The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1892-05-31
UNHERALDED
Twenty People Killed and Over
Hundred Injured
Death and Destruction Mari
Its Pathway.
HUNDREDS OF DWELLINGS Z
sTRoYED OR DAMAGED.

A0A ||AAo1A AA0u1E11 LmuILnL1r
Business Blocks and Residences De-
melished.
WELLINGTON, Kan, May 30.-A few
minutes after o'clock Friday night a
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 bust
ness street, is lined on both sides for
blocks with ruins
The cyclone did not do much damage
until it 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,
I Avenue G, 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 prevailed
The destruction south of Harvey ave
nue. Was comparatively insignificant, and
no lives have been lost IN that section so
far as known.
At the Phillips House.
Probably the greatest loss of life will
be found to have occurred at the Phil
| hips House, where ball was in progress
when the cyclone burst. The dancers
/ were given little opportunity to escape
from the topping structure. AS the
building began swaying in the force of
the terrific gale, the people in the
crowded ball room made a frantic rush
for the doors. With 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 tlInbers crushed down upon the
| struggling merrymakers their hoarse
cries were throttled IN their throats by
the weight of the mass of timbers above
them Up to noon Saturday seven
/ bodies had been recovered.
A meeting of the Salvation ARMY
/ was in progress in a hall near the Rob
inson block The falling walls of this
building crushed the hall, and many of
i the soldiers We're injured. 1t is known
that two of them were killed, and it is
/ probable when the wreck has been
\ cleared away it viii be found that many
more persisted than that. How they es-
capped alive is a 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
Il be so great. though it is reported that a
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
i churches, the Smith and Spiclxnell
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 people 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 VIII reach over one hundred, and
the financial loss VIII 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 viii aggregate
Wellington is the county seat of Sum-
ner county, and has population of over
10000 inhabitants. 1t is in the center of
a thickly-settled agricultural district.
It IS the most prominent 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
hives are known to have been lost there.
Later Report.
WELLINGTON, Kan, May 30.-Wel-
lington's 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.
1t is the common remark of those
who have witnessed similar scenes. that
IN the extent and completeness of the
destruction it transcends anything in
/ their experience. Other like calanities
have been attended with greater loss of
life, but rarely has a picture of such
utter desolation and ruin been presented
| as that OF the scene of the devastated
district. The miracle of it all is that
the loss of life was not fourfold greater.
This is attributed to the fact that the
churches, business blocks, practically
deserted except the two hotels where
eight of the ten casualties SO far re-
ported occurred.
All the injured are in a fair way to
recovery, except Mrs. Murphy, the aged
lady who was taken from the burning
ruins of the Cole Robins block and
Jesse Brown, the colored barber. The
funerals of six of the cyclone victims
| took place Sunday. The work of clear
4 ing away the wreck has been vigorously
l and systematically begun. Notwitli-
standing the character of the day, all
day Sunday, carpenters, bricklayers and
timers were busy making the partially
wrecked buildings nHtntaDIe. Tempc-
rary shelter has been provided for home
less unfortunates and relief organiza-
ton has been organized to raise the
necessary funds to keep them from
want.
The Presbyterian and Lutheran
churches We're well protected by cyclone
1 policies. and viii be rebuilt at once.
The 10000 school house, destroyed
within like manner, viii be in part
restored by the insurance company. OF
tornado insurance ON residence and bust
there ~. 1st&1s H.,