Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-04-28
STORM -SW EPT.
A Terrible Storm Visits Clay
County, Kansas.
A Number of Persons Killed. Three
Fatally Hurt and Others Injured.
Large Number of Horses and Cattle Killed
Immense Damage to Farm Property
Its Track Varied From $50 Yards
to a Quarter of Mile In Width.

CLAY CENTER, Kas, April ga cy-
clone of tremendous force sped through
Clay county late Saturday night. AS
far as known Sunday night five people
were killed, three fatally wounded and
II injured. The dead arc: Frank Pc
terson, Mrs. Frank Peterson, child of
the Petersons, Mrs Ole Naverson,
grandchild of Peter Anderson.
full list of the injured is unobtain-
BILE, as the doctors have not returned
from the scene of the disaster. 1t is
known, however, that every member
of the families of John Morris, f. We'll
kin, Peter Anderson and Henry Gard
ner 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 a north
easterly direction for twelve or fifteen
miles, and then lost its force by spread
ing. 1t passed about half way be-
tween Clifton and Morganville. Its
track varied from $50 to a quarter
of 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 fol-
lowed by a terrific rainstorm, which
lasted several hours, flooding the de-
vastated district.
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 mile from the starting
point. The house was demolished in
an instant. Every member of the An
derson family was injured and
when they had extricated them
selves from the debris they dis
covered that Anderson's grandchild
was missing. The dead body of the
child was found Sunday morning in a
ravine half mile away. 1t evidently
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 vic
Tins, but little headway was made
in the rain. Couriers were sent
to Clifton and Morganvillc for
DOCTORS but it was daylight before they
arrived and the extent of the injury
and damage was known. At noon
Sunday it was thought that all the VIC
tins had been found. Heartrending
tales of suffering are told by persons
who visited the scenes of the storm.
Many of the injured lay all night
,,ippn6 DOWN bv yvrnolr rn ,yb ilo ~ borr
crawled or hobbled across the country
to neighbours house.
The wife and daughter of John Nor
ris were reading when the shock came.
The house was divided. The ladies
managed to get out, when the wind
picked them up. carried them 200 yards
and then let them safely down on a
pile of straw just away from the
storms track
Telegraphic communication with
Clifton was cut off from the hour of
the storm till late Sunday morning.
1t is believed that much damage was
done in the vicinity of Palmer, Wash
ington county, but the details can not
be learned.
CLAY CENTER, Kas, April 27.-The
number of killed in Saturday nights
cyclone was eight. There are rumors
of other deaths south and west of Cliff
ton, and it is feared that when com.
munication with the stricken town is
established that the loss of life will be
shown to have been great. The pecun-
iary loss west of Clifton at one point>is
estimated at SEQ, 900.