The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-27
A WHIRLING DEMON IN THE AIR
KANSAS COUNTIES DEVASTATED BY
A CYCLONE.

Five Persons Killed Outright, Three
Fatally Wounded and Seventeen
Injured i'm ClRy-A Large Number
of Horses and Cattle killed.
Houses and barns wrecked, Trees
UprOOted and Fences LeveIIed 10
the Ground.
Clay Center. Kan. April ga cyclone
of tremendous force sped through Clay
county late last night. dealing death and
destruction on every hand.
AS far as known tonight five people
were killed. three fatally wounded and
seventeen injured.
The dead are: Frank Peterson, Mrs.
Frank Peterson, a child OF the Petersons,
Mrs. Ole Naverson. and a grandchiid Of
Peter Anderson.
A full list of the injured is unobtainable
as the doctors have not returned from
the scene of the disaster. 1t is known,
however, that every member of the fami-
lies OF John Morris, F. Welkin. Peter An
derson and Henry Gardner, were hurt.
and three Of them have wounds said to
be fatal.
A large nmber of horses and cattle was
killed and the damage to farm property
is immense.
The cyclone started about six miles
south of Clifton and went in a northeas-
terly direction for twelve or fifteen miles,
and then lost its force by spreading 1t
passed about half way between Clifton
and Morganvllle. Its track varied from
$50 yards to a quarter of mile in width.
II tore through a farming community
and nothing Is left standing. Houses and
harms WrpeEpn trees HnTOOtpu.
fences leveled, and haystacks blown In
every direction.
The cyclone was followed by terrific
storms, which lasted several hours, flood
ing the devastated district.
There had been Indications Of a heavy
rain all day, with local showers, but no.
body expected a storm. AS far as learn
ed the victims OF the cyclone We're In
their houses, and the most OF them had
retired
The storm struck Peter Anderson's home
at $3.50 O'Clock. This was about a mile
from the starting point. The house was
demolished in an instant. Every member
When they had eXtricated themselves
from the debris they discovered that An
derson's grandchild was missing. The
dead body of the child was found this
morning In a ravine half mile away. IL
evidently had been carried there by the
wind.
Anderson hastened to the neighbors,
who lived In the track OF the storm,
and a search was commenced for victims I;
but little headway was made In the rain.
Couriers were sent to Clifton and Nor
ganville for doctors, but IL was daylight
before they arrived. Many of the injured
lay all night pinned down by wreckage
While others crawied or hObbled across
the country to netghboring houses.
In several instances persons were lifted
into the air by the cyclone and carried
for a distance and then suddenly dropped.
Buildings were also lifted up and hurled
TO the ground with terrific force.
The wife and daughter of John Morris
were reading when the shock came. The
house was divided. The ladies managed
to get out when the wind picked them up
and carried them 200 yards and dropped
them on pile of straw
The people for miles around to-day gath
cred at the different points where damage
had been done, and rendered assistance
in very way possible.
The track of the storm resembled a
piece of ground levelled with a roller
1t is believed much damage was done
in the vicinity of Palmer Washington
county, but the details cannot be learned
1t is impossible at this time to estimate
the damage to buildings and other prop
erty.