The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-06-04
A CYCLONE IN KANSAS.
APPEARANCE OF YELLING
TON AND HARPER AFTER
THE DEVASTATION.
DISASTROUS FLOODS IN ARKANSAS,

|
WELLINGTON Kan, May ga tornado ploughed
its way through the business part of this town to-
night causing immense destruction of property and
some loss oflife-just how much it is impossible to
tell at this writing heavy storm of wind and
rain preceded the tornado about half an hour. A
| few minutes after O'Clock the tornado struck the
| town, coming from the southwest Everybody was
indoors and the tornado swept along with loud
roar. unseen.
Wellington is the county seat of sumner county.
II is ON Slate Creek in Wellington township, thirty
miles south by west of Wichita. II was one of the
growing towns of the State and in the last ten years
| its population had more than doubled. According
to the last State census, it was 1891 The town is
the junction Of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
and the Chicago and Rock Island railroads. IL had
| three banks and two newspapers. Wellington was
one of the towns in Kansas which suffered by the
! tornado of April l. That storm cut n swath mile
wide through Sumner county, and clipped of
large corner of the county seat Houses We're blown
800 yards. Four persons were killed outright and
| twenty three were injured.
KANSAS CITY. Mo-. May 29.-Wellington's cyclone
visitation has made ii for the time the chief object
of interest for all Southern Kansas. No such crowds
| have visited this city before those which since
| earliest daylight have been pouring in on every
railroad and highway.
! 1t is the common remark OF those who have wit
messed similar scenes that in the extent aud com
pleteuess o fthe destruction it transeends anything
in their experience. Some localities have been at
tended by greater loss of life, but never has picture
ofsuch utter desolaton and ruin been presented as
that in the devastated district. The wonder OF
| it all is that the loss of life was not four-fod
greater.
This is to be accounted for by the fact that the
churches and school houses in the tornado's path
were all empty and the business blocks practically
deserted. excepting the two hotels. where eight of
the casualties far reported occurred. The funerals
of six of the victims took place this afternoon from
| the Methodist Church. The ruins have been dill
| gently searched. Tomorrow the work Of clearing
away the wreck will be vigorously and systemati-
cally begun. Notwithstanding the character of the
day since daylight carpenters, brickayers and tin
ners have been busy making the partially wrecked
buildings habitable. Temporary shelter has been
provided for homeless unfortunates. and a relief
organization has been organized to raise the
sary funds to keep them from absolute destitution
and want The absolute loss will be quarter of
| a million of dollars.
Ten persons were instantly killed, l6 fatally in
jured, and about so seriously injured.
The Damage In Harper.
| HARPER, Kan, May 2g.-Reports from the country
around through which the tornado of Friday night
passed demonstrate the loss to be greater than al
first reported The course of the storm as indieat-
ed by its trail represents unprecedented IS, and
swept in that form distance of at least fifteen
miles.
In Garden Plains township two brothers were
picked up and carried distance of 200 yards and
let down almost side by side. One of them was
badly injured in the fall, while the other escaped
| without scratch.
Nothing escaped the storms fury and the great
damage is not only done to houses and crops. but
thousands of dollars worth of stock has been killed
and injured
The nucleus of the tornado began forming a few
miles west of here at $50 and for an hour the
clouds moved about in great agitation, having a
western tendency. At 74O the tornado assumed its
Characteristic shape and at once commenced its
work of destruction, leaving ruin and devastation
in its trail It struck this city regular broadside.
Its greatest force was in the northern portion,
where the destruction is complete.
II is impossible estimate the entire loss sustain
| ed by the city and surrounding country with any
| degree of accuracy but men who have travelled
its say that il will not fall far short of
100000. Not more than six out of 800 900 resi-
dences oft the city have escaped damage, but large
majority of them only slightly damaged.
II has been estimated that nearly $50 houses are
total wrecks while many more are badly
/ damaged. Inc harper MeTGAuIle NOnptnS Dulih-
ing is a complete wreck and nearly all its extensive
stock of general merchandise is ruined.
! The amount of cyclone insurance in the town is
very light, while in the country it is comparatively
nothing Another serious loss is the new $4,000
| school house. which is a total wreck.
The storm struck the cemetery and swept down
| fully two-thrds of the tombstones and monuments.
breaking many of them There is scarcely resi-
dence recognizable as such on Central avenue from
the Presbyterian Church north. About all the stores
in the north half of the city in ruins and their
contents greatly damaged.
Many of the people are not only destitute of
shelter, but of food and clothing as well. relief
committee has been organized, and formal procla-
nation issued by the Mayor reeitng the distress of
the people and calling for aid Five persons were
killed, - fatally injured and IL seriously injured.
Some of the Details.
WICHITA Kansas May 29.-The storm belt was six
miles wide-a straight blow, with severe hail along
the outside. The storm originated west and south
of Harper, and swept away IS buildings before
reaching that town.
At Harper the ruin is fearful. At least 60 buildings
are crushed to the earth and their contents com
pleie wreck hundred houses are damaged more
or less and scarcely building escaped injury in
the town. Hundreds of families are homeless and
destitute, without food or shelter.
A. Beatty a farmer living one mile north had all
his buildings destroyed. His little daughter, Min
ME, received a severe scalp wound.
Peter Girard, a boy, received severe wound in
the leg. Mrs. A. Ferry was caught in the ruins of
her residence and received slight wound Both
Lebrecht's legs are broken in two places. Miss
Florence Sayers was struck by flying debris and re-
manned insensible for an hour.
Mrs Feirath, living west OF town, was brought in
this morning severely injured.
GOttieb Hanhardt and wife, two miles northeast,
were seated at the supper table. They were carried
100 feet by the wind. Mr.. Hanhardt received
wound in the foot The house of NJ NJ. Anger,
north of town. was blown down oyer the family,
bruising them considerably. but not seriously.
Ellis Miller and family two miles southwest, mar
rowly escaped with their lives. His new house, the
result of nine years saving, was crushed fiat
A very wonderful escape was that of J. H. seibert
and WIFE They were in the upper story of the
Thompson block when the walls tumbed in, and
the escaped with but few bruises. Both public
school buildings were badly damaged, one being
total loss.
The Catholic and German churches were de-
molished, and the Baptist and Christian churches
were greatly damaged. The Masonic block, oeeu-
pied partly by the Harper Mercantile Co., the Queen
City block, and the Opera House block are almost
worthless ofthe eleven houses north of the Santa
Fe track eight are crushed to the floors, and the
contents are total loss.
The Murphys are heavy losers. Their store is a
wreck, and their three residences more or less
damaged. The standpipe ofthe water works stands
intact but small dwelling best de it has completely
collapsed
In the Odd Fellows Cemetery, one mile northeast.
one-thrd of the monuments are PROSTATE, top
pied to the northeast The grand stand, box stalls
and buildings at the Fair Grounds, one mile south,
are levelled to the ground. save the east end of
Agricultural Hall.
Disastrous Floods.
ARKANSAS CITY, Ark, May 28.-The river here is
still rising, and now the gauge is 1913 feet All
communication with the back country except by
skiff or dugout is cut off, The water is cutting all
kinds of queer capers. Bayous and sloughs that
have heretofore down stream during flood
times now rushing up stream at lightning ra-
n l.. fEaNso eaIrf tsay