The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-18
I'm Seneca 500 People Are Homeless, q
Number Killed and s2o0.o0o An
Property Destroyed.
TWO COUNTIES DEVASTATED
CHURCHES DEMOLISHED AND woR-
SHIPPERS BURIED IN RUINS.


KANSAS CITY, May i7.-Reports received
here indicate that the cyclone which passed
over Marshall and Nemaha counties. Kan
sas. late this evening swept over an unusu-
ally large territory. dealing death and de-
struction through the two counties. A dis
patch TO the Times from Berne. Nemaha
county, reports that Senaca. the county
seat. was struck by a cyclone at o'clock
this evening. One-third OF the residence
portion OF the town was destroyed and fivo
persons were killed and fifteen badly in
jured. The county's magnificent new court
house. the towns big school house and the
Catholic Church are among the buildings
wrecked. Five hundred OF the citizens OF
Seneca are reported TO be homeless tonight
The property loss IL estimated at 100000.
The five dead are two children OF II. Ever
hes two children OF Mr.. Connell and a son
of Peter Assemacher.
The cyclone also swept the towns OF Sa-
betha, Nemaha county. and Frankfort, Mar
shall county, and the reports indicate that
many small settlements have suffered. but
UP to this hour 1t has been Impossible to get
detailed accounts of the damage.
The following telegram was received to-
night from Frankfort. Kan:
Cyclone struck Frankfort at 5 p. m. All
northwest and western part OF town blown
down. Henry Kennedy. Capt s. b. Todd
and a colored woman injured.
-. NJ. WATSON, Mayor"
Frankfort Is a town Of 1000 Inhabitants
in Marshall county. on the Missouri Pacific
railroad.
Threescore Buildings wrecked
FRANKFORT, Kan, May 17.-At o'clock
this evening terrific cyclone swept down
on the town Of Frankfort from the south
west. Everything in the north and west
ends or town was completely wrecked.
Probably threescore OF buildings were
tumbled to the ground. Some of the best
residences Of the town were blown to pieces.
Reports coming In from the country. where
heavy damage has been done, will MATERIAL
ly swell the loss. Many are reported pain
fully injured. but so far as known. no one
has been killed. Many horses. cattle and
other stock has been killed. The Methodist
and Christian Churches were demolished and
The Presbyterian Church was badly
wrecked Scores Of people who are left
homeless. are being cared for tonight In
public halls and in the homes OF the more
! fortunate citizens.
The most seriously injured are:
7 AESRxAKESNEDy. nose broken. ana
p. cUMMORE, head crushed
p. MOREAN, badly hurt
MRS. ARTHUR and two children.
| JACK RODGERS.
CAPT. J. B. TODD.
The small number OF casualties is ac-
| counted for by the fact that nearly all Of
| the people fed to their cellars and cyclone
caves.
Reports coming In from vleits and Seneca
| gay the cyclone severe at those points-
The latest estimate is that fully one hun
| dred substantial buildings have been de-
stroyed in the town and surrounding coun-
try.
Houses and Business Blocks Flat.
SENECA. Kan. May ia devastatine
| tornado passed through this city from the
southwest to northeast this evening at $40
o'clock. Everything In its path was com
| pleteiy wrecked. Couriers from the coun-
| try report great damage to property and
probable loss of life. In this city four were
killed and a number injured. The killed.
are:
BOY and GIRL children OF NJ. r. Comet
BOY. son Of NJ. Z. Voorhees,.
| BOY, aged fifteen, son or Peter Aisel-
maehers.
The seriously injured are: NJ. Z. voor-
hees. John Beldshaw and Alonzo Hawley.
The latter will not recover
There were many wonderful escapes from
instant death. The streets are impassable.
blocked with debris OF buildings and fallen
| trees. The Grand Opera House is COM
pletely demolished. The roof and west side
Of the $4,000 courthouse are blown away
and caved in. and the roof OF the high
school building is gone. The sfeepies Of the
new Methodist. Universslist and Catholic
churches were scattered to the four winds.
Twenty-Five residences are nat or the
ground, and buildings innumerable are un-
rooted. The damage here Is over $4,000
At Oneida several buildings were de-
stroyed and three children OF James Sher-
rard killed.
The west half of the village OF Baileyville
was swept away. but none was killed.
Buried I'm Their Houses.
sABETHA. Kan. May ia cyclone from
the southwest struck Sabetha at 7:30 O'Clock
this evening and tore an ugly gap through
the business and residence portions OF the
town. A score OF buildings were destroyed
and several persons badly injured.
two OF whom will probably die. The Rock
Island depot was wrecked. together with =
dozen residences in its vicinity. Five per-
sons who were in the depot at the time es-
capped without serious injury. though Mr..
Austin, the telegraph operator. was carried
several blocks by the force OF the wind.
On Main street the front Of nearly every
store building was blown in Tonight q
large force OF meE is patroEing the streets
with lanterns and doing all they can 10 re-
lieve the homeless. The @. A. r. hall has
been thrown open TO injured and al the
doctors OF the town are in attendance The
| most seriously injured are-
WILLIAM CAREY. wife and eldest danRh-
ter. ali badly hurt. the latter probably fat
ally.
s. p HAYES. buried beneath the ruins
Z. Of his house. jaw broken and serious in-
ternai injuries
The family Of Z. Horton were in their bic
block when the whole west side was blown
out and the walls came tumbling down. bus
all escaped uninjured-
The Texas Victims.
SHERMAN. May l7.-No more bodies have
been found In the track Of the tornado to
day, although many thousands have fol-
lowed II from one end 20 the other. About