The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-07
Winona, the Principal Town of
Shannon County, Destroyed.
ELEVEN KILLED. EIGHT MISSING.
The Houses Carried Away by a Great
Flood in the Night.
In the Morning Not Single Building
Was Left - The Ne;hodi>S Pastor
and His Family Drowned - Tho
Water Fell I'm Great sheets, and
Lightning Added Terror.

Springfield Mo. July ga storm awful
IN its terrors and total in it's work oe
destruction. wiped out the town OF WI
mona. on the Current river branch Of the
Kansas City. Fort Scott g. Memphis rail-
way. in shannon county. at 1880 last
night. That eleven persons lost their
lives is known 10 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. Dun
can; Crawford Cert. George Nevins. Nor
ma Nevins. little daughter Of Lloyd
Wright. Maggie Cannon. John Morris.
Mrs. Nevins.
The bodies OF Rev. Mr.. Duncan. his
wife and daughter. George Nevins. Nor
ma Nevins and the Wright girl were re-
covered. but the others have not been
found.
A slashing rain. preceded by stunning
wind set in at 9 o'clock last night. While
the wind ceased the rain increase sed, until
at 10 O'Clock the water seemed TO coms
down in a continuous stream. At l0.l5
o'clock four feet Of water was an tho
streets. In fifteen minutes many build
sngs could no longer stand tho strain and
began TO careen and break In the waters.
Vivid flashes OF lightning pierced ths
downpour. which came like the falls of
Niagara Houses were smashed. and In
the water were hundreds OF men. women
n
the ocean. Cries of terror and shouts for
help from the struggling people clngsns
to pieces OF timber made the scene ons
that baflled intelligent effort to save tho
helpless. The strong current rushing
down the ravine or valley carried many
20 higher land and places OF safety.
When the torrent had somewhat subsided
the men who had seen some of the other
families 10 places OF safety turned their
attention to others. and by 3 o'clock in
the morning the worst was over. Those
who had escaped the sweep Of the devas-
tatfon stood shivering without clothing.
or without opportunity 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 destroyed telegraphic communication
was restored Mayor Evans telegraphed to
this city for aid. Tonight the Inhabitants
OF Winona are scattered among farm
houses or have gone 10 nelghOoTing towns.
In all thirty buildings were destroyed.
Among them were the A. Carter Lumber
Company's building, loss 5000; Mrs. A. q.
Scranton. millinery building loss s. 500. ].
J. Bowen, three buildings. loss s. 900:
Church & KisseA Lumber Company loss
s., 500: the Barr hotel. Pettis house, Lewis
house and Sills house were all carried
away. The total loss Is not less than $So,-
600.
Rev. J. w. Duncan. who lost his life.
was pastor or the Winona circuit. and was
but recently ordained. He was formerly
an engineer on the Iron Mountain railroad.
The bodies OF Miss Mamie Duncan and
Mrs. Crawford were foaind at O'Clock
this morning the others being found long
after daybreak.
II Is now known that Birch Tree. eight
miles west OF winona, had its greatest
storm at the same hour last night. No
lives were lost there. however. but nu-
merous buildings were damaged.
Winona In point OF population and bus
iness. was the most important town In
shannon county. Surrounding II are tho
finest OF the great pine trees OF Shannon
county. To the north eight miles. tbs
Current river flows northeast and then
bends TO the southeast, and touches tho
branch OF the Memphis railroad at Chico-
nee. a dozen miles east OF Winona. On the
south and southwest OF the towns. the
road follows the valley east and west. ana
A great rayine goes out northwest foward
the river Along the sides OF this ravfne
or valley were clustered houses oceupie1
by the families of the men who had been
employed in the Ozark Lumber Companys
savrmtll. When tho foods opened on tbs
hs,ls the water rushed down this ravins
carrying all before H. The railway was
a, a slight grade, but the track was torn
mr., ana residence houses and business
buildings were swept with u into the
torrent.
wfnona ar the last town census had
s0.i people. Eight miles west "f Winons
,,as situated Birch Tree. next IN size in ths
rnuntv. with ss5 inhabitant. IL had sim
liar lumfer inter ssts and was thriving
pIaee On tho morning Of July THIS
town suffered from downpour that was
aIncs, equal 20 a cioudburst. Great prep
arations had been made Tor celenrauoh.
ara a mammoth dinner was spread under
.sa ,reea The storm swept everything
away and many had narrow escapes from
drowning Again. late In the evening,
there came another rood visitation thas
vas most disastrous In It's resuitA