The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-10-05
A TORNADO.
Great Damage Done by a Wind
storm Around Wichita, Kan.
SEVERAL PEOPLE REPORTED KILLED.
a Confiagration in Marceline, Mo-, Causes s
Loss Of S5O,OOO-The Work of an
Incendiary-A FIGURING Mill
Destroyed.

WICHITA, Kan, Oct. 2.-For twenty
years Wichita has felt easy about tor
nadoes on account of an Indian legend,
which said none ever visited 1t or would
visit it. The legend was discredited
last night when terrible storm burst
upon the city. The Twelfth street de-
pot of the Missouri Pacific road was
completely demolished, the roof strik-
ing a stable two blocks away, crushing
it like an egg shell. Twelve men were
in the building at the time, but, strange
to say, none of them were hurt. The
storm passed east about n mile, accom-
plishing all of its destruction in less
than two minutes. About thirty houses
and barns were wrecked, and probably
500 shade trees were torn up by the
roots and strewn about in all direc-
! tions.
The path of the tornado was about
| so feet wide. 1t progressed with a
fearful roar, and was a regular twister.
| Three children were hurt and two men
were reported killed at police head
quarters, but their names could not be
ascertained. Owing to the terrible
RUN NhiCh dCCOlil lDdAICu tuC otOIll IL
is impossible to learn the full extent of
their injuries. Lightning struck a lit
tie boy named Fitzgibbons and killed
him. Lightning also struck the Fif-
teenth street depot and car stables of
the electric street railway and COM
pletely consumed it with all its con-
tents. The Fairmount electric street
railway wires were completely de-
stroyed.
Roughly estimated the loss in the city
will be $4,000. Reports from Kechit
township say that the storm played
havoc there, but owing to the contin-
uance of the ranstorm it is impossible
to obtain any details.
BIG BLAZE AT MARCELINE.
MARCELINE, Mo-, Oct. 2.-Marceline
had one of the most disastrous fires in
the history of the town Yesterday morn
ing. About 4:3o o'clock Rolla Ward,
the call boy at the Palace hotel, dis
covered some one in the Racket store,
owned by Finnell & Dawkins, and the
boy. seeing an attempt was being made
to fire the building, opened fire on the
incendiary, who ran out the back way,
leaving open the rear door. The
inflammable nature of the stock
was so great that in a few mo-
ments the building was in mass
of flames. The adjoining place was
the fruit store of Jones Bros. Then
the fire began to spread on both sides
of the burning building, which was sit
uated near the center of the block, and
in short time the Racket, Jones Bros.
the grocery stores of Bert Crane and
James Hier, the Santa Fe Exchange
bank and the Palace hotel were in
ruins. The loss on buildings and stocks
will not fall short of S5O,O 900 and the
insurance was very light. The city
has no fire service and it is impossible
to check a fire when it gains much
headway. The Masons, Odd Fellows
and Good Templars lose all their fur
niture and aphernalia, which was
partially insured.
FIGURING MILL DESTROYED.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo-, Oct. THE r. c.
Stone Touring mills at Republic, this
county, were destroyed by fire yester
day. The loss is estimated at $50, 900.
Small insurance.