The record-union., 1895-07-08
The Country From Nebraska to
Texas Swept by a Storm.
ACCOMPANIED WITH GREAT LOSS
OF LIFE AND DAMAGE.
Eleven Corpses Reported Found Near
Wiuona, Missouri, With as Many
More MiSsing-Five People Killed
and Eleven Others Seriously
Injured at Baxter Springs, south
eastern Kansas.

ST. LOUIS (Mo.), July 7.-Thursday
| morning last telegraphic reports began
to arrive in this city of rains at western
points. These reports grew in number
and covered large territory, indicating G
that the entire eastern watershed OF
the Rocky Mountains. from the Nebraska
and Iowa lines to Texas, was swept by a
storm. Friday night the severest blow
came. Reports OF loss of life and de-
struction of property came with every
telegram, and the doWnpour, first re-
garded as a blessing, grow into wave OF
devastation. Fields OF grain that prom
isod the most bountiful yield in many
years are to-day swept bare OF vegeta-
ton. III several places the seas OF rain
were abetted in their work OF destruction
by tornadoos. 1t is too early yet 10 sum
up the loss, but the total must be appall-
ing, and those whom the angry elements
spared have little LETT TO sustain life.
! The stories Of the storm are 80 similar
| that statistical summary ls all there is
| left to tell. The storm focus embraced an
area OF 200 square miles, with the south
| western corner OF Missouri as The center.
! The greatest loss OF lie is reported from
! Winona, No., where eleven corpse5 have
| been found, with as many more missing.
! At Baxter Springs. III the southeastern
part OF Kansas, five were killed and
eleven were seriously injured by cy-
clone that accompanied the storm.
one person was drowned 1t Colum bus
and two al Ottawa, kas.
At Van Buren,, Ark, mother and her
babe were drowned.
a family OF five, encamped on the
banks of Fish Creek, in the Indian Ter
rltory yesterday. sre ali missing, together
with their belongings.
at ThomasvilIe, Mo-, where the rain
TALL was four inches in an hour, five per-
sons were lost.
Unconnrmed reports are received OF
Ark, one al Paoli, kas,, one at Richards,
| Has, and six OF Il hunting party III the
Indian Territory.
This gives known and probable loss
| OF ftwenty-three lives. This total will ue
increased when the receding water per-
nits thorough search.
The loss in property can be placed in
| the millions. Dwellings, fences and
farm buildings were carried oil, and
wagon and railroad bridges swept away.
Thirty OF the eIghty buildings in Winona
succumbed. Five residences, church
and a warehouse went down at Baxter
Springs. Six bridges went out in Rus
sell County, kus. About Jefferson City,
Mo-, many square miles of growing
grain were covered with debris. Traffic
on the Fort Scott and Memphis Railway
is temporarily suspended.
Reports Of damage to property other
than above noted come from tve points
in Kansas, nine III Missouri, six in
Arkansas and TWO in the Indian Terri
tory. The storm spent itself IN Illinois,
but having lost its force, proved bless
ing 10 crops
The ABOVE summaries are only a frac-
| ton OF loss in property. The greatest
| burden falls upon the farmers, as the
season is TOO far spent TO plant new crops,
and suffering must surely follow in the
storms wake. Details OF individual suf-
fering and experiences would ill vol
umes, and repeat the horrors OF the
JohnstoWn disaster.
DEATH-DEALING STORM AT CHICAGO.
CHICAGO, July with little warning
of its terrific death-dealing force and de-
slructiye character, q wind and rain
storm, such a. has not been seen for years,
broke upon The city about $50 o'clock
| this afternoon. The complete result will
certain tonight that four lives were lost
on Lake Michigan by the capsiZing OF
! boats at the mercy OF the hurricane.
The names OF three of the victims who
were occupants OF the yacht Pilot, which
went down of Twenty second street, are:
| Charles Cline. John Ross and Charles
! Lee Shook.
The first appearance of the storm was
indicated by severe blowing of dust in
| the business part OF the city, sending the
| thousands of pedestrians TO seek refuge in
! the hotels and stores which were open.
| In a few minutes the gale increased TO a
! fifty gait, and the sky was overcast
with circulating clouds and black masses
| filled with the deluge To come. A wind
ana rain3torm soon mingled with terrific
! force, and people on The streets and thou
sands OF women and children in the parks
! became frightened, thinking tornado
was upon them. The heat during the day
| had become oppressive and windows in
the hotels were lett open. Before they
could 10 closed thousands of dollars
worth OF damage had been done and sew
| eral injuries from glass were reported.
1t Was dangerous TO venture on the
streets of the downtown district, whore
/ tiying IiagDoles, awnings, sign S aud brok IN
! windows nlled The air. This was espe-
cially true along State street. Several
| hundreds OF Hags which hung from the
windows of the prominent stores OF
| Sige, Cooper 4 Co., and a. NJ. Koths-
child Il Co., wore swept from the fast
eniugs and carried with deadly force TO
4 IL0 SiUGNGsk. OSSGIdL pbISOuS NnO
! braved the storm were struck by poles,
| but they escaped serious injury.
Two thousand spectators were caught
at the baseball park during the league
! game, and had to stay huddled in the
grand stand until the deluge subsi3ed.
! The duration Of the storm, SO tar az the
rain was concerned, did not exceed two
! hours. but the wind remained high until
a late hour. Probably 100,0 900 people wer g
caught in the parks away from any shell
| ter. end were wat to the skin before ind
! inp shelter Thousands of these unfortu-
! mates were on wheels. and they got even
a worse drenching than those on foot.
The yacht Idler capszed in the lake
| near Rogers when the storm broke.
| William Newcom and Ellis Park were
/ thrown into the water, but managed to
| cling to the up-turned boat until the
crew of tue lite-saving station rescued
them.
/ Reports were received by the police
/ from 4 variety OF sources during the
night of boats having been seen 10 cap
/ size during the storm and the occupants
to disappear under the water, but no
bodies have yet been recovered, ana it
will be impossible to ascertain the exact
loss OF life until the reports OF the miss
, ing are received.
AT midnight the news was received
that Charles Cline and Charles Lee Shook,
who were supposed to have been drowned
by the capsiZing of the yacht Pilot, were
picked up alive OF the Thirty -fifth-street
pier. They were almost dead from ex-
haustion, and reported that their COM
I panion, j Ohm Ross, was surely drowned.
The yacht was seen in distress at the out
set OF the storm Oft Twenty street
pier, and spectators were sure all had
been drowned when the boat capsized
and nothing more was seen OF the occu-
! pants.