The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-04-07
ALMOST BLOTTED OUT.
CHANDLER WITHOUT WARNING,
TORN BYACCYLONE.

Lost-Not Enough Conns for the Dead
Houses Hanging to Trees-A Terrible
Calamity.
GUTHRIE, Okla, March 3l.-Cnaud-
Ter, an interior boom town fifty miles
from Guthrie, IS mass OF ruins. At
s o'clock last evening a cyclone, deal
ing death and destruction to every
thing in its path, swept down upon
the town and almost completely wiped
it off the face OF the earth. 0; the
1,500 inhabitants, twenty-five were
killed outright and fully ITO were in
iured. OF the latter it is thought ten
will die and twenty.four others are
in a dangerous condition. Tne re
n1ainder Of the population is homeless.
The Presbyterian church, Mitcnell,s
Hotel and two other buildings are all
that remain standing. These have
been turned into hospitals. The prop
erty loss Will aggregate half a million
dollars. There are not hatf collins
enough here to bury the dead.
The storm came from the Southwest
almost without moments warning
and sweeping across the town, first
demolished the business district, then
laid low the residence portion, and,
passing on, spent itself into the open
prairie.
The wrecks of many of the build
ings took fire and 10 short time an
a wful holocaust followed. Mauy OF
the injured buried in the ruins were
burned to death before help arrived.
The people were slow to recover from
the shock OF the calamity and not un-
til noon today did anything like sgs-
ten prevail in the work OF relief.
At II o'clock tonight particulars are
still meagre. Save one slow working
telephone wire out OF Chandler, and
but one telegraph wire from Guthrie,
the town is practically cut Off from
the outside world. The storm broke
upon the city suddenly. The SKY was
clear an hour before. Shortly before
O'Clock a mass of dark clouds gath
cred in the southwest and whirled
north. It soon developed into a fun
nel-shaped monster and bore down
upon the outskirts of the town. AS
the mass touched the ground the roar
was deafening. The funnel split as 1t
hit the southwest border of Chandler,
which is situated on g hill overlook
ing the Cow Creek Valley, and then
turned north. Before escape was pos
siole the cyclone had passed through
the town, tearing through the business
districts. Stores were hurled right
and left or lifted high into the air and
dashed into every direction. Chief
Justice Dale of the Oklahoma Supreme
Court was holding court in the court
house, which was crowded. He ran
with his wife to hollow. The two
were protected By large boulder and
were unhurt.
Others in the court house did not
fare so well. a moment later the
structure was twisted around and
hurled into the street, complete
wreck. One Of the occupants was
killed outright and dozen others
were injured. Further down Main
street the Lincoln County Bank build
ing was toppled over and was envel-
oped in flames. Before aid could reach
them five unfortunates were burned
to death. Still further down the street
three children suffered like fate.
a mass of people, dead and Injured,
horses and wagons and buggies OF all
kinds, transformed Main street into
funeral pyre. Passing On into the
residence district, the cyclone toppled
over dwelling after dwelling, turned
houses on their tops and piled Streets
high with debris.
A two.days old baby was carried
four blocks and not injured, while the
mother was crushed in her bed. When
an effor. to send FOR aid was made it
was found that all communication
with Guthrie was secured.
A brief idea Of the nature Of the de-
vastation wrought, together with an
appeal for aid, had been sent 10 the
neighboring city, when the wires
snapped and Chandler was again shut
off. In the meantime, however, a
train bearing physicians and others
left for the scene. The wire was re-
stored and the appeals for aid met
prompt response and additional res
cuing parties were sent out as the ex.
tent of the damage became known.
The night in Chandler was one OF
in6escribable horror. With many OF
its inhabitants, dead or dying, and
the remainder too badly injured OR
unable from fright CIR because OF the
darkness to render assistance no order
prevailed. Rain poured down in tor
rents. The injured in many cases lay
in the wrecks Of their homes until
daylight made it possible for them to
help themselves, Or when aid from
surrounding towns arrived.
At l o'clock, twenty dead bodies had
been taken from the ruins, while doZ.
ems more or less seriously injured had
been removed to places Of safety. Bat
one of Chambers physicians escaped
uninj jGred and even after aid from
Guthrie arrive there was scarcity
of surgeons. Oaly two were able TO
do anything last night, and one OF
these, Dr.. Walco.t, With blood strea.
ming from sightless eye, worked
until he tainted.
Daylight brought hundreds Of peo-
pie from surrounding towns and men,
women and children assisted IN caring
for the injured. Little progress was
made, however, and ii was net until
noon that an organized e1for. for ale
waiting the sutferings OF the injured
was begun. The four remaining build
ings are turned into hospitals and d
rscted by Major Kinney, the work
proceeded as swiftly as possible.
Queer sights greeted the eye on all
sides. Ten trees have q house hang
ing on each; clothing and household
goods are scattered 10 the streets.
Horses, COWS and other animals are to
be seen everywhere while a pie OF
ruins has line piano perched on top
OF it. Many of the cItizens wander