The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-06-02
REGNANT DEATH.
Only Death and Destruction Left
in the Path of the Kansas
Cyclone.
Many Bodies, Horribly Crushed,
Found in the Debris at
wellington.

Kansas has again suffered Il visitation from
the dreaded cyclone. mighty tor
nado, a mile and half wide.
formed last night III Harper county
and swept across the counties Of
Harper and Sumner and left death and de-
struction in its track. 10 add to the havoc
wrought by the storm, water
spout claimed its share of the gen.
sral wreck and devastated the
northern part of Harper county, while
lightning added its fires. Trees, barns,
farm houses and whole towns went down
before the terrible force Of the storm. and
human life went ont in. the twinklins
of, an eye. Fifteen dead at Wellington
aud seven at Harper compose the
lists of victims in the towns
while from the country districts come the
report Of six killed, making a total OF thir-
ty-eight dead. The lists in the next day or
two VIII probably be largely added to as
the complete details are learned.
The storm came with deadly suddenness,
giving no one the chance to escape its fury.
Barely was the roar of the approaching de-
stroyer heard before the prosperous
town of Wellington was , in ruins.
At Harper alec the storm came without
warning, it swept down upon the town
with aw ul suddenness, and be.ore the peo-
pie began to realize what had happened
the best part OF the town was little less than
CONFUSED MASS OF DEBRIS.
Every telegraph wire in the city is pros
trated and the news from that town comes
from only indirect sources. The fire is
now completely subdued in the ruins
o. the Alliance Exchange building
which is about the only building i'll
Wellington that caught fire. Mrs Sasher
and her sister. Miss Katie Strain were in
burning building. They cried piteously
Tor aid, and their screaming
so maddened Mr.. Sasher, the young
husband that he made an effort to
jump INTO the flames to get to the woman
Friends prevented him and kept him con-
fined in the house of a friend.
When he heard that the scorched
body of his wife and sister-in-law
were at last taken from the ruins his mind
became unbalanced and at last accounts lie
was absolutely mad.
The fire assumed the proportions of a
conflagration, and it i:lumined the heavens
and the surrounding
SCENES OF DEVASTATION
and ruin 10 such an extent that it was real
ly thought the entire block was on fire. The
building was valued at SIS, 900 and the stock
at about $4,000. The bodies We're burned
to such an extent that it was futile to at
tempt to dress them, for on the simple
touch of finger the skin would slip from
the flesh.
The city council and executive commit
tee of the board Of trade met to- day and de-
cided to make no appeal for aid, although
they are certainly in need of it. Mayor
Thompson being questioned. however rela-
tive to the matter admitted that any aid
sincerely rendered would be appreciated.
The following is complete list Of the
dead:
James HASTE. horseman; Frank D. Camp
bel' h nc. James Mayer. Kan
Waitress: 4 cornwell BeIIs pane tsr 1nes
Hart Epson, barber: Ed Forsytbe, barber: l..
zAdamson. barber; Mrs. William sasher; Miss
klttie Strain. A
Faint groans are alleged to have been
heard tonight under the debris OF the Con-
rad hotel, and fifty men are tearing up the
piles of brick and mortar i'll hopes of
being able to rescue somebody. It
is said that a woman and baby
were at the hotel last night
having Just arrived on the train from the
West. The cyclone also struck the towns
OF Harper and Crystal Springs. The latter
place was completely demolished. The
following is list o: those killed at Harper:
j. L. Stainhan crushed III the fall of his
house: wife aud child OF James Gallagher q
farmer: child Of Frank Tomlin, Mrs Frank
Iomln, James Harrison, William Stevenson.
The most seri ousl v injured are:
Samnel Cole, injured internally probably
fat"l; Robert Libericht: Samuel Ch;sllis; Mrs
Samuel Challis Internally injured, probably
fatal.
The total loss aggregates about $500, 600
on which there is less than $4,000 cyclone
insurance.