The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-27
killing Nine People Outright,
Fatally WOunding Others.
The Tornado was of the Pecul-
lar Funnel Shape.
ITS PATH WAS SWEPT
Clean of Everything Movable
Many Lay All Night
In the Rain Before Bescuers
Found Them.

rsonoo~aia kan. April ga tornado
which swept through this section of
the state onsaturday evening was prob
ably one of the most severe that Kan
sas has ever experienced
It's path was about 400 feet wide and
extended fully twenty miles Eleven
people were killed or fatally injured
1t formed about z o'clock Saturday
evening near the little town Of St
Joseph. ia the eastern part Of cloud
county. and passed i'm a northeasterly
direction through the northern part Of
clay and probably into the southern
edge Of Washington counties Forum
ately it struck no towns, but it's course
was through a thicldy settled portion
Of the Republican valley The storm
cloud was funnel shaped and its power
seemed unlimited. Houses and barns
were lifted into the air and dashed
back to the earth. Trees were uprOoted
or broken off and every thing in its
track was destroyed
The first victims of the storm were
Eli Balthazor and wife. living about
a mile east Of st. Joseph. The family
was just preparing to seek refuge in
the cellar when the storm struck. The
six children We're ain more or less ser
iously injured and it is thought two Of
them viii die. About a mile further
east the home of Julian Trembly was
destroyed and he was killed.
The greatest damage was done south
OF clifton. Two farmers, e. p Peter
son and j. s. Haynes. We're killed and
a number of others whose names could
not be learned AT one place a woman
ana child We're killed and at another a
5-year-old boy. The body of the latter
has not yet been found
The storm struck Peter Anderson s
house at $50 O'Clock This was about
a mile from the starting point The
house was demolished in an instant
Every member of the Anderson family
was injured When they had eNtri-
Gated themselves from the debris they
discovered that Anderson's grandchild
was missing. The dead body of the
child was found this morning in a ra-
vine half mile away. 1t evidently
had been carried there by the wind
Frank Wilkinson. a young farmer, is
Sc seriously injured he cannot survive
The entire family of John Norris is
frightfuIy mangled. They had just
reached the cellar when the house was
blown away. The residence of Wal
ter Haynes was also blown to atoms,
but he had reached the cellar with his
family and escaped unhurt. The barn
of Lawrence Rains a wealthy farmer.
was completely destroyed and several
q rTa4
age to stock also resulted The loss is
estimated at $4,000; partly insured.
DEAD.
MRS. j. PETERSON
MISS PETERSON.
JOHN ANDERSON
HALBERTSON.
JESSE HALL
ELI BELTHAZOR-
MRS. ELI BELTHAZOR.
JULIAN TRINIBLY.
D. S. HAYNES.
INJURED.
q Peterson.
Miss Peterson and sister, daughters
Of j. Peterson. one of whom win die.
- Wilkins.
Mrs. Wilkins.
Miss Wilkins.
The tornado was of the usual funnel
shape. and made terrific roar. Tt was
and many sought refuge in dugouts
and cellars That q severe storm was
in progress was known for miles
around The Missouri Pacific operator
at Logan made inquiry of the COncor-
dia. office during the evening, asking
if this section was not experiencing a
heavy storm, because the lightning was
SO constant in this direction.
Heart rending tales Of suffering are
told by persons who visited the scenes
Of the storm. Many of the injured lay
all night, pinned down by Wreckage on
paralyzed in the mud. while others
craWled or hobbled across the country
to neighbOr's house. In several in
stances people were lifted into the air
tance and then suddenly dropped The
buildings. 1T seemed. were also lifted
up and then hurled TO the ground with
foce enough to demolish them The
wife ana daughter of John Morris were
reading when the shock came The
house was divided The women man
aged to set out, when the wind picked
let them safely down upon q pile al
straw. just away from the storm
track.
The people for miles around gathered
at the different points where DAMAGE
had been done. and rendered assistance
IN every possible way. The track 81
the storm looked like a piece OF GROUND
which had been leveled with a roller
Half a dozen telegraph poles were TORI
road Ielegraphic communication be
tween Clifton and the outside worIC