The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-02
Strip of Country sixteen Miles Long
and n Few Hundred Yards Wide
Swept Almost Clean.
TWENTY HOUSES WRECKED
SCHOOL CHILDREN SLOWED AWAY
IN CELLAR NONE TOO SOON.
Fearful Gale and Tremendous Seas on
the Atlantic Reported by Vessels
Arriving at Philadelphia.

HALSTEAD, Kan, May 1.-About 4:30
o'clock this afternoon a tornado devastated
a strip Of country several hundred yards
wide and at least sixteen miles in length,
killing six persons outright, seriously in
juring several and bruising many more.
The tornado struck the house of Mrs. Fry,
a widow, who lived about nine miles south
west of Halstead. destroying it and slightly
injuring Mrs. Fry. 1t picked up the house
of John Schutzback and scattered il in
every direction. The two-story house of
Joseph Weir was swept away, killing Mrs.
Joseph Weir, Grace Weir. aged eleven;
Herman Weir aged five, and a fve-weeks-
old baby. Mr.. Weir had previously left the
house and when the tornado struck was
about fifty yards away. He clung TO a
tree, but was badly injured by flying debris
and will die. Joseph Weir, jr., and sister,
Maud Weir, the only ones in the family
who took to the cellar, escaped with only
slight bruises.
The home of f. c. Caldwell which was
one hundred yards to the west OF the Weir
home. was unroofed and one side torn
away. The family escaped by taking 10 the
cellar. The next house i'm the path of the
storm was William Armstrong;. which
was demolished. Mr.. Armstrong was killed,
Mrs. Armstrong seriously and perhaps fatal
ly injured, and Grandma Chaplin, who was
sick in bed. killed. About hundred
yards east of the Armstrong house the large
two-story residence of 3. E. Frizzell was
picked up as also the large two-story
house of j. F. Frizzell across the road,
and both. together with all the outbuldings.
were carried away. leaving only enough
debris to show that house had stood
there The families of both the Frizzells
escaped injury, with the exception of Mrs
j. r. Frizzell, who was bruised about the
head
The next place visited was the home of
Captain William White which was only
partly destroyed. one wing of the house
being torn away. Across the road from
Whites, the home of Cyrus Hinkston was
destroyed. Mr.. Hnkston received painful
but not serious injuries. Spencer Ross s
house was in the line OF the tornado and
was carried away, as were the homes of A.
S. Powell j. A. Comas, Andrew Thompson
and Memo Hege. Miss Daisy Neff, at
Powells house, was badly injured as was
Mrs j. A. Comas.
At the Hege district ssctool, the children
had just been dismissed. MFR. Hege saw
the storm approaching and, fearing its re-
suits, hurried the SCHOLARS 10 MS tornado
cellar. His foresight probably prevented
great loss of life. for just as the last
child had been safely slowed away in the
cellar the tornado struck the house over
them and demolished 1t. AS it was not one
of the children was even slightly injured.
The fury of the storm seems to have
done it's worst about five miles west of
Halstead. where all the victims lived. Near
the Frizzell home, dead horses, cattle, hogs,
and chickens are scattered all over the
wheat fields. Those who first saw the storm
cloud coming say it made very slow prog
ress, travelling not faster than a person
could run. 1t seemed to waver first in one
direction, then in another. AS far as
heard FROM covering distance of eighteen
miles across the country from southwest to
northeast, twenty residences. nearly all OF
them large ones. were destroyed. The
property loss will not be less than 500. 600
Two or three of the injured will probably
die. Physicians from Wichita went TO the
relief of the injured and local assistance
is given to the suffering families.