Oxford eagle., 1892-06-02
DESTRUCTION AND DEATH.


ThroaEh fss Northern rsrtfsa ny
Cyclone. and the Horror. Thereof ~sp-
ri-m-nt~a ~ fir~- Hssdr~sis of Dw~t-
usgs. Ba-ia~-. Hoa-~~. rharrh~- aud
>chs~t-Heu.~. p~mstt.h~d or ussfy
Damaged. and. Worst sf Al. rervteis
t".s sf Hamsa life Attest. the fary 81
the ststtattoa-
WELIINsroN, Kas.. May =. -weliing-
ton was struck hy y terrible cyclone
last evening. and the entire northern
portion of the city was destroyed.
About fifty people wer~ killed and rs
injured but the confusion is - great
that the exact lo-s 81 life cannot vet -
stated definitely. Among the dead are:
Mrs William :. Asher.
Kittie Strain.
Y silva
Walter Forsythc.
Ida Jones
lips house. the largest hotels in tho city.
were completely wrecked. and the ruins
Of the Phillips hou>e ;ool tirc. Many
~ the guests were doubtless burned To
death
A heavy stoTm of wind and rain prc-
eesissi the cyclone BY at-rut half an
hour \ few minutes hsforr ocie--<
the cyclone struck the city. cusnin-
frum the sssuth- Therc wrrr no pre-
mouitory signs Everybody was in
doors and the cloud passed with it, de-
strUctive rush and aw full rar unseen
Washington avenue. the principal
business Str,-ct. j. lined on both SIDES
for blocks with ruins
To add In the h"rr,,r uf the scene. frs
broke out among the debris Of Cot
Robinson's block. and a woman. Mrs.
Susan Asher. i supposed 90 have pr
ished in the flames. and the Monitor.
Press and Noi-e printing Offices lie q
tumhled heap II bricks and mortar.
Just AsrcS~ the street Iaborcr.
namesl Fanning. was taken out Of the
ruins dead and there are supposed IN y,
other husiieS in the ruins Hundreds ~
dwellings arv either totally destroyed
or mure er le~s damaged The city -
in darkness. "a broken mains made Il
necessary to shut down the gas works
20 prevent destruction frysn firv.
Iipn- Janns~ TsvFr rrnce. candidate Tor
attorney general has an arm broken.
Walter FcrSythe was taken frorn tho
ruins dangerously wounded. and his
hour hcfore his release.
Seven bodies have bcrn taken out ~
the Phillips house. and large torce og
| men arr hard 1T work removing the do
| briS Two msmhrrS of the salvation
| army arr expected to die from injuries
| received.
At Squire smiths houS~ seven per-
sons sre more or less injured.
The streets ars Uttered with tn roof
ing, cloth awnings. broken glass and
| timhsr~
Everybody on the streets Is carrying
lanterns. and II i impossible % get at
| the exact facts
The destruction il simply awful and
| every minute adds to the horror of the
situation The Standard and Mail or
fees are wrecked The opera house
and dozrus of the best business build
ingS are useless Fine school buildings
| and churches are ruined and the loss
will foot mp into many thousands Of
dollars
No reports have been received from
other points
Wellington Is the county seat of sum
ner county, and has n population II
| over ~. 900 inhabitants. IL Is in the
middle Of n thickly-settIe,l agricultural
district. and is the most prominent
town in Southern Kansas.
Mrs. Asher and Miss Strain were
sisters. They were killed by the col
lapse of the Asher 4 Kirk factory. and
their bodies are in the burning ruins ol
that structure.
Silva and Walter Forsythe received
fatal injuries in Conrad's restaurant.
Ida Jones was a dining girl in the
Phillips house and was instantly
killed Her body was the first tn be
taken from the ruins of that building.
Grand Army hall has been converted
into n hospital. and hundreds are now
employed in the work of carrying the
dead and injured To places of safety.