The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-29
THIRTY-THREE LIVES LOST. :

THIRTY-THREE LIVES LOST.
Three Kansas Towns Deyasted by q Tornado
Great Property Damage.
WELLINGTON, Kan. May 28.-Southern
Kansas has again suffered visitation
from the dreaded tornado. A mighty
tornado, mile and half wide, formed
last nj ight in Harper county. and. sweeping
across the counties of Harper and Sumner.
left death and destruction in it's track.
To add to the havoc wrought to
the twisting storm. water-spout
claimed it's share of the general wreck and
devastated the northern part of Harper
county. while lightning added it's frea
Trees barns, farm-houses and towns went
down before the terrible force of the storm,
and human life went out in the twinkling
of An eye.
Fifteen dead at wellington and seven at
Harper compose the known lists of victims
In the towns, while from the country dis
tricts comes the report of six killed. maxi
ing total of thirty-three dead. The lists
in the next day or two will probably be
largely added to as tho complete details
are learned.
The storm came with great suddenness,
giving no one the chance to escap pc it's fury.
Barely was the roar of the approaching
destroyer heard before the prosperous
town of Wellington was in ruins. The
storm entered Wellington from the
west at the end of Washington
avenue. the principal rhoroughfare of
the town. Passing along this section
of the street it swept path directly
through the heart of the city and left moth
ing behind but wrecks of fine buildings
which lined the streets At Harper the
storm came without warning, and be-
fore the people began to real
ize what had haupeI 4. the best
part of the town wa. little less
than a confused mass of debris, Every
| telegraph wire In the place is pr0strated
and news from that town comes only from
| indirect sources. At RegO the storm took
the nature of q waterspout. No detail of
the damage done in that town has been re-
ceived and it is not known whether any
| lives have been lost.
The storm played many strange and mad
freaks. At Wellington the Episcopal
| Church was blown almost to atoms. while
| the Lutheran Church. directly op-
| posite, was turned directly upside
! down. The First ward school
house at Wellington was completely
wrecked. and on the top of the debris sits
| heavy stove. upright and unbroken.
| Freight cars were lifted from the tracks
and carried long distances in the air, and
deposited on the ground unharmed.
1t was reported that Orgonio had been
wrecked. but telegraphic communication
was restored with that place tonight. and
dispatch from there states the storm did
not reach that place.
At Harper and Crystal Springs.
ANTHONY. Kan, May 2s.-A tornado
swept through the town of Harper last
night at 7:9O clock. destroying many lives
injuring q large number of people and doing
an immense amount of pecuniary damage.
The first news Of the disaster reached here
this morning when Q train came from
there in search of help for the stricken
town. special train was at once made up
and with physicians and nurses aboard
started for Harper.
The scene in the devastated town is one
of ruin and destruction. Hardly q build
ing in the entire town escaped demolitior9
and the place is strewn with debris from
end TO end. 1t is a marvel that more lives
were not lost. as the death list contains
now only six names. Many were seriously
injured and scores received slight wounds.
The storm formed northwest of town, and
moved upon it from that direction. 1t was
q genuine tornado. aud wherever it struck
nothing was able to withstand its ter
rible force. Its point Of origin seems
to have been just west of Crystal Springs.
In its course it struck that village and
completely demolished it. No definite in.
formation of the loss of life. if there was
nny, has been received, as oil communica-
tion by wire was cut Oft. The relief train
that proceeded to Harper from hero went
on to Crystal Springs. and may
! return here tonight with details of
the storm. In the meantime nothing
is known of the disaster there
excepting the mere fact that the town
was demolished. From Crystal Springs
the storm swept with terrible force over
the country in the direction of Harper,
carrying everything before it. Many barns
and farm houses were blown down. but il
is not known that anv lives were lost.
In the town of Harper the destruction il
almost complete. Only TWO houses in the
center of the place remain uninjurcd. ant
hundreds of residences were wrecked. Th,
Inst of killed is:
j. L. sTAINHAN, crushed in the fall of hi
house.
WIFE and C HlLD of JAMES GALLAGHER
CHILD of GRANT TOMLIN.
WILLIAM STEVENSON, neck broken.
MRS. FRANK TOMLIN.
The most seriously injured arc:
Samuel Cole, leg brohen and injured inter
pay will prob ibiy die.
Robert LibTieht, leg broken.
samuel Challis, arm broken.
Mrs. Samuel Chais. arm broken and inter
nally injuled, probably fatally.
The Harper normal and hi gh- schools wer
wrecked and the Hutchinson d southern
and the Santa Fe stations demolished. Th
PattIson House was unroofed. If it ha'
been demolished tho loss of Lie would hav
been terrible. for the guests were numerous
The First National Bank is a complete los,
The Rothwell Opera house was blown owe
and destroyed. The total loss aggregate
ahont 100000. on which there is less tha
! SIS. COO tornado insurance.
SAD SCENES AT WELLINGTON
Best Portion Of the Town in Ruins-Pifteel
, Killed and More yyIu DE-
WELLINGTOS. Kan. May 2S.-The destrul
.. tion to life and havoc to property wrough
| La nj ,uhf,s tnr do ta< ~.