Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-27
DEATH IN iTSPATH
Kansas Visited By a Terribly De.
struct;ve Cyclone.
EIGHT NOW ON THE DEATH ROLL.

Three Others Fatally Hurt and Seventeen
More or Less Injured-Farming Com
munitY Swept BY tho Twisting Terror
and Left Bare Of Houses, Barns, Trees,
Fences and Everything Novable-B.by's
Up and Left Upharmed After Long Jour.
neys Through the Air.
TOPEKA, Kas., April 21.-Eight persons,
at least. were killed outright; three IA
tally, and seventeen more or less, in
iured, and great destruction of property
wrought by a cyclone which passed over
Clay county Saturday night.
The list of the killed and injured, so far
as their names are known, is as follows:
Killed-Frank Peterson, wife and one
daughter; Xii Balthazar and wife; julius
Trembly. Jesse Ham and Mrs. Halverson.
Injured-Daughter of Frank Peterson,
cannot live; Frank Wilkinson. cannot
live; entire family Of John Morris, badly
mangled; six children OF Eli Balthazar,
more or less injured.
People on the Rock Island train from
the north last evening brought partial de-
tails Of the cyclone. 1t started about six
miles south Of Clifton and went in a
northeasterly direction for twelve or fif.
teen miles, then lost its force by spread
ing 1t passed about half way between
Clifton and Morganville.
Pathway Marked by Devastation.
Its track varied from $50 yards to a
quarter of o mile in width. 1t tore through
farming community and left nothing
standing. Houses and barns were wrecked,
trees torn up or broken, fences leveled and
hay stacks blown in every direction. The
cyclone was followed by terrific rain
storm which lasted several hours, flooding
the devastated district. There had been
indications Of q heavy rain all day, with
local showers. but nobody expected a
storm. So far as learned the victims were
in the houses and the most Of them had
retired. The storm struck Peter Ander-
sons house at $3.50 o'clock. This was
about mile from the starting point. Tho
house was demolished in an instant Ev-
cry member Of tho Anderson family was
injured. When they had excricated them
selves from the debris they discovered that
Andcrson's grandchild was missing.
Blew the BODY Half Mile.
The dead body Of the child was found
In q ravine half mile away. It evident
ly had been carried there by the wind,
Anderson alarmed the neighbors who
lived out Of the track Of the storm and
search was commenced for victims. At
noon yesterday 1t was thought that all the
victims had been found. A largo num-
Der Ct cattle and horses were kill ed, and
fruit in the storms track was ruined 1t
Is impossible at this time to estimate the
damage to buildings and othor property
Heart-rending tales Of suffering are told
by persons who visited the scene Of the
storm. Many Of the injured lay all nlghs
pinned down by wrcckage or parayzed
In the mud, while others crawled or hob
bled across the country to neighbors
houses.
Wreck OF the Morris Home.
In several instances people were lifted
into the air by tho cyclone and carried for
.distance and then suddenly dropped
Buildings were lifted up and then hurled
to the ground with force enough to dc.
molish them. Tho wife and daughter of
John Morris were reading when the shock
came. The house was divided. The
women managed to get out, when the
wind picked them up, carried them s0Q
yards, and let them safely down on pile
OF straw, just away from the storms 6
track. Tho people for miles around yes
terday gathered at tho, different points
where damage had been done and rem
dercd assistance in every possible way
Like . Roller Had Conc Over the Ground.
The conductor on the Rock Island train
said that the track OF tho storm looked
like piece Of ground which had been
leveled with roller. Half a dozen tele.
graph poles were torn down where the
cyclone crossed the road Telegraphic
communication between Topeka and Cliff.
ton was cut of from the hour Of the
storm till o o'clock.yesterday morning. 1t
is expected that much damage was done