The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-05-18
THE DEADLY CYCLONE.

THE DEADLY CYCLONE.
wyandstte County. Kansas, and Kan
| sas CITY, Me-, Receive . SUNDAY
visit from the Monster.
Sunday the 18th about four O'Clock
the people Of Kansas City and Wyandotte
watched with almost breathless anxiety
the gathering Of angry clouds in the west
and as the thunder muttered its deep rum
blings and the clouds thickened in dark
ness, it became evident to the thousands OF
anxious watchers that storm of more than
ordinary violence was rushing eastward,
possibly bringing death and devastation in
its course. About half-past five the dread
full funnel-shaped cloud was seen to form
southwest of the City of Wyandotte and
bound along in a northeasterly di
rection. This struck the residence Of Mr.
David Reed, who lives two miles west OF
Wyandotte, had his house completely de-
molished. His wife, Mrs. Maria Reed, was
instantly killed. The family were all in
the front room, and seeing the storm ap
preaching set about closing the doors and
windows. Mrs. Reed stepped outside to
close the door of the hennery. While stoop
ing to fasten the door the roof of the dwell
ing house was blown off and struck her
upon the back of the neck, breaking it. Mr.
Reed was closing a window when the walls
of the house were blown in, and he was
fearfuliy cut about the head and neck
Annie Reed, the ten-year old daughter
seized the baby and ran down into the eel
lar. She was caught by falling ioist and
pinned to the floor badly hurt. The baby
dropped to the floor and escaped uninjured
The two-story frame residence of Mr..
Clarence Smith was blown down. Mrs.
Smith received several injuries about the
body. At H. L. Kerr's the roof was blown
off the house, but the walls remained stand.
ing. Mr.. Kerr had the finest orchard in
Wyandotte County (which scarcely tree
was left standing. The Stewart Precinct
school house, a one-story brick structure,
was literally blown in pieces, scarcely one
brick being left upon another. Mr.. Stew.
arts elegant conservatory and hot beds
were destroyed. The roof of Theodore
Holly's brick residence was blown off and
thrown into the public road, q
distance of 200 feet. His barn was
blown down and orchard uprooted.
The residence of John Schmidt, German
farmer was turned over. All the family,
consisting of ten persons, we're in the house
at the time, and escaped by crawling
through the windows otter it had been
overturned. Other houses in the track of
the storm were more or less injured. At
this point the storm seemed to take the
form of water-spout, and whirled in a
circle of about 300 feet in diameter. An
eyewitness AYERS that he saw forest tree
torn up by the roots and carried high i'm
the air, being whirled around the circle of
the cyclone like a feather, and finally de-
posted over 100 feet from where it was up
rooted. All through the timber
trees were stripped of the bark and
twisted in every conceivable man
ner. The cyclone finally crossed the
Missouri River into Clay County, Mo. The
damage to property in Wyandotte County
is estimated at over 100000.
Soon after this another funnel-shaped
cloud formed in South Wyandotte, crossed
Mo. The approach of this was the signal
for flight to cellars by the people of the
southern portion of the city. The cyclone
crossed the bottoms unroofing the Stock
Exchange building and commenced its de-
struction on the bluffs by demolish-
ing the uncompleted residence of Mr.. j. C..
Horton. 1t then swept along through the
Fourth ward, the houses of Rev. A. D. Ma.
deira, A. L. Glenn, Upton Eby, d. s. Ir.
win, E. ]. Frey and Keefer's grocery store,
being demolished and ruined. Thence east
4 NJ n.
reached did the whirling cyclone continue
its zig-zag path, blowing down small
houses, unroofng larger ones, uprooting
trees, turning over sidewalks and blow.
ing fences and buildings about like straws.
Continuing its course through the city the
houses of Mr.. John Hengle, DIR. Crow and
others were destroyed. The new German
Evangelical Church, but recently complet
ed at a cost of SO 900, was totally ruined,
as were all houses on Fourteenth street
facing the park from Oak to Locust. The
cyclone jumped from block to block, de.
stroying buildings in its course. Buildings
were destroyed on the north side of
Thirteenth street from Cherry to
Holmes. The damage on Twelfth street
east was equally great. The destroyer
finally passed out of the city in north
easterly direction. The number of
houses destroyed and injured was
estimated at over two hundred. The
killed in Kansas City were Willie Siebin,
a boy twelve years of age, who
was at the circus grounds, by the
overturning of a circus wagon, and
Joseph Burns. The injured were James
Drummond, probably fatally; H. LIE.
brecht, seriously; Mrs. Thomas j. Dye,
dangerously; child of Mrs. Jackson, ia
tally; Arthur Whitney, a boy, seriously;
and Mrs. Trainor, Mrs. Lorie, Mrs. Gym.
tina Davis and Frank Jenkins. The damage
to property in Kansas City was estimated
at not less than $250,00O.