The Penn's Grove record., 1897-04-02
CHANDLERSAVFULFATH
A Thriving Oklahoma Town Wiped
Out by a Tornado.
CYCLONE LEFT DEATH AND RUIN

More Than n Score Killed and Only a
Few Buildings standine--Houses wesa
Wrecked by the storm and Then Took
fire---Many ofthe injured Were Burned
to Death--other Towns. Also Suffer,
GUTHRIE, Oklahoma Especially. What was
c the beautiful, thriving little city OF
Chandler, situated on a finely timberei hit
near the centre Of Lincoln County, Is now o
shapeless mass OF ruins, a barren, devastated
waste, peopled by a homeless, stricken, suf-
ferlng, hopeless people.
The few homes that are left have been
turned into hospitals. The remnant of the
leading hotels a morgue. Court had just
convened and the city was filled with strang-
ers from all parts of the county and court at
taches and attorneys from Guthrie.
About the middle OF the afternoon a bright
sky quickly gave way to dark and lowering
clouds. A few people from the country
started for home, but the majority decided
to wait until the shower was over.
Later the sky lighted for q time, but at 8
O'Clock the wind suddenly changed to the
west and north, and then went back to the
south. and an ominous looking cloud piled
up In the southwest and moved slowly
toward the town.
There was a stiffness and oppressiveness
In the air which caused people to feel that
something was going to happen, and first
women and children and then strong men
began hunting the shelter Of caves and tor
nado cellars.
AT $50 p. m. the clouds formed into q
funnel-shaped mass and began bearing down
upon The city. Five minutes later the awful
roar wna heard and NJ X IN ntnlnaR fhA
storm leaped, upon the city, enveloped It In
blackness and all was chaos. Inside OF thre7
minutes the entire town was a mass OF ri ms
and ten minutes later the wind had passed
on.
The towns business portion lay north and
south along four squares OF Marvel avenue,
and In all its business area buttwo buildings
were left intact, Hoffman &.Charles's store
and Schlageps saloon, which, together with
a few scattering residences and the Presby-
terrain Church was what was left OF the pros
porous city. For a short time there was a
delugc OF rain and a beating Of hail, while
above the noise arose screams Of terror and
groans o agony.
Down the centre OF the main street was d
struggling mass Of wounded human beings
and horses, piles of wreckage, buggies,
wagons and MERCHANDISE; with ghastly dead
faces here and there, a sight Dwfulto behold.
Soon the terror OF the fire fiend was added
10 the devastation OF the storm, as flames be-
gan to leap upon the wreck OF 1.-THE New York
store and Lincoln County Bank. Next to the
bank was d little restaurant, where Ave
people were eating supper.
The bank toppled over on II, pinningthe five
down and holding them prisoners to meet IN
agonizing death by fire. At several other
points the flames burst out, and 1t was a hard
fight with fire until after midnight, many OF
the injured being badly burned and several
meeting death In the flames, In addition to
the five who persisted In the restaurant.
A large majority OF the people are left
homeless and penniless, with scarcely clothes
to cover their backs, and many are already
suffering. The night turned very cold and
the women and children exposed to the ele-
ments suffered severely.
There are not collins enough to bury the
dead, and carpenters aN1naking boxes from
the wreckage Of the buildings. Never has n
town been more completely wiped out, and
the majority Of the business men are wholly
ruined.
A messenger from southwest of Chandler
says that many farm houses were demol-
ished there, a number OF people injured and
two killed. The little village OF Falkland is
reported completely destroyed with many
injured.
The list Of dead at Chandler is twenty
death; Edgar Demoss, burned to death; Miss
Emma Dressinger, burned to death; Mrs.
Thomas Smith. crushed; Mrs. Phillip john
son and child. Mrs. DR.. H. d. Lee, james N.
woodward and wife, of Eldofado, Kan;
James Kyle and two children, Mrs. Demont,
Miss Eta Rittenstein, George Bemar, A. W..
Keller and wife, Mr.. and Mrs. D. G. john
son and two children, Andrew Asher and
wife. The injured number 100 or more.