The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-29
INTHE WAKEOFTHE BLOW
qHEExACT LOSS OF LIFE AT VEL
LINGTON STILL UNKNOWN.

A Wild Scramble to Get Out of the
Crowded Ball Room OF the Phillips.
Scores of People Caught In the Ruins
of the Falling Building-six or More
Lives Lost at Harper.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, May 2S-A special
70 the Times from Wellington, Kan. says:
The cyclone was terribly destructive in its
effects. 1t did not do much damage until
II reached the center OF the town. On JEFF
ferson avenue it destroyed the Lutheran
church, but only unroofed residences. Its
most furious work was done within a COM
pass Of the four squares bounded by Jeffer-
son avenue, Avenue @ and Seventh and
Niath streets. Every building in those two
squares was demolished and wrecked.
Fortunately residences in that locality are
not numerous, otherwise the loss of
ufe would have been much greater.
The offices OF the four local newspapers :,
Monitor, Press, Voice and Nail, were de-
stroyed. The Wellington foundry was de-
molished and Mrs, William Asher and her
sister, Kittie Strahan. who happened to be
passing there at the time, were buried in its
runs and killed. Their bodies have been
recovered.
The destruction In the northwest part of
the city was also great.
LIST OF THE DEAD.
WELLINGTON, KAN, May rs, $50 A. NJ
Following is u complete list of the killed by
the tornado as gathered at 2:S0 o'clock this
NOR ing: Frank d. Campbell, James HASTE,
Leonard Adamson, Ida Jones, Mrs. Asher
aud her sister, Kittie Strahan. Prof. Mayer
aud Horton Upson are missing and are
probably killed. Lieut.. W. French and
Cadet Samms of the Salvation
named Matte Hodges are badly injured.
Gas stoner, Gus Colby, Dick Weaver, Car
rie Nj, chell and Ed Forsyth each received
injuries more or less serious.
The streets are impossible aud nothing
but ruin exists everywhere. AT least
twelve bodies have already been taken out
Of the ruins, and something less than sew
enty-fve are injured. Men are working
everywhere trying to rescue the imprisoned
ones. No one now can realize the extent of
the catastrophe and day light will alone
reveal the saddest scene of ruin and DESC
laton ever witnessed in Southern Kansas.
The Cole aud Robinson block ruins took fire
and strenuous efforts were made 20 rescue
the people known TO be buried there.
COLLAPSE OF THE HOTEL.
WELLINGTON, KAN, May 2S, 2 A, NJ.
The most appalling scene was that at the
Phillips house, where ball was in progress
when the cyclone burst. The dancers were
given little opportunity to escape from the
roppling structure. As the building began
swaying In the terrific gale the people in the
crowded bail room made frantic rush for
the doors. The stairways and halls were
Immediately filed by crazed men aud
women, who tore at each other in their
mad rush for the open air. With the crash
NJ fETnN lie H,Atv A..
great wall of despair from the imprisoned
and doomed multltude. AS the timbers
crushed down upon the struggling merry
makers their hoarse cries were
tnrotted by the weight Of the mass of tim
bers above them. Then came the silence of
death and insensibility, only to be followed
moment later by the shrill blast of the
tempest as 1t rushed on to other destructive
WORK, and drowned the agonized shrieks of
the injured or dying who were pinned down
in the mass of the debris. Those who escaped
from the building began Immediately the
work of rescue. Some of those who fed
from the building had left wives and sweet
hearts, husbands or brothers behind. These
tney sought In the pile OF bricks and tim
bers. 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.
A meeting of the Salvation Army was in
progress in hall near the Robinson block.
Ihe falling walls of this building crushed
the Tall aud it is known that two were
Killed. 1t is probable that when the wreck
cleared away it will be found that many
more perished. 1t was past time for the
army to adjourn but the storm kept the
meeting in. One of the members was en-
gagged In prayer when the cyclones struck
lnAl Aa&C Ok
u!ers could rise from their knees the walls
QI the buildings gave way with crash.
now any OF them escaped alive is marvel
seven persons were in the residence of
9I14uire Smith and all were badly injured
wafer torsythe, one Of those rescued from
the debris, has died.
Inc scene at the temporary hospital was
vne Suoh as Is rarely witnessed, except upon
oatte fields. The floor was saturated with
pso0d which gushed from the many wounds
VI tue many persons who were taken there
as soon as they could be extricated from the
wrecked buildings. There was little effort
al al order. Every one was too excited for
tuao Ihe injured were carried In and placed
Ou Vue urst vacant place that could be found
upon the floor. Then the rescuers hurried
aaS"ay 70 renew their efforts in behalf Of
'uose SILL in the ruins.
TWO OTHER TOWNS STRUCK.
-. FEhA, AAN., May 2S.-Meager dis
patches to the Santa Fe railroad headouar-
sors mere state that the cyclone which
mrought such terrible havoc at wellington
nSs nlght also struck the towns of Harper
TL Tlu Argonia, in the vicinity of Wellington.
& ans wires to both Of these places are down
i ~Iu news was received by the Santa Fe by
| |"ne ana from its trainmen at other places.
"uo passed through the towns last night.
Ssntes sq4ia y4l Is a town of 75O people, on the
EEnnIa re railroad. in the western part of
Wonlsr WtIiaer county, about twenty miles from
harper is the county seat of Harper
couuty, which Immediately adjoins Sumner
~ tGnsy q sg, on the west. 1t is a thriving town
vo, No statement Of the loss of life, if there
rsoo;y ras any at either Of these places has been
a n tae tue santa Fe special train from Wichita
q WIS physicians to attend the injured at
mo- Ston has been sent through 10 Har-
H. H. anu Argonia with all the physicians
eau De spared from Wellington.
Vt, ELEVEN KILLED AT HARPER.
tho "S5oHIrA, KAN, May 28.-Trainmen Of
wers Ita I.iTl re road report that eleven people
cycIoIi Aliieu at Harper during last nights
st Iue' and that seven met the same fate
ms1- tkohl. All the wires are down. and 1t
storrI oe Iate tonight before details of the
''O'i III can be learned.
THE RUSH THROUGH HARPER.
snectoS ecHSsAs CITY, Mo. May %. 1OR. MA
E Is ,aI oI. 70 The Times from Anthony saws: