The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-07
Two Rowing Winds Meet and
Unite at Baxter Springs.
FIVE PERSONS KILLED At ONCE.
Twenty Others Injured and Property
Worth 100000 Destroyed.
After smashing Two Churches and
Several Other Buildings the yag-
rant Breeze Romped on Over the
Prairie-fhe Rainfall Prodigious.

Baxter Springs. Kan. July S-Eaxter
Springs was laid in ruins. five people We're
killed and twenty others badly wounded
by cyclone that struck the town about S
O'Clock last evening.
The dead are: Sallie Webster. Florence
Webster. Ralph Webster. III. Hibbs. and an
infant child of Thomas Shields.
Scores of men. women and children I'm the
town are more or less injured, some fatal
ly. Those reported are: Mrs. Neal. both
collar bones broken and internal injuries;
James Neal. internal injuries; Royal Web
ster, right arm and right hip broken: Mrs.
Martha Smith. internal injuries. Eta
Smith. internal injuries George A. Dickey
head wounds; A. G.. Hancock, serious head
wound; Mrs. Thomas Shields, fatal inter-
nal injuries Three members OF A
Sharpes family were badly hurt.
There seem to have been two currents OF
wind which struck the town. one from the
north and one from the west. and they
met near the Methodist Episcopal church.
Joined forces and turned east. doing seri-
Gus damage 10 property before meeting,
but after coming together the destruction
was complete. In the track of the current
from the north the passenger depot was
the first thing damaged. Further on much
damage was done to residence property,
shade trees and everything in its way.
The current from the west seems 10 have
been the stronger. II struck some of the
residences west of the freight depot, doing
serious damage. but when IL came TO the
yards of the railroad twenty-eight ears
were thrown from the track and badly
damaged The depot was moved off the
foundation. wrecked about the roof and
the goods and other contents badly flooded
Up TO the point OF meeting the other
current, the damage to property was not
so great. The first object struck after the
meeting was the Methodist Episcopal
church. This was totally destroyed, and
IT lies in a heap of ruins. The current
turned slightly to the southeast. doing
good deal OF damage, until II reached
point just west of j. NJ. Cooper's large
store. where it turned directly east. strik-
ing the store building. caving in the west
end and badly damaging the roof. The
store was flooded and much damage done
to the goods. The next object OF the
storms fury was the Old blacksmith shop
on the northwest corner of Military and
River streets, which was completely swept
away. The Christian church was directly
in the path, and it lies like pile OF kind
ling wood. The Episcopal church was not
touched J. II. Cooper had seven houses.
including the one in which ae lived very
badly damaged. The residences of -Soa.
William March, A. G. Hanback,. Mr..
Childs and Ira Perkins are in ruins
Three
recently from Nebraska. the mother aged
So daughter aged %. and son aged L. were
killed by lightning. Another had his leg
broken and his shoulder dislocated ana
will probably die NJ b. Hibhs, aged oo.
died from excitement. falling dead IN one
of the stores on Military street Ihe occl-
dental hotel. now used as an opera mouse.
was struck by lightning ana soHe"haI
damaged. Four large hay barns IN the
naiqhhorhood OF the freight depot were
ror,r,letely wrecked A conservative es"
simate OF the damage places IL al sln.VVo.
There were few, IL any, cyclone ihoica-
tions.
The damage to property west OF BaNte,
cannot be fully estimated. TX is reported
that for many miles In the track OF the
storm fences and barns are blown down
and crons more or less destroyed. In the
west mart of Lyon township the country
seems TO have had touch of perhaps the
same twister that the little town or baN-
for had. IL struck the farmhouse OF
Thomas Shields, OF Lyon. Mrs. Shields
and her two children were in the barn az
the time the storm struck. and one OF the
children. a year-old baby, was killed, ana
the older child's leg was broken. and Mrs
shields had her shoulder dislocated ana
;s injured in her back and spine. She viii
die.
w A. I,arcer was found dead on his farm
in sheridan township. He had left McCue
Yesterday afternoon about O'Clock. ,where
he had been on business. II Is SUPPOSED
he was drowned while crossing creek.
Forty miners, at work in mine NO. ~ OF
,ha Esnsas and Texas Coal Company, al
weir CITY. had no knowledge of the storm
until the mine was deluged with torrens
OF water from above All had narrow es-
canes. and every mule in the mine was
drowned.
The rain was the most violent storm ever
known here, resembling cloudoufse' ana
the entire country was fiooded. reports oi
s.,-,ha~ fatal,ties seem almost certain
when the roads are opened up.