The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-05-31
4 Cyclone Sweeps Down Upon
Wellington, Kansas.
Probably Forty Killed and Over a
Hundred Injured.
Death and Destruction Mark
Its Pathway.
HUNDREDS OF DWELLINGS DE-
STROVED OR DAMAGED.

Phillips House Where a BaI Was in
Pro=ress-SchooI Houses, Churches,
Business Ijlocks and Residences De-
moIished-Msny Undoubtedly Killed
in the Surrounding Countrywide Loss
Not Estimated Yet.
WELLINGTON, Kan, May 3O.-A few
minutes after o'clock Friday night
tornado struck the city, coming from the
southwest. There were no premomtory
signs. Everybody was indoors, and the
cloud passed with its destructive rush
and awful roar unseen.
Washington avenue, the principal busl-
ness street, is lined on both sides for
blocks with ruins.
Two members of the Salvation Army
are expected to die of injuries received
At Squire Smiths residence seven per
sons are more or less injured.
The streets are Uttered with tin roof
ing, cloth awnings and broken timbers.
The destruction is simply awful, and
every minute adds to the horror of the
situation.
The opera house and dozens of the
best business buildings are useless Fine
school buildings and churches are ruined,
and the loss will foot up many thou
sands of dollars.
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,
Avenue c, and Seventh and Ninth
streets. Every building in these two
squares was demolished and wrecked.
The Wellington foundry was demol-
ished. and Mrs. William Asher and her
sister. Kittie Strahan. who happened to
he passing there at the time, We're buried
in its ruins and killed. Their bodies
have been recovered.
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 VIII
be found to have occurred at the Phil
lips House. where a 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 ol
the terrific gale, the people in the
! crowded ball room made a frantic ruSt
for the doors. With a crash Of tE'
walls about and over them there arose
great wall of despair from the i'm
prisoned and doomed multitude. =
the timbers crushed down upon tn
struggling merrymallers their hoars
cries were throttled in their thrOats b.
the weight of the mass of tmbers &boV
them. Up to noon Saturday sever
bodies had been recovered.
A meeting of the Salvation Arm,
was in progress in a hall near the Rot
inson block. The falling walls of TIN
building crushed the hall, and many o
the soldiers were injured. 1t is know
that two of them were killed, and 1t !
probable when the wreck has bee
cleared away it will be found that man
more persisted than that. How they es
capped alive is a marvel.
The physicians in town are at wor
in the temporary hospital, and doctor
from neighboring towns arrived Satul
dav morning to assist in the work {
relieving the injured. OF course, man
of the wounds are trifiing, consisting
contusions and bruises, but there al
many cases which will terminate fatally
1t was found Saturday morning tha
the northeast portion of the city
which was Thought to have escaped, ha
suffered severely. The houses there al
almost entirely residences, and the los
will be heavy and will fall upon tn
small owners. The loss of life will nC
be so great, though it is reported that
number of children met death in th
wrecking of the homes.
.. Among the buildings completed
wrecked are the fine First ward schOt
house. the Presbyterian and Luthera
, churches, the Smith and Spickne
brick block, the Coll and Robinso
brick block. The Standard building. Il
Hustle Burgess and Stone stables an
more than one hundred frame busine
buildings and residences.
Over twenty people lost their lives
the city, while the country around
thickly settled, probably as many MOI
met the same fate. The number Of Il
iured will reach over one hundred, an
the financial loss will reach far in II