The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-28
TORNADO IN A KANSAS TOWN.
HUNDREDS or BUILDINGS WRECkED,
AND MANY LIVES LOST

The SccoWd Dcsfructfve storm that Has
visited Wellington In Two Months-The
PRINCIPAL street I.nid IN Ru'ns-Seven
Bodies Taken From the Wreck OF n
Iiotei-FNre Increase. the Caiamhy-
R~scners Work by the Light OF Lanterns
Enty K,ited. According to Ono Estimate.
WELLINGTON. Kan. May ga tornado
plougheh its way through the business part
OF this town tonight, causing immense de-
struction Of property and great loss OF lfs-
lust how much ii Is impossible to toll at this
writing.
Aheavy storm Of wind anil rnin preceded tho
tornado about halt an hour A few minutes
after 8 o'clock the tornado struck the town.
coming from the southwest. Everybody was
indoors. and tho tornado swept along with
loud roar, unseen.
Washington avenue thu principal business
street Is lined on both sides for blocks with
ruins Fire broke out in tho wreck OF Col
Robinsons blocks. and Mrs. Susan Sasher is
supposed to have persisted in tho flames.
\ solid block Of buildings. containing half q
dozen stores nnd the Monitor. Press. AMI Voice
printing Offices. lies tumLled henpof bricks
and mortar.
Just across the street n iatorer named Fan
ming was killed. and ether bodies are supposed
to be in the ruins there.
Hundreds OF dwellings, are either destroyed
on more CT less damaged. Tho town is in dark
ness. broken mains having made 1t necessary
to shut of the gas To- prevent frr.
Seven bodies have been taken ont OF the
Phillips House ruins. Tw" members OF the
Salvation Army are expected TO die from in
juli9s received.
A. Squire Smiths residence seven persons
arc moro or less injured. Tho Hon james
Lawrence. candidate for Attorney General.
had an arm broken. Walter Forsyth was dan
gerously wounded
The streets arc Uttered With tin roofing. cloth
awnings broken glass. and timbcrs. Every
hody is ont helping to clear away the wreck
age The work j. done 10y the light Of lanterns.
The Standard and Mad Offices arc wrecked.
the Opera House and dozens OF the best bust
ness buildings are rooHess and schoo! build
ing and churches are destroyed.
No reports have been received from other
towns
WICHITA. May 27.-1f the reports received
here are true the loss of life at Wellington is
very great
FIFTY persons are said to lie dead In the
ruins and the wounded. many OF whom can
not live until morning. number 12J or more.
Telegraph and telephone wires are down.
The first report received here said that sew.
enty business houses on Washington avenue
WtEt WEtcktu una tUdt WEOe stTe0tS were ia
ruins
The Phillips Hotel. large building. wont
down with Il crash. buryinG its inmates in tho
ruins The opera house. tho Court House. and
many other important buildings are in ruins.
EVER building in the blocks bounded by JEFF
ferson avenue. street. Seventh street. and
Ninth street is wrecked
The Wellington foundry was lifted from it's
foundations aud dashed to pieces. Tho Strain
,ar.!;.y % factory was crushed Ike an esgshel.
and caught fire. Miss Kittie Strain is in the
burning wreck. as are Mrs. William Laaker
and hor sister.
They could not lie reached. Silva and Walter
Forsythc were taken ont of the ruins OF Con-
RAIDS restaurant dying Ida Jones. n dining
room girl. was taken out Of the wreck Of the
Phillip. House dead.
into a ,h1i~pital. and as fast as the dead and
FUNDED are recovered they are taken thcre.
At lnast tlfty are ds.d It Is believed mt the
morning before half the bodies can lie re-
covered.
III, storm cloud was accompanied by n wa.
water foil in 1t Gelugc and seemed to threaten
the destruction OF the lii l. that was !cf. sand
ing.
Soon after the water ceased falling fires
burst fr9m tn" wreckaGe n, IL half dozen
ovor what had been the strahn carriage fac,
The Fire Department was rowerless. owing
to the inability OF the hremen to get their APP
parntus through the streets which were piled
high with the ruins: The flames are still
buried beneath the debris can escape.
only one telegraph wire was left strung. 1t
runs to Kansas City. Telegraph poles were
Tie tornado left Wellington in a northeast
crly direction. and must have wrought much
damage in tho towns in its path. but az there
Is no WAY, q communicating with them to.
known until morning: ,o
Two hundred, brick and wooden buildings
Editor Luke Herring Of tho Monitor was
caught in his falling building and badly in
jur"d.
The fire in the Col. Robinson blocks, which
added to tho terror Of tho people. Hundreds
rescuinE the imprisoned people,,
h 4. AhTy s b hHg Was sioR
away and its inmates hurled in every direc:
ton. Two nrivntes in tho Army were picked
up dying and others are dangerously injured.
is th s,t eoq E,s sent It e sHmnss
township. thirty miles south by west OF
Wichita. 1t was once the growing towns, OF
the State. and In the last ten years its popnla-
!" tho ca" last State census. It was s'o 4siE.
Tho town Is the junction of tho Atchispn
Topeka and Santa rs and the Chi:
caso and Rock island railroads.; II had
was one OF the towns IN Kansas which suffered
by tho tornado Of, April ]. That storm cut
swsth AN, mile wide through SumneE county.
s sna 'Gpea se s a FoS S"FsE q a s
persons were killed outright and tWcnty-thrco