The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-29
TO RNADO SWEPT.
Texas Visited BY Terrific
Rain and Wind Storm.
Houses Blown Away and Trees
UprOOted.
so MILES AN HOUR.
Ruin and Waste Are Scattered
Everywhere.
Loss to Property Will Be I'M
menSe.
Some Fatalities Are Already
Reported.
20 MILES AN HOUR.

Austin, Tex, March 2e.-Yesterday
afternoon at 2 o'clock this city and the
surrounding country was visited by a
terrific tornado that did great damage
to property, and caused some loss of
llte. The wind came from the south
west and blew at about 90 miles an
hour for nearly 20 minutes, tearing
down trees or splitting them asunder
with terrific force Several large cleo
trlc light towers were blown down.
causing a loss of s., 900 or So, 600 The
iron frames were twisted as though
they We're of the very smallest wire
and will be useless. In addition to this
quite number of houses in the resi-
dence portion of the city We're blown
down and in several cases narrow es-
capeS from death are reported.
The new and uuOccupied residence of
Mr.. Burt Mcdonald, one of the pron1i-
nent residents, was blown down, strfk-
ing against the residence of Mr. Will
liam Vining, knocking in one side of
the building. Two little children that
We're in the room playing narrowly es-
capped being killed. The wind played
havoc with several lumber yards in the
eastern portion of the city, blowing
piles of lumber in every direction and
scattering ruin and waste on every
side The roofs of a number of resi-
denceS were torn off and blown a gerat
distance, and in addition to doing much
damage to the state university, the
joining dormitory, letting the rain drive
full into the four-story building, doing
ineStimable damage to the building and
property of the 200 students therein,
many of whom fled for their lives when
the roof was carried away. The roof
was carried 100 yards, lighting on and
crushing the roof of a cottage in which
four people were seated, but none was
even injured, though all were entomb-
ed by falling debris. A church just to
the north of the university had the en-
tire east side blown in and was un-
rooted, the wind carrying the roof a
block away. The residence of DR..
Graves, Immediately north of the
church, was lifted from its foundation,
twisted completely around and set down
IN the same place, so badly damaged,
however, that none of the doors could
be opened to permit the escape of the
frightened inmates.
The small town of C1arksville, near
this city, was swept by the winds and
many horses were killed by flying debris
while a number of small houses were
blown down, though. fortunately, the
inmates We're not killed, but several
We're badly MANNED
With the terrific wind came a driving
rain that YVES little short of q flood and
swept everything before it Persons
arriving the evening trains tell re-
ports from the surrounding country to
the effect that the storm was general
in this section The small town of
Buda, near here, was badly handled by
being blown down, and one or two per-
sons killed, though their names are not
obtainable owing to the fact that most
of the telegraph wires are down and
news is very meager-
This is the worst storm that has ever
visited this section. and it has laid
waste everything in it's track, though,
fortunately, so far, the reports of death
are few The storm was over in an
hour and the sun came out as brightly
as if nothing had happened.
COrsicana, Tex, March 29.-NewS was
received here last night from Calvert,
Tex, that a terrific tornado visited that
place last evening and did great damage
by way of unroOfing buildings, blowing
houses off their foundations, etc The
information came to Mayor Whitesell,
who was requested to send timers and
Hnemen to repair the damage DONE
Later details of the storm show that
the loss to property will reach into the
thousands. Many fine dwellings were
demolished. At Calvert an old lady
and two children who were in their
house were fatally injured by the col
lapse of the building, which was par
TALLY destroyed by fire, notWithstand-
ing the torrents of rain which were fall
ing The loss to property in and
around Calvert is estimated at $780,,
OOO Many roofs and chimEeys were
blown down. People living here for
twenty-five years say they never wit
messed such a fearful storm before All
telephone as we'll as telegraph lines are
DrOStrated