filled with shrieks and
cries mingled with sounds of vigorous chop
ping with axes.
The thriving suburb named, comprising
about sixteen hundred souls, had been sud-
denly overwhelmed with q torrent caused by
a tremendous cloud burst, some dozen miles
up country. The water rolled down in one
resistless wave, raising the river twelve feet
above the ordinary food mark, and destroy
ing about two hundred dwellings. The viii
lage presents a picture of sickening ruin,
brick houses being levelled and wooden ones
either carried bodily down the stream or
-tumbled over and left in inextricable con-
fusion People took refuge on the roofs
of buildings that remained standing until re-
lieved BY men in boats, which work occupied
six hours.
Many of the people had to cut their way
out through the roofs with axes, so sudden
was the catastrophe. One house fioated down
with the lights burning inside. and inhabited
by a lady. 1t struck the bridge and the lady
was taken out a raving maniac. cradle
passed down amid the confusion of furniture,
and contained baby which was dead. A
little boy passed over the water works dam
and was engulfed. 1t is supposed there is
a great loss of life, as fifty persons are unac-
counted for. A pleasure steamer, the Prin-
cess Louise, costing $4,000, was carried
over the dam carrying Byron bridge with it.
All the iron bridges are gone except one and
the city is isolated.
The fires Ofthe gas works were extlnguished
and the mains broken BY the washout. The
Collins ice house was swept away with 30,
600 tons of ice and eight horses. Collins
Hall, in Petersville, is filled with refugees.
Churches and houses on high ground are
also filled. Great sympathy is shown on all
sides. A mass meeting of citizens was held
last night to devise relief measures.
LONDON, Ont. July IL.
There is nothing new to report in regard to
the floods. The water has subsidized and
gangs of men are busy clearing out houses
and endeavorng to make such as are not
carried away, habitable. Active relief meas
ures are on foot and all of the distressed are
temporarily provided for. The property de-
stroyed by the foods is valued at half mil.
lion dollars.