Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-06-20
DESTRUCTION.
Kansas Visited By Winds and
Floods.
Serious Loss of Life-Uniontown, Near
Fort Scott, Observation-Disclosures River
Over Its Banks-Storms in the
East-Etc.

FORT ScoTT. Kan, June IA report
has reached here that cyclone visited
Uniontown Saturday night, leaving death
and destruction in its wake. 1t is impos-
sible to obtain definite information as all
the wires on both sides of the place are
down and it is a matter of doubt whether 1
it was a cyclone or a cloudburst. 1t Is re-
ported that two women and four children
We're drowned. but their names can not be /
ascertained. Houses were blown down. /
property greatly damaged and it is feared |
that many more lives are lost than have |
been reported
The country about Uniontown is thickly /
settled and the latest reports are that the !
loss of life will far exceed any present |
estimates. The whole country seems |
to have been flooded Traffic has
been suspended, on the Missouri Pacific |.
and the Missouri. Kansas & Texas. Every |,
possible aid is being rendered the suffer- |
ers. heavy rain aud wind storm passed
over this section Saturday night and yes
terday morning but owing to the condi-
ton of the wires little information can be
obtained.
In this city there was much damage &c
property but no lives were lost section
| of the city known as Belletown, was COM
pletely wiped out and many houses were
carried off by the high waters OF the Mar
J NATION. The immense dam above the city
broke early yesterday and the water
rushed down Wall street to the depth OF
several feet flooding cellars and causing
great CONSERVATION. People were taken
out Of houses in wagons, and in Belletown
many of the residents were forced TO leave
their dwellings in skiffs to escape death.
| Uniontown is situated on the Wichita q
Western railroad in the valley Of the
Marmaton, fifteen miles from Fort Scott
| 1t was organized as a town In 1860, al
though a post-office had been established
there in 1862. About six years ago the
town contained eight general stores, two
hotels, lumber yard, a livery stable,
mill and had a population of about 3OO.
| 1t has grown considerably, however, since
then.
WALNUT RIVER FLOODS.
AUGUSTA Kan, June 1I.-Parties living
north of here on the Walnut river came
to town yesterday and reported the river
out of its banks and some places sur
rounded by water. They procured some
| boats and returned.
|. The river here at that time was not I'M
| usually high, but as the parties reporting
| the high water above came only about
five miles it was thought it wou raise to
dangerous point here In short time
it commenced rising about five feet an
hour, and finally began to back up in the
low places. Soon it broke over the banks
| about one mile northeast of town and
came with such rush that the people in
the lower part of town barely had time to
escape from their houses, leaving their
household effects behind. Many had to
wade through water waist deep.
While only few buildings in town have
! been taken out there are about seventy
five houses in water from four to ten feet
deep, which will cause great loss in every
case and many thousands of acres of wheat
and other crops are totally destroyed,
while the number of cattle, hogs and
horses lost will run into the thousands.
Two iron and one wooden bridge have
gone out and the Augusta water mills
have been swept away. The material in
the Santa Fe Company's yards foated out
and the Santa Fe depot had to be aban-
doned.
The passenger train on the Santa Fe
line got here and could get no further nor
return by it's own tracks and was run into
Wichita over the Frisco track, but the
Frisco trains will be unable to get east of
here for several hours. Superintendent
Wentworth is here attending to affairs in
person, which ensures the early moving
of trains.
The damage to crops, stock and other
property is estimated at from $50, 900 to
100000
Mrs. Graham and child were drowned
and many others are unaccounted for
/ of or in
on housetops surrounded by water, which,
on account of the scarcity of boats, have
not been reached yet. In some instances
RATS were constructed, but owing to the
strong current they were of no avail.
STORM IN WEST VIRGINIA.
! MARTINSBURG, W. Va, June ia very
heavy storm passed over the southwest
ern part of Berkeley County yesterday
morning, a terrific gale of wind that did
great damage being followed by terrible
thunder storm and this by a heavy hail.
The hail stones lay in some places three or
four inches deep. Crops AMI trees are
ruined. Livestock was badly bruised and
in some instances killed. Several houses
and barns were wrecked by the wind. No
loss of life has yet been reported. Owing
to the lateness of the hour at which the
storm occurred, details are meager.
A CYCLONE IN INDIANA.
LIGoNIER, Ind, June ia cyclone
passed through this town yesterday after
noon tearing down shade trees and I'M
roofing houses along its path. The fine
brick dwelling of j. NJ. Bstts was nearly
destroyed and the new residence of W. E.
Harding is a total wreck. The Ligsnier
Hotel and a number of other buildings
were unroofsd. The bridge across the
Elkhart river was blown down and hum
dreds of shade trees. fences etc, were de-
stroved. The loss will BE- heavy.
FOREST FIRES
ELLENsBURG Wash. T.. June I.-Heavy
forest fires on the east side of the Cascade
mountains have destroyed vast quantities
of timber. Strong winds prevail and the
fire is extending. The Northern Pacific
line and bridges are in danger.
, MOTHER AND CHILD BURNED.
BALTIMORE, Md, June 1L-Mrs. Eliza
beth Tyler, aged twenty-five years, and
her baby, Benjamin Harrison Tyler, were
burned to death last night by the explo-
; sion of a coal oil lamp at their home IN
Raynersville in Anne Arundel County.
II don't know any thing that yields 50
. | loroa , ratrrr for en- an, Ynauditure