Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-07-13
SWEPT AWAY BY FLOOD.
A Cloudburst Almost Entirely De-
stroys Winona, Mo.
Eleven Persons Lose Their Lives-Fivo
Killed at Baxter Springs, Kan
Deaths In the Storm ut
Other Points.

ST LOUIS, July S.-Thursday MORN
ing last telegraphic reports began to
arrive in this city of rains at west
ern points. These reports grew in
numbers Friday and covered
large territory indicating that the
entire eastern watershed of the Rocky
mountains, from the Nebraska and
Iowa lines to Texas was swept by a
storm. Friday night the severest 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 to
whom the angry elements spared life
have little left to sustain it. The
stories of storm are so similar that
statistical summary is all there is left
to tell.
The storm focus embraced an rea of
200 square miles, with the southwest
ern 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
southwestern Kansas, five were killed
and eleven seriously injured by cy-
clone that accompanied the storm.
One was drowned at Columbus and
two at Ottawa, Kan. At Van Buren,,
Ark, mother and her babe
were drowned. A family of five
encamped on the banks of Fish
creek in the Indian territory. Satur-
day nothing of them or their belong
sngs was found except part of their
wagon on a pile of drift wood. AT
Thomasville, Mo-, where the rain.
fall was inches in one hour,
five persons were lost. Uncon-
firmed reports are received of
loss of life as follows: Three at Fay
etteville, Ark; one at Paoli, Kan; one
at Richards, Kan, and six of a hunt
ing party in the Indian territory. This
gives known and probable loss Of
forty three lives. This total will be in
creased when the receding water per-
mits a thorough search.
The loss in property can be placed in
the millions. Dwellings, fences and
farm buildings were carried of
and wagon and railroad bridges
swept away. Thirty of the
eighty buildings in Winona sue
cumbed. Five residences, a church
and a warehouse went down at Baxter
Springs. Six bridges went out in Rus
sell county, Kan. About Jefferson City,
Mo-, many square miles of growing
grain were covered with debris. Traffic
on the Fort Scott & Memphis railway
is temporarily suspended. Reports ot
damage to property other than above
noted come from five points in Kansas
nine in Missouri, six in Arkansas, two
in the Indian territory. The storm
spent itself in Illinois, but having los
its force proved blessing to crops.
The above summaries are only {
fraction of the loss in property. TIL,
greatest burden falls upon the farmers
as the season is too far spent to plan
new crops, and suffering must surel,
follow in the storms wake. The coun
try's granary has been cleaned out
Details of individual suffering and ex
periences would fill volumes and re
call the horrors OF the Johnstown dis
aster.