, 1892-05-30
A CYCLONES WORK.
Over Eight Hundred Houses
Wrecked in a Kansas Town.

The Scenes of the Terrible Disaster
Too Horrible to DescrIBe-PeOpIe
in Constant Dread of Another
Cyclone.
WELLINGTON, Kan, May 3O.-When the
Wichita excursion arrived yesterday after
noon, the members reported that bulletin
had been posted by the Daily Eagle that
the conditions were favorable for another
tornado at 4 O'Clock. The sky was a typi-
cal Italian sky, and the report was treated
as jest. At 0 O'Clock, however, dense
cloud appeared in the south, heavily
charged with electricity, and great alarm
spread among the people. The alarm in
creased tc the widest terror, when four or
five men came rushing into Main street
shouting to the multitude that cyclone
was approaching and to flee for places of
safety. A fearful rush was made for the
basement and stairways, and it Is great
wonder that scores of people were not
crushed to death in the mad stampede.
The report was found to be correct, for a
small, but fully developed twister,
was seen travelling rapidly in a
northwesterly direction, This in
creased the excitement and terror, The
alarm subsidized somewhat in a few min
utes, when the tWister disappeared entirely.
The stairway between two buildings
yielded beneath the weight of people, but
no one was hurt. A heavy rain followed
and the alarm subsided entirely when the
dense cloud had passed and was followed
by sunshine again. The cyclone passed
northwest about mile west of COrbin, in
Sumner county, but did no damage so far
as heard from. Another cyclone originat-
ing In this territory was seen west of Cald-
well, but it was very small and did not
touch the ground. The search of the Con-
rad house ruins, where it was reported
groans were heard, was completed today
No bodies were found. A farmer who has
Just arrived, reports a cloud burst at South
Haven In Sumner county The rain fall is
SAID to have been terrible, but no news of
the damage has been received.
HARPER, Kas., May 30.-Reports from the
country through which the tornado passed
on Friday, demonstrate the loss to be great
er than at first reported. The course of the
storm represents a perfect letter S, and
swept in that form for a distance 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 al present to es-
innate the entire loss sustained by the sur
rounding country, but it will not fall short
of $500000. Not more than six of the 800
or 800 residences in this city escaped
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 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
lied and the chairman has issued call for
aid.