The herald., 1895-07-07
N|NONA TOWN WIPED OUT
Most Awful Work of Natures
Blind Fury
THE SWEEP OF DEVASTATION
Helpless People Drowned or Badly
MangIed.
Scene That Was Akin to the Foundering
of Vessels in a Tunultuous
Ocean
Associated Press special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
SPRINGFIELD, Mo-, July 6 "A storm
awful in its terror and total in its work
of destruction wiped out the town OF
Winona, on the Current river branch OF
the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Mem
phis railway, in Shannon county, at
their lives is known to a certainty and
eight men are missing. The dead are
Rev. J. W. Duncan. Mrs. J. W. Duncan.
Matte Duncan, Mrs. Crawford. married
daughter of Rev. Duncan; Crawford Cert.
George Ne7ins, Norma Nevins, o little
daughter of Lloyd Wright. Maggie Gam
non, John Morris, Mrs. Nevins.
The bodies of Rev. Duncan, his wife
and daughter, George Nevins. Norma
Nevins and the Wright girl were recover
ed but the others have not been found.
A slash,ng rain preceded by stunning
wind set IN at9 O'Clock last night. While
the wind ceased the rain increased inten-
sely until at 10 o'clock the water seemed
to come down in continuous stream.
At 1915 O'Clock four feet of water was
on the street. In fifteen minu,es many
buildings could no longer stand the strain
and began to careen aud dissolve ir the
waters. Vivid flashes of lighting pierced
the downpour. which came like the fall
of Niagara. Houses were smashed and in
the water were hundreds of men, women
and children. 1t was like shipwreck
in the ocean. Cries OF terror and shouts
for help from the struggling people cling
ing to pieces of tim bers made the scene
one that baffledaintelligent effort to save
the helpless. The strong current rushing
down the ravine or valley carried many
to higher land and places OF safety. When
the torrent had somewhat subsidized the
men who.had seen some families to places
of safety. turned their attention to others
and by 8 o'clock in the morning the
worst was over. Those who had escaped
the sweep of the devastation stood shiver-
ng; without clothing or without an op-
portunity to dry themselves. When day
dawned there was nothing of the
homes in the town. There was no shelter.
no food, no clothing. As soon as the de-
stroyed tslegIaphic, communication was
restored Mayor B. F. Evans telegraphed
to this city for aid. Tonight the inhabi-
tants of Winona are scattered among farm
houses or have gone to neigh boring towns.
In all thirty buildings we're destroyed.
Among them were the A. Carter Lumber
G. Scarnton, millinery building, loss
$500; J. j. Bowen, three buildings. loss
$4,000: Church & Kissell Lumber com pany,
loss $500.
The Barr hotel and Pettis house, Lewis
house and Sills' house were all carried
away.
The total loss is not less than sac, 900.
Rev. G. w. Duncan, who lost his life, was
pastor OF the Winona circuit, and was
buG recently ordain I'D. He was formerly
an engineer on the Iron Mountain rail-
road. The bodies of Miss Mamie Duncan
and Mrs. Crawford were found at A
O'Clock this morning, the Others being re-
1~nn n$t Io l. T& l.
known that Birch Tree. eight miles west
of Winona had its greatest storm at the
same hour last night. No lives were lost
there, howeevr, but numerous buildings
were damaged.
Winona. in point OF population and
business. was the most i'm mportant town in
Shannon county. Surrounding it are the
county. To the north eight miles the
Currant river flows northeast and then
bends to the south west and touches the
branch of the Memphis railroad at
Chicope. a dozen miles east of Winona.
On the south and southwest of the towns
the road follows the valley east and west
and great ravine gees out westward to-
ward the river. Along the sides of this
raivne or valley were clustered houses oc-
cupied by the families OF the men who
had been employed in the Ozark Lum ber
company's saw mill. 3
When the clouds opened on the hills
the water rushed down this ravine carry
ing all before it. The railway was on a
slight grade but the track was torn up
and residence houses and business build
ings were swept with it into the torrent.
Winona at the last town census had 606
people. Eight miles west of Winona was
situated Birch Tree next in size in the
county with 525 inhabitants. 1t had sim
liar lumber interests and was thriving
paca On fhQ n1OrniNO Of I11lv 1tb TN q
town suffered from downpour that was
almost equal to the cloudburst. Great
preparations had been made for cele-
bration and a mammoth dinner was
spread under the trees. The storm swept
everything away and many had narrow
escapes from drowning. Again late in
the evening there came another food
visitation that was most disastrous in its
results.