The Butler weekly times., 1893-05-04
WINGS OF DEATH.
Their Black Shadows SwO0p
Ii0wn on Oklahoma.
CYCLONES AWFUL HAVOC.
More Than Thirty Persons Were In
stantly Killed.

stantly Allied.
Norman, Ok, April 26.-The
worst storms in the history of Okla
homa territory visited this, Cleve-
land, county last night, destroying
fields, demolishing houses, barns
and agricultural implements, and
dealing death to everything in it's
path.
Two distinct cyclones. terrific
hailstorm and a water spout COM
bined to wreak awful destruction.
It is reported that SO human lives
were sacrificed. It is positive that
40 were killed, while several were
fatally and scores seriously injured.
The damage to property was enor-
nous.
FUNNEL SHAPED CLOUDS.
The 4lost damage done was in the
vicinity of this town in the western
and central portion Of the county.
1t was about $50 p. m. that the peo-
pie of Purcell, town of the Chick
asaw nation, Is miles southwest of
here, noticed O dark cloud overhang
ing the western sky, which soon be
gan to send down sheets like car
rott root.
The Republics correspondent OBJ
served the formation of the cyclone
clouds through a field glass. Points
projecting from the clouds slowly
assumed a cylindrical form, then
conical, which very much resembled
great tunnels out of the ends of
which destruction poured.
CYCLONE NO. l KILLED FOUR VICTIMS.
The course of the storm was from
southwest to northeast and at first
the clouds moved slowly but seem
ed to gain force and rapidity as the
points touched the earth. That por
tion of the Chickasaw nation where
the cyclone formed and first struck
is sparsely settled, but passing
northward and slightly to the east
it crossed the South Canadian river
about midway between Purcell and
Norman, where it struck the thick
ly settled portion of this county
and only missed Norman by about
one mile In the first brunt of the
cyclone four persons We're killed and
several injured. Seven dwellings
and two schoolhouses were destroy
ed, besides machinery and stock, ,nu.
merous outbuildiugs, fences and
barns.
This cyclone passed and spent itt
force by the time it reached Little
River about 5 miles northeast o1
town, and the people were hasten
ing to the relief of their country
friends.
CYCLONE NO. =.
In about an hour afterward anoth
er funnel shaped cloud was seen ap
preaching from the west, which pass
ed on the other side of town. It!
course was about in the same di'
rection as the other, but had beer
formed several miles further off
This last and most destructive cy
clone passed about five miles ives
and north of Norman, Though wha
is known as Ten Mile Flat, along tn
Canadian river aud the most proi
porous agricultural vicinity of tn
county. It's force was spent fe'
miles further north, when it reacf
ed the divide between this place an
Moore station.
ELEVEN KILLED IN ONE FAMILY.
There We're Is persons in job
L O'Conner's house, and II of thel
were killed. Only two, young Ge,
O'Conner and the hired man Doyl,
escaped, the latter with broke
= arm. The house was substanti
two story frame, and not enough
left to tell what it once was.
The house of David Banks, livir
four miles north, was next in Il
path, and was entirely destroyed
himself and wife, son, Frank, an
a married daughter named Mrs. He
being killed and three children da'
geroasly injured.
The family OF farmer name
fseavehouse, living eiuht miles nor,