The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-29

OVER IulS Guy was terribly destructive
in its effects. At IL O'Clock fifteen per-
sons are known to have been killed, and
an investigation Of the WIRE ed build
ings has only been barely commenced.
The cyclone did not do much damage
until it reached the center of the town.
On Jefferson aven ne it destroyed the
Lutheran Church, but only unroofed
residences.
It's most furious work was done within
a compass of four squares, bounded by
Jefferson avenue, Avenue c, and
building in those two squares was de-
molished and wrecked. Fortunately
the residences in that locality are not
numerous. otherwise the loss of life
would have been much greater than it
now appears to be. The Phillips House.
hotel. was demolished, and seven
dead bodies have been taken from the
ruins. The work OF rescue there haa
just begun.
The house was we'll filed with guests
and the loss OF life is thought to be
great. The Offices of the four local
newspapers, tho Monitor, Press, Voice
and Mail, were destroyed. Tho Well.
ington foundry was demolished and
Mrs. William Asher and her sister,
kittie Strahan, who happened to be-
passing there ut the time, were hurled
in its ruins and killed Their bodies.
have been recovered. The destruction
In the northeast part of tho city has,
also been great.
WELLINGTON Kan. May 2S-lSpe-.
cial The following is q complete list
OF those killed by the tornado. as gath
cred at this hour (2:30 q. ny: Frank
ID. Campbell, James Hastie, Leonard
Adamson, Ida Jones, Mrs. Asher and
sister, kittie Strahan. Prof. Mayer and
Thorton Epson are among the missing
and are presumably killed. Lieut. w.
French and Cadet Sammis, of the Sal
walton Army, Mrs. Murphy and child
named Matte Hodges are badly in
| jured.
The streets are impossible and moth
ing but ruin exists every where. At
least twelve bodies have already been
taken out Of the ruins and something less
than sevcnty-ive are injured. Mon are
working everywhere trying to rescue
imprisoned onos. No one can now
realize the extent of the catastrophe
ana daylight will alono reveal the sad
dest scene of ruin and desolation ever
witnessed in Southern Kansas.
The Cole .S Robinson block ruins took
fire and strenuous efforts arc being made
TO rescue people known to be- buried
there. 1t is now believed that the list
OF dead Will number between twenty
and thirty and the in iured about seventy.
LATER-The most appalling SCENE
was that at the Phillip house, where a.
pail was In progress when the cyclone
burst The dancers were given little
opportunity to escape from the topping
structure. AS the building began sway
ing in the terrific gale the people in
the room made frantic rush for the
door. The stairways and halls were
immediately filed by crazad men and
women, who tore at each other in their
mad rush for the open air, with the
crash OF wall about and over them.
There arose great wall of despair
from the imprls oned and doomed multi
tude as the timbers crashed down upon
the struggling merry-makers Their
hoarse cries were throttled by the
weight OF the mass of timbers above
them. Then came the silence OF death
and insensibility, only to be followed a
moment later by shrill blasts of tho
tempest as it rushed on to other de-
structive work, and the agonized shrieks
OF the injured or dying, who wore
pinned down in the mass of debris.
Those who escaped from the building
began Immediately the work of rescue.
L.
ing had left their wives. sweethearts,
husbands or brothers behind. These
they sought in tho pile OF bricks and
tim oers, and as fast as the bodies were
taken out they were surrounded by q.
crowd OF anxious people, who vainlv
tried to Identify the mangled remains.
"A meeting OF the Salvation Army was
in progress in a hall near the Robinson
block. The falling walls OF this build
ing crushed the hall, and it is known
that two were killed. Probably whom
the wreck is cleared away it will be
iound that many moro persisted. TWAS
past the time for the army to adjourn,
but the storm kept the meeting in One
of the members was engaged in PRAYER
when the cyclone struck the Robinson
block. Before any Of the soldiers could
rise from their knees the walls of the
building gave way with crash. How
any Of them escaped alive is marvel
Seven persons were in the residence
OF Squire Smith, and the whole number
were badly injured. Walter Forsythe.
one OF those rescued from the debris, has
died. The scene at the temporary hos
pital was one such as is rarely wit
messed except upon a battlefield. The
floor was saturated with blood which
gushed from the many wounds OF the
large number of persons, who were
taken there as soon as they could be-
extric tted from the wrecked buildings.
There was little effort ut order.
Every ono was too excited for that The
injured were carried in and placed in
the first vacant place that could DO
found upon the floor. Then the rescuers
hurried away to renew their efforts in
behalf OF those still in the ruins.
The weather.