Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-28
SWEPT BY ACYcLO ONE
Death and Destruction at yelling
ton, Kansas.
THE PRESIDENTS TRIP NORTH.
Secretary Blaine Expected to Re-
turn Tonight,
KILLED BY ELECTRICITY.
DEATH IN MANY HOMES,

DEATH IN MANY HOMES.
| Wellington, Kan, Swept by Terrible
| Cyclone.
| WELLINGTON, KAN, MayRs-The destruction
to life and havoc to property wrought by a
cyclone last night is terrible. In the darkness
| of night and the confusion incident to such a
catastrophe it was not possible to fully realize
| the enormity of the calamity. is now seen
that the loss of life is appalling and the ruin to
property very great
The storm came from the southwest and
approached the city with rotary motion. When
| it reached here it descended upon the center of
the city with fearful force. then suddenly lifted.
sucking everything in its grasp and as suddenly
dropping it. Trees were torn from their roots,
houses turned around, stoves actually lifted un-
til they landed on the upper floors Of the ruins.
Freight cara which stood on the track on the
Rock Island road were picked up and
instance a horse was actually taken from
the ground and carried to the top of a two-story
building. 4 little child was taken out of its
cradle. carried a distance of two blocks and de-
posted upon the ground without being injured.
| The loss by the cyclone win aggregate $500
! 900. Two hundred brick and wooden buildings
we're destroyed. Hundreds Of men are working
| In the ruins in the hope Of rescuing the i'm
prisoned people.
DEATH AT A BALL.
| The most appalling scene was that at the
Phillips House. where a ball was in progress
/ when the cyclone burst. The dancers were
given little opportunity to escape from the
toppling structure. As the building began
swaying in the terrific gale the people in the
crowded ball room made frantic rush for the
| doors. The stairways and halls were imme-
and women, who tore at each each other er
in their mad rush for the open air.
With the crash of the walls about and over
them there arose great wall of despair from
| the imprisoned and doomed multitude As the
timbers crushed down upon the struggling
| merrymakers their hoarse cries were throttled
by the weight Of the mass Of timbers above
Il them.
sibility. only to be followed in moment by the
shrill blasts of the tempest as it rushed on to
other destructive work, and the agonized
shrieks of the injured or dying who
| were pinned down in the mass Of
debris Those who escaped from tho
rescue. Some Of those wAo fed from the build
ing had left wives and sweethearts, husbands
or brothers behind. These they sought in the
pile of bricks and timbers. AS fast as the
bodies were taken out they were surrounded by
| a crowd of anxious people, who vainly tried to
identify their mangled remains.
/ sALvATIoNIsTs STRUCK DOWN.
| A meeting Of the Salvation Army was in
progress in hall near Robinson block The
falling walls of this building crushed the hall
and it is known that two we're killed.
1t is probable when the wreck has
been cleared away that it will be
found that many more persisted. 1t was past
time for the army to adjourn, but the storm
kept the meeting in. One of the members was
| en1aped in nra ypr when fhe cyelone st~nct he
Robinson block. Before any Of the soldiers
could rise from their knees the walls Of the
building gave way with crash. How any of
/ them escaped alive is a marvel.
I Seven persons at the residence of Squire
| Smith we're badly injured and the whole num-
Der may at any time be added to the list of the
| dead. Walter Forsythe, ore of those rescued
| from the debris, has died.
( HOSPITAL SCENES.
| The scene at the temporary hospital was one
| such as is rarely witnessed except upon the
battleields. The floor was saturated with blood
| which gushed from the many wounds of the
many persons who were taken there as soon
/ they could be extricated from the wrecked
| buildings. There was little effort at order.
| Every one was too excited for that. The in
jured were carried in and placed in the first
cant place that could be found upon the floor.
Then the rescuers hurried away to renew their
/ efforts in behalf of those still in the ruins.
I All the physicians in town hastened to the
spot. but there were not enough to attend to
calls upon them. They in no case could afford
more than temporary relief Not a
wound could be dressed beyond
the immediate requirements of the
| case. In some instances limbs were amputated
| in the hurried manner that was common on the
7 field of battle thirty years ago. Scalp wounds
| and decorations we're left to be attended to by
volunteers, for the surgeons had their hands
full relieving the more seriously hurt.
Il A
attempt was made to keep the hall clear of all
but the rescuers, surgeons, their assist
ants and messengers. This added to
/ the agony. for in short time after the
| catastrophe occurred the streets we're crowded
with people searching for friends and relatives.
with difficulty they were prevented from crowd
| ing in upon the surgeons and sufferers.
/ The town had number of large grain ele-
vatOrs and stock yards 1t is on the Cherokee
trail and adjacent to good farming country.
| The business portion OF the city is unusually
compact, furnishing food for the cyclone and
subsequent fire.
| OVER TWENTY LIVES LOST.
| There is no doubt that over twenty persons
| have lost their lives in the city. while in the
surrounding country, which is thickly settled,
many more have probably met the same fate.
The number of those who have received in
juries will report above hundred. The fire
which was started in the Robinson block d.
| rectly after the tornado was subdued before it
spread far, and thus saved the city from fatal
| devastation.
| House after house has been tumbled to pieces
and travel through the streets is in some places
almost impossible, being strewn from end to
end with the wrecks of the finest buildings that
the city could boast Of -'1
Among the buildings completely wrecked are
the fine drst ward school house, the Presby-
terian and Lutheran churches, the Smith 4
Spicknell block, the Cole Robinson brick
block, the Standard building, the Hustle, Bur-
CESS 4 Stone stables and more than 100 frame
business buildings ond residences.
+ WILL BE BACK TONIGHT.
! Secretary Blaine Will Leave New York This