St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-07
SWIFT MESSENGERS OF DEATH
VISIT MISSOURI AND KAN
SAS TOWNS.
WIPED FROM THE EARTH.
ELEVEN MEN AND WOMEN DEAD
AND EIGHT MISSING AT VIZ
MONA, no.
HORRORS OF THE VISITATION.
Five People Killed Outright and
Twenty Injured at Baxter
Springs, Kas.


storm, awful in it's terror and total
in it's work of destruction, wiped out
the town of Winona, on the Current
River branch of the Kansas City,
Fort Scott & Memphis railway, in
Shannon county, at 1920 o'clock last
night 1t is known that eleven per-
sons lost their lives, and eight men
are missing. The dead are:
REV. G. w. DUNCAN.
MRS. G. w. DUNCAN.
MATTE DUNCAN.
MRS. CRAWFORD, married daugh-
ter of c. w. Duncan.
CRAWFORD CERT.
GEORGE NEVINS.
NORA NEVINS.
LITTLE DAUGHTER of Lloyd
Wright.
MAGGIE CANNON.
JOHN NORRIS.
MRS. NEVINS.
The bodies of Rev. G. w. Duncan,
his wife and daughter, George New
ms, Norma Nevins and the Wright
girls were recovered shortly after
the disaster. A slashing rain, pre-
ceded by fierce wind, set in at 8
o'clock last night. While the wind
ceased, the rain increased intensely,
until at 10 o'clock it became war
ring tumult. At 10:15 four feet of
water was on the streets. In fifteen
minutes more buildings could no
longer stand the strain and began
to careen and disinteprate in the
water Vivid flashes of lightning
pierced the downpour, which came
lilo tho fa lie Of Mia
LIKE A MIGHTY CATARACT.
Houses were smashed, and in the
water hundreds of men, women and
children were dashed about like
corks 1t was like shipwreck on
land. Cries Of terror and shouts for
help from the struggling people,
clinging to pieces Of timber, made
the scene one that baff1ed effort to
save the helpless. The strong cur
rent, rushing. down the ravine or
valley, carried many to higher land
and places of safety. When the tor
rent had to a degree subsided, the
men who had seen to their own fam
lilies turned their attention to others,
and by o'clock in the morning the
worst was over. Those who had es-
capped the sweep of the torrent stood
shivering, with clothing or without
an opportunity to dry themselves.
When day dawned there was moth
ing of their homes in the town. There
was no shelter, no food and no cloth
ing. AS soon as telegraphic COM
munication was restored Mayor B.
F. Evans telegfaphed to this city
for aid. Tonight the inhabitants OF
Winona are scattering among farm
houses or have gone to neighboring
towns.
THIRTY BUILDINGS WRECKED.
In all thirty buildings were de-
stroyed, as follows: The A. G. Car
ter lumber building, loss, $4,000;
Mrs. A. G.. Scranton, millinery build
ing, 81, 500; J. J. Bowen's three build
ings, 1000; Church & Kissell Lum-
Der company, 81 800; Barr hotel, Pet
tis house, Lewis house, Sills house;
also the dwellings, of the following:
Tom McCord, William Howell,
George J. Jordan, Wilson Randolph,
John Norris, George Hayden, four
houses; James Henley, Jack Chill
bert, Thomas Gailbrath, Lloyd
Wright, Crandall Roberts, George
Farris, Joseph Miller, Rev. G. w.
Duncan, D. w. Van and Daniel
Holmes. The total loss is not less
than $4,000 Rev. G. W. Duncan,
who lost his life, was pastor of the
Winona circuit, and was but re-
Gently ordained. He was formerly
an engineer on the Iron Mountain
railroad The bodies of Miss Mamie
Duncan and Mrs. Crawford We're
found at o'clock this morning. The
others were recovered long after
daybreak. Some had foated three
miles down Pike creek, toward the
northeast, and in the direction of
Current river. At places the water
was twelve feet deep in Winona.
LOSSES ELSEWHERE.
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 Cortez Fisher, lumber
dealer, lost $4,000 by the destruction
of his building. Other buildings
were slightly damaged there. Wi
mona was the most important town
in Shannon county. To the north,
eight miles the Current river flows
northeast and then bends to the.
southeast, touching the Current riv-
er branch of the Memphis railroad
at Chicopee, dozen miles east of
Winona. Northeast and southwest
of the town are hills. The railroad
follows a valley east and west, and
a deep ravine goes out northwest to-
ward the river. Along the sides of
this ravine were clustered houses oc-
cupied by families of the men who
had been employed in the Ozark
Lumber company's saw mill. When
the clouds opened on the hills the
water rushed downs this ravine, car
rying all before it. The railway was
on slight grade, but the track was
torn up and houses and business
buildings were swept along with it
had the largest general store and
the Missouri Land company had a
building near the railroad Both Suf-
fered from the rush of the water.
Winona at the last town census had
COS people. Eight miles west of Wi
mona was situated Birch Tree, next
in size in the county, with 525 inhab-
itants. 1t had similar lumber inter-
ests. and was a thriving place. On