The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-08
LONG LIST OF DEAD,
Appalling Results of the
Storm in Central
States.
SCORES OF LIVES LOST.
Late Reports Continue to
increase the Number Of
Fatalities.
SCORES OF LIVES LOST.
GREAT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.
Seas OF Rain Aided by Tornado
Like Winds In the Work OF
Destruction.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, July 7.--On Thursday
morning last telegraphic reports began to
arrive in this city of rains at Western
points. These reports grew in number
Friday and covered large territory, in
dicating that the entire eastern watershed
from the Rocky Mountains, from the Ne
braska and Iowa lines to Texas, was swept
by storm.
Friday night the seyerest blow came.
Reports of loss of life and destruction of
property came with every telegram, and
the downpour, first regarded as blessing,
grew into wave of devastation. Fields Of
grain that promised the most bountiful
yield in many years are to-day swept bare
of vegetation. In several instances the
seas OF rain were abetted in their work of
destruction by tornadoes. 1t is too early
yet to sum up the loss, but the total must
be appalling, and those whom the angry
elements spared have little left to sustain
life.
The stories of the storm are SO similar
that statistical summary is 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 life is reported from
Winona, Mo-, where eleven corpses have
been found, with as many more missing.
At Baxter Springs, in the southeastern
part of Kansas, five were killed and eleven
seriously injured by a cyclone that ac-
companied the storm. One person was
drowned at Columbus, and two at Ottawa,
Kans. At Van Buren, Ark, mother and
L IL. Ir0 A fa,1 W of
was encamped on the banks of Fish Creek,
in the Indian Territory, yesterday. Moth
ing of them or their belongings was found
except part of their wagon on pile of
driftwood. At Thomasville, Mo-, where
the rainfall was four inches in one hour,
five persons were lost.
Unconfrmed reports are received of loss
of life as follows: Three at Fayetteville,
Ark; one at Paoli, Kans. one at Richards,
Kans.; and six of hunting party in the
Indian Territory. This gives a known
and probable loss of forty three lives. This
total will be increased when the receding
water permits thorough search.
The loss in property can be placed in the
millions. Dwellings, fences and farm
buildings were carried off and wagon and
railroad bridges swept away. Thirty OF
the eighty buildings in Winona sue
cumbed Five residences. church and a
warehouse went down at Baxter Springs.
Six bridges went out in Russell County,
Kansas. About Jefferson City. Mo-, many
square miles of growing grain were COW
cred with debris.
Traffic on the Fort Scott and Memphis
Railway is temporarily suspended. Re-
ports, OF damage to property other than
above noted come in from five points in
Kansas, nine in Missouri, six in Arkansas
and two in Indian Territory. The storm
spent itself in Illinois, but having lost it's
force proved blessing to crops.
These summaries are only a fraction of
the 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 suffering and expert
ences would fill volumes and repeat the
horrors of the Johnstown disaster.