Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1896-05-02
A KANSAS CYCLONE

Destroyes Several Lives and Much Farm
Property and Leaves Long List OF
Wounded-A Large Number OF Horses
and Cattle Killed--Incidonts Of the
Stormy Miraculous Escapes--bIore For-
tunate Ncighbors Rendering Assistance.
CLAY CENTER, Kas., April 27.-A
cyclone of tremendous force sped
through Clay county late Saturday
night. AS far as known tonight, five
people were killed, three fatally
wounded and II injured
A full list of the dead and injured is
unobtainable, as the doctors have not
returned from the scene of the dis
aster. II is known, however, that
every member of the families of John,
Morris, r. Wellfin, Peter Anderson and
Henry Gardner was hurt and three of
them have wounds said to be fatal.
A large number of horses and cattle
were killed and the damage to farm
property is immense.
The cyclone started about six miles
south of Clifton and went in north
easterly direction for 10 or is miles
and then lost its force by spreading
1t passed about half way between
Clifton and Morganville. Its track
varied from $50 yards to a quarter Of a
mile in width. 1t tore through q
farming community and left nothing
standing. Houses and barns were
wrecked, trees torn up or broken,
fences leveled and haystacks blown in
every direction.
The cyclone was followed by ter
rife rain storm which lasted several
hours, flooding the devastated dis
trict.
So far as learned the victims of the
cyclone had retired. The storm struck
Peter Anderson's home at $3.50 o'clock.
This was about mile from the start
ing point. The house was demolished
in an instant. Every member of the
Anderson family was injured, and
when they had extricated themselves
from the debris they discovered that
Apderson's grandchild was missing.
The dead body of the child was found
yesterday morning in a ravine half
mile away. 1t evidently had been car
ried there by the wind.
Anderson alarmed the neighbors
who lived out of the track of the
storm, and search was commenced for
victims, but little headway was made
in the rain. Couriers were sent to
Clifton and Morganville for doctors.
but it was daylight before they arrived
and the exent of the injury and dam
age was known.
At noon it was thought that all the
- I. - a.
ing tales of suffering are told by per-
sons who visited the scenes of the
storm. Many of the injured lay all
night pinned down by wreckage,
while others crawled or hobbled across
the country to neighbours house.
The wife and daughter of John Nor
ris was 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 then let them safely down
on pile. of straw just away from tho
storms track
The people for miles around yester-
day gathered at different points where
damage had been done and rendered
assistance in every way possible.
The track of the storm looked like
piece of ground that had been levcled
with roller.
Telegraphic communication with.
Clifton was cut off from the hour ct
the storm till late yesterday morning.
1t is believed that much damage was
done in the vicinity of Palmer, Wash
ington county, but the details can not
be learned.
1t is impossible at this time to esti-
mate the damage to buildings and
other property.