People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-06-03
WeIIingtOn-Rarper Cyclone.

heard her cries and rescied her. Without !
inquiring who be was, she almost Rugged
the breath out OF him in the fullness OF her
gratitude.
". C. Borgess. and wife were in bed The
brick walls of the building fell and all
about them, but fortunately not brick
struck the bed.
The family of W. A. Wren had just come
to Kansas from Illinois last week, and oc-,
cupied large house in the west part Of
town. The house was picked up and
turned half way around The front OF the,
house was full of scantlngs and presented
the appearance of target.
ARE THERE MORE IN THE RUINS.
1t is not yet certain that all the
bodies have been recovered. There
are two or three men unaccounted
for lie work of clearing away the big
piles Of plaster, brick and wood goes on
and it may result in bringing more corpses
to light.
The storm at Harper Friday night was
TO some extent the most disastrous that
has ever visited Southern Kansas. Its de-
vastating effects have been much more seri-
Gus than the effects of the storm at Well
ington except in the matter of fatalities
alone. Hundreds of houses in Wellington
remained untouched while in Harper not
single house, small or large, escaped the
ravHges oftbe storm. In certain space
the ruin wrought by the tornado at Well
ingtOn is indiscribably complete while in
Harper il is quite different At Yelling
ton all the houses in he main course of
the storm went down crushed into
splinters, without any exception, while at
Harper many houses stand in
tact around ruined one The
character of the storms was entirely
different, too. The Wellington storm was
a genuine tornado. while the Harper storm
was a combination of cyclone and tornado.
A tornado is never more than from 200 to
GOO feet wide, while this storm was at
least four miles in width.
Cyclone, tornado, or whatever it may be
called, it was terrible beyond description
and the fact that it did not kill hundreds
of people should be classed rs one of the
wonders Of the century. Within the
corporate limits of Harper it injured,
more or less, over 700 houses and killed no
one, all the fatalities occurring on the
surrounding country. Another remark
able fact is, it did not kill single animal
in the city of Harper, although it killed
and manned many in the surrounding
country. Opinion is divided as to where
the storm originated. Some say it
had its birth in the cemetery at
Medicine Lodge, while others say it
formed five miles north Of Attica. The lat
ter is most probable, although there is no
doubt but that other cyclones formed in
Medicine Lodge Then again there is diff
ference Of opinion as to how it originated.
Some say it was never anything more than
an unusual strong straight wind, while
Others who claim to have seen it form say
that 1t was fusion of two separate and
distinct twsters into one powerful body
OF wind which extended over distance of
three miles in width and Travelled a dis
lance of fiftee miles, its course being in the
shape of a sickle with the point resting in
the northwest portion OF the county. The
main force of the storm struck the north
ern half of the city of Harper and the
heaviest damage done is in Main street
and Central avenue, which are the two
principal business streets in the city. Some
miraculous escapes were effected, the re.
ciial of which would tax he credulity of
the most ,ususpecting A description of
them would be Intensely interesting. but
unfortunately limited space forbids in this
issue, at least.
The unfortunate event had one good
Effect, however, and that is it has created
feeling of true fraternity among the peo-
pie of Harper and Anthony. When the
Anthony people heard that the formar
hitter rival of their city had been over
taken by "A dire calamity they came to her
assistance like men, brothers and true
Kansans and did all in their power
towards relieving their distress. The
Harper people thoroughly appreciate this
kindness and genuine era OF good feeling
has commenced between both communi-
ties that cannot be otherwise than mutu-
ally beneficial
The estimated loss of the city and couu-
try effected by the storm is between $780,
900 and $4OO. 600, while few say it will not
fall very far short of 100000. The mayor
and council met Saturday. and, after dis.
cussng the situation thoroughly, issued
the following
CALL FOR AID:
On the evening of Friday, May q Har-
per and vicinity was devastated by a cy-
clone Hundreds of families are in need Of
aid, being left homeless and without the
necessarles Of life. These more fortunate,
who fell in any way able to assist in the
work of relief, will please call Ut the relief
committees office, just east of 'he Patter-
son House. All contributions will be
gratefully received aud every care will be
taken in the distribution of funds that
.Iuey Ut plhCtu 10 Tue DeSC advantage. by
order relief committee
JOHN WATTS, Chm.
Donations left at any of the banks Of
Wichita will be promptly forwarded to
the sufferers, who are many.
The spirit of the citizens is not broken
by the weight of the calamity that befell
them by any means On the contrary each
man feels like sticking closer to Harp r
City than ever before, and those who are
able TO rebuild will do so at once. The pa
triotism OF the people towards their city is
truly wonderful.
Sunday was great day in Harper, and
1t is estimated that over 10000 strangers
were in the city from the surrounding
towns The remains of William Strana
them were buried on that day, and the fu-
neral, which was under the auspices of
the Odd Fellows and A. o. U. W., was
largely attended.
The following is complete list Of the