Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-12
"a EDlllON.
AT CHICAGO.
Excitement in the Wheat Pit There
This Morning.
DISASTROUS STORMS IN TIE WEST.
The Suburban Race Run on e psom
Downs.
DISASTROUS STORMS IN TIE WEST.
SOUTHERN GOVERNORS MEET
STORM IN FIVE STATES.


Loss Of Life and Destruction Of . Great
Amount OF Property.
CHICAGO, April 12-Storms last night
wrought such havoc with the telegraph wires
that it is almost impossible to obtain partic-
ulars Of the damage done in the west. where
the destruction seems to have been general and
widespread in the states of Iowa, Illinois,
Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.
Probably the greatest damage was done in
Iowa, although reports from Nebraska indicate
that when full particulars have been received
| that state will lead in loss of property and hu-
| man life. Along the line Of the Chicago. Mil
wsukee and st. Paul railroad In Iowa and Ne
braska the storm cut a wide swath.
The town of Akron in the former state was
wrecked and Westfeld, few miles distant, was
badly demoralized. Meager reports from
localities in the interior show that devastation
was widespread, although its full extent win
not be known for several days owing to the
lack of telegraphlc facilities and the washing
out of the country roads. rendering communi-
cation difficult and in many impossible.
Continuing along the railroad in Nebraska the
| storm swept up farm buildings. fences and
bridges and finally swooped down on the town
of Page. which it wrecked.
At this point the first loss of life was re-
ported, Mrs. Clara Magee being the victim.
Her two children were dangerously injured,
and several other persons were hurt. The
storm travelled with great velocity. covering
the two hundred miles between Akron and Page
in an hour and half. Damage was done far
Their west but owing to the complete prostra-
ton of the telegraph wires absolutely no par
ticulars are obtainable.
The cyclone was accompanied by down.
pour Of rain, which added greatly to the dis
comfort of those who were rendered homeless,
and the situation in Page is described as being
distressing. The streets are filled with debris
of all sorts and the water has mazda
in every direction almost impossible.
DAMAGE AT PARKER. KAN.
From Kansas the news is still more meager.
1t is known that the town Of Parker on the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas road, was struck
by cyclone and that the residence portion Of
the village was almost completely destroyed
Several persons are reported killed and q num-
Der seriously hurt.
The towns of Willis and Powhattan. short
distance south Of Hiawatha, are also said to
have been wiped out, but nothing authentic
can be learned. In the northern part Of the
state storm swept over the town of Walnut,
causing great damage, and swept of northward
into Missouri.
In the latter state the towns Of haywood,
Page City and Higginsville were wrecked and
all along the route houses were blown down,
outhouses and fences destroyed and cattle
killed At Page City VIM. Walker and his two
children we're killed. At Stansberry number
OF houses were wrecked, and VIM. Ward. col
ored, was killed and his wife fatally injured.
Kansas City visited less severely, but
thousands of windows we're broken by hail and
cellars on the fats flooded. The storm ex-
tended to st. Louis also, and played havoc with
steamboats, lying at the wharves. The steamer
d. H. Pike. with five men aboard, was blown
adrift and has not since been heard of. The
harbor boat City OF st. Louis, with several men
on board, is also missing.
Two wharf boats anchored close nv met n
similar fate, but it is believed that no one was
on board OF them. Throughout the city the
wind caused general destruction. Trees were
blown down, roofs carried away and outhouses
blown down. new building on North Broad
way was completely wrecked, causing loss of
$4,000. Several persons are reported seriously
injured.
GENERAL THROUGHOUT THE WEST.
The storm seems to have been general
throughout the west and south, extending down
into Texas and north into the Dakotas.
In Illinois cloudbursts occurred at various
places. the most destructive being at Centralia,
where the water rose to a height of three feet
in the streets. At Springfield the street cars
were compelled to suspend operct;onE ed
everywhere damage is reported. the c1ontIy
south of Springfield to East st. Louisi i, flooded.
Floods are also reported from OttuDA~. END
Burlington, Ia, and Mitchell. S.
The telegraph companies have practically
kOHo Jul VI Uuslucoo 30 IhT db INC country west
of the Mississippi river is concerned Whole
sections of poles are down and the wires are in
an mex tricable tangle. 1t will be several days
before the damage can be fully repaired.
CINCINNATI, OHIO. April IA terrific gale
swept over this city between 8 and 4 clock
this morning. The signal station reported the
velocity of the wind at seventy-eight miles per
hour.
AWFUL SCENES AT AKRON, IOWA.
OMAHA, NEB., April 12.-The town Of Akron,
Iowa, which was wrecked by the storm yester-
day, is on the line Of the Chicago, Milwaukee
| and st. Paul railroad, thirty miles north of
| this city, and had population of about 800
| persons Shortly after o'clock Yesterday
afternoon 1t began to grow dark and in half an
| hour 1t was necessary to have artificial light
About O'Clock the storm struck the place.
| 1t ives a regular whirlwind and came from the
northeast. Houses were thrown from their
| foundations and overturned and many Of them
| blown to pieces. A double-span wagon bridge
| across the Sioux river was wrenched from the
piers and dashed up against the river bank.
| The iron rods were twisted and bent out Of all
shape. large elevator was demolished and
| the debris carried across railroad tracks and
! deposited on the site of a lumber yard,
| while the lumber yard and buildings were
carried back and deposited whore the elevators
| stood. Cars that we're loaded with stone stand
ing on the railroad tracks we're picked up by
| the wind and turned completely over. Nearly
every building in the town was more or less
| damaged. Chimneys were blown down and
crashed through the roofs, and many roofs
blown of and carried far from the houses.
The damage In the town cannot be es timated,
as darkness came on soon the storm was
over and everything is in confusion. The streets
were Uttered with bedding and other articles
of household furniture. Several were killed
and injured, but it is impossible now to obtain
definite details.
TORNADO SWEEPS THROUGH INDIANA.
| INDIANAPOLIS, IND, April 12.-Advices re-
ceived from over the state tell Of heavy dam
age and loss of life by the storm Of
last night and this morning. tornado
| swept over the southern portion of Kokomo
at this morning demolishing the machinery
| and boiler rooms Of the American Straw Board
Mills. Bobert Douglas, an employe Of the
mills, was instantls killed by the falling walls.
Other workmen in the machinery room mar
rowly escaped
large portion Of the building is a complete
| wreck, and the loss will exceed ESQ, 900. The
| storm moved to the northwest uprooting trees
| in its way and doing more less damage to
| buildings. The mills belong to the American
Straw Board Company and carried no tornado
insurance.
The storm struck Green Castle at this morn
ing and did much damage.
| The roof OF the female dormitory at the
Depsuw University was blown Of and q num-
Der Of dwellings were in . like manner dis
figured Trees and chimneys were blown down
| and the grand stand at the park was demol-