Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-06-09
ONHERALDED
A Cyclone Sweeps Down Upon
Wellington, Kansas.
Twenty People Killed and Over
Hundred Injured
Death and Destruction Mar
Its Pathway.
HUNDREDS OF DWELLINGS D
sTRoYED or DAMAGED.

rhs Greatest Loss Of Life Probably On IN,
Phillips House Where . Bali wAs n
Progress-schooI Houses, Churehss,
BusIness Blocks and Residences De.
mOIished.
WELLINGTON, Kan, May 30.-A few
minutes after 8 o'clock Friday night q
tornado struck the city. coming from The
southwest. There were no premonitory
signs. Everybody was indoors, and the
cloud passed with its destructive rush
and awful roar unseen.
Washington avenue, the principal busi.
ness street, is lined on both sides fol-
blocks with ruins.
The cyclone did not do much damage
until 1t reached the center of the town.
On Jefferson avenue it destroyed the
Lutheran church, but only unroofed the
residences The most furious work was
done within the compass of the four
squares bounded by Jefferson avenue,
Avenue Q, and Seventh and Ninth
streets. Every building in these two
squares was demolished and wrecked.
The destruction in the northeast part
Of the city has also been great. but
definite details can not be had. Great
confusion rrevailed.
The de. IN ton south of Harvey ave
nue. vase m aratively insignificant and
no lives ha' d been lost in that section 30
far as known.
At the Phillips House.
Probably the greatest loss of life will
be found to have occurred at the Phil
lips House, where 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 forceof
the terrific gale, the people in the
crowded ball rOOm made frantic rush
for the DOORS With a crash of the
walls about and over them there arose a
great wall of despair from the i'm
prisoned and doomed multitude. As
the timbers crushed down upon the
struggling merrymakers their hoarse
cries were throttled in their throats by
the weight Of thS mass of timbers above
them. Up to- noon Saturday seven
bodies had been recovered.
A meeting of the Salvation Army
was in progress in hall near the Rob-
inson block. The falling walls of this
building crushed the hall, and many of
the soldiers were injured. 1t is known
that two of them were killed, and it is
probable when the wreck has been
cleared away it will be found that many
more perished than that. How they es-
capped alive is marvel.
1t was found Saturday morning that
the northeast portion of the city,
which was thought to have escaped, had
suffered severely. The houses there are
almost entirely residences, and the loss
will be heavy and will fall upon the
small owners. The loss of life will not
be so great, though it is reported that
number of children met death in the
wrecking of the, homes.
Among the buildings completely
wrecked are the, fine First ward school
house, the Presbyterian and Lutheran
churches, the Smith and Spicknell
brick block, the Coll and Robinson
brick block, The Standard building, the
Hustle Burgess and Stone stables and
more than one hundred frame business
buildings and residences.
Over twenty peaple lost their lives in
the city, while the country around is
thickly settled, probably as many more
met the same fate. The number of in
jured will reach ever one hundred, and
the financial loss will reach far in the
thousands of dollars.
The fire which broke out directly
after the tornado was subdued by
shutting off the gas, and fortunately
saved the city from a fearful disaster.
The losses to property will aggregate
$500,0OO.
Wellington is the county seat of Sum-
ner county, and has population of over
10,0O0 inhabitants. It is in the centerof
a thickly-settled agricultural district.
1t is the most prNminent town in South
ern Kansas.
At Harper.
The town Of Harper, distant about.
twelve miles from Wellington, was Wis
tied by the tornado about the same
time as the county seat, and nine or TEN
lives are known to have been lost there.
Later Report.
WELLINGToN, Kan, May 31.-Wel+
hngtons cyclone visitation has made it,
for the time being the chief object Of
interest for all southern Kansas.
No such crowds have visited this city
before as those which since the
earliest daylight have been pouring in
on every railroad and highway. On all
its four lines centering here the Santa
Fe run excursions from as far north as
Hutchinson, south from Arkansas City
and west from Medicine Lodge, while
the Rock Island was equally industrious
IN forwarding sightseers to the stricken
city.
It is the common remark of Those