Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-06-02
ACITY DESTROYED
Fearful Destruction and Loss of
Life by a Cyclone at Will
ington, Kan.
Hotels, Filled With Guests,
Churches and Business Blocks
Demolished.

WELLISsroS, Kan, May 2s.-This city
has had u visitation tonight from the fun.
mel shaped cloud which ploushed its dew
astating track through this part of the
state with immense destruction OF property
and some loss OIL life, just how much it is
impossible to tell at this writing.
A heavy storm of wind and rain preceded
the cyclone about half all hour. There
were no premonition 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 :or blocks
with ruins. To add to the horror, fire broke
out among the debris of Col. Robinsons
blocks and woman, Mrs. Susan Asher, is
supposed to have persisted in the flames. A
solid block of brick buildings containing
half-dozen stores and tine Monitor. Press
and Voice printing offices lies tumbled
heap of brick, sand and mortar. Just
across the street a laborcr named Fan
ming was taken out of the ruins dead,
and there are supposed to be other bodies
il the ruins. Hundreds OF dwellings are
totally destroyed or more or less damaged.
The city is in darkness, as broken mains
made it necessary to shut down the gas
works and save
DESTRUCTION FROM FIRE.
Hon. James Lawrence, candidate for at
torney general, had an arm broken. Walter
Forsyth was taken from the ruins badly
wounded. Seven bodies have been taken
out Of the Phillips house ruins, and large
force Of men are hard at work removing
the debris. Two members of the Salvation
Army are expected to die from injuries re-
ceived. At Squire Smiths residence seven
persons are more or less injured. The streets
are Uttered with tin roofing, cloth
body is on the streets carrying l.ni,r.. and
it is utterly impossible to get at the exact
facts. The destruction is simply awful,
and every minute adds to the horror
Of the situation. The Standard and Mail
offices are wrecked. The opera house and
dozens of the best business build
ings are useless. Fine school build
ings and churches are ruined.
The entire northern portion Of the city
was destroyed. About fl ty people were
killed and one hundred twenty five mi ured.
but the confusion is 10 great that the exact
loss Of Lille cannot be stated definitely.
The Wellington hotel and the Phillips
house, the two largest hotels in the city,
were completely wrecked. and the ruins of
the Phillips house took fire. Many Of the
guests were doubtless
BURNED TO DEATH.
Al Ills o'clock fifteen bodies had been
removed and the investigation Of the
wrecked buildings'ha only barely begun.
The cyclone did not do much damage until
it reached the center of the town. On
Jefferson avenue it destroyed the Presby-
terrain church, but only unroofed the resi-
dences. Its most disastrous work was done
in the compass of four squares
bounded by Jefferson avenue, Avenue
G and Seventh and Ninth streets
Every building in those two squares was
abolished and wrecked. Fortunately the
residences in hatlocality are OF numerous,
otherwise the loss of lie might have been
greater than it now appears to be. The
Phillips hotel was dem olished and seven
dead bodies have been taken from the
ruins. The work OF rescue there has only
just begun. The house was we'll
filled with guests and the loss of
life III that one house has
doubtless been great. The Wellington
foundry was demolished and Mrs. William
Sasscn and her sister, Ki,te Strain, who
happened to be passing there at
the time, were buried in its
ruins and killed. Their bodies have
been recovered. Great confusion prevails
be learned. Ci.va and Walter Forsythe
were taken out of the ruins of Conrad's
restaurant in dying condition and have
since died. Ida Jones was one OF
the killed in the wreck of the
Phillips house. Grand Army hall has
been converted into hospital and there
are now there fifty killed and injured.
Wellington is the county seat of Sumner
county and has population of 10000 in
habitants. 1t is in the center OF a thickly
settled district.
Visiting the Scene.
KANSAS CITY, May ga special to
the Journal from Wellington. Kas.,
says: WeIlington's cyclone visitation
has made it for the time the chief object
of interest for all southern Kansas. No
such crowds have visited this city before
those which, since the earliest day light.
have been pouring in on every train and
highway. On all its four trains enter
ing here the Santa Fe has been
running excursions from as far
north as Hutchinson, south from
Arkansas City and west from
Lodge, while the Rock Isla nd
has been equally industrious in for
wardipg sight.seers to the stricken city.
Division Passenger Agent Murdoch of
the Santa Fe stated the crowd at $4,000
which is an exceedingly conservative
estimate. It is the common remark Of
thos SO who have witnessed similar scenes
that the completeness of the destruction
transcends anything in their experience.
Other like realities have been attended