The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-30
Ruins of Harper and Yelling
ton Viewed by Thousands.
WORST WRECK EVER SEEN.
Over Eight Hundred Houses Damaged
in the Town. of Harper.
Loss of Property Amounts to Nearly
$1,000, ,OOO-Live Stock Killed and
Crops Ruined in the Country-Fun-
eral of the Victims.

HARPER. Kan, May 2o.-Reports from
the country through which the tornado
passed on Friday demonstrate the loss TO
be greater than at first reported. The
course of the storm represents perfect
letter S, and swept in that form for dis
tance of at least fifteen miles. Nothing
escaped its fury and great damage was done
not only to houses, crops and trees, but
thousands of dollars worth of live stock
was killed and injured. 1t is impossible
at present to estimate the entire loss sus-
tanned by the surrounding country.
but it will not fall short OF $780,
000 Not more than six of the 800
or 800 residences in this city es-
capped damage, and nearly $50 of the houses
are total wrecks and as many more badly
injured, while the remainder were slightly
damaged. The amount of cyclone insur-
ance of the town is very light, while in the
country there was comparatively nothing.
There is scarcely a residence recognizable
as such on Central avenue from the Pres
byterian church north. Practically all
the stores in the northern half of the city
are in ruins and the contents greatly dam
aged Many people are not only destitute
of shelter, but of food and clothing as
well. A relief committee has been organ
ized and the chairman has issued call
for aid.
KANSAS City, May 2o.-The Journals
Wellington, Kan, special says: Great
crowds visited the stricken city today. All
the railroads entering the town ran excur
sions. and the people of the neighborhood
fiocked in. The common remark of those
who have witnessed similar scenes is that
in extent and completeness of destruction
it surpasses anything in their experience.
The miracle is that the loss of life was not
fourfold greater. This is attributed to the
fact that the churches, schoolhouses and
business blocks in the ternado's track were
practically deserted, excepting two hotels.
where eight casualties are so far reported
to have occurred.
The death list remains at the figures
given yesterday and all the injured are
progressing toward recovery except Mrs.
Murphy and Jesse Brown. The funerals
of Mrs. Shacher, Kittie Strain. Leonard
Adamson, Ida Jones, Horton Epson and
Professor James Mayor took place this
afternoon from the Methodist church. Jas.
Hastie was buried by the Odd Fellows,
and Ed Forsythe will be buried tomorrow.
The bodies of Thomas Cornwall aud Frank
Campbell have been forwarded to their
homes. The ruins have been diligently
searched, and the work of clearing away
the wreckage will be begun tomorrow.
Mechanics were at work all day making
the partially wrecked buildings habitable
Temporary shelter has been provided for
the homeless and relief organization is
raising the necessary funds to keep them
from destitution
The Presbyterian and Lutheran churches
were we'll protected by cyclone policies,
and will be restored. as will be the school,
house, which is also protected. The IN
surance on residence and business prop
erty is hardly worth mentioning. The
absolute loss in this neighborhood is $780,
900.
When the Wichita excursion arrived
this afternoon the members reported that
a bulletin had been posted by the E0gfe
that conditions were favorable for another
tornado at o'clock. The sky was a typi-
cal Italian sky, ana the report was not be-
ieved. Just at 4 o'clock, however, dense
cloud appeared in the South, heavily
charged with electricity, and great
alarm was spread among the people.
The alarm increased to the widest terror
when four or five men came rushing into
Main street shouting to the multitude
that cyclone was approaching and to flee
to places of safety. A fearful rush was
made for easements and stairways and it
is wonder that scores of people were not
crushed to death i'll the mad stampede
The report was found to be correct, for a
small but fully-developed twister was seen
travely rapidly in a northwesterly direc-
ton. This increased the excitement and
terror. The alarm subsided somewhat in
a few minutes when the twister disap-
peared entirely. stairway between
two buildings yielded beneath the
weight of the people, but no one
was hurt. A heavy rain fol-
lowed and the alarm subsidized entirely
when the dense cloud passed and was fol-
lowed by sunshine again. The cyclone
passed northwest, about mile west OF
Corbin, III Sumner county, and did no
damage so far as heard from. Another
cyclone originating in the same territory
was seen west of Caldwell, but it was very
small and did not reach the ground.
The search of the Conrad house ruins.
where i: was reported that groans had
been heard, was completed today. No
bodies were found.
\ farmer who has just arrived reports a
cloudburst at South Haven. IN Sumner
county. The rainfall IS said to have been
terrible, but no news of damage has been
received.
The Flood at Arkansas City.
ARKANSAS City, Ark, May 2l-The
I.