The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1897-04-03
EARLY STORY OF THE STORM,
Only a Deluge saved Total OAliter-
alton.

4
0nly Deluge Saved Total Ohliter-
alton.
Guthrie. Oklahoma March 81. - Chaos
reigns In ChanoIer. Last nights terrible
cyclone turnea rue peaceful iowa Of l5eo
| iEhs bitants into veritable morssue. Tue
principal BUSINESS buildings are wrecked
grim reminder OF the storms work. The
death list Is variously estimated at Is to
g. with the injured numbering from IS tn
twice that number. Already % dead
bodies have been recovered.
The night was one OF indescrioabie ter
rit. With the better part OF tbs inhabi
t,tnts dead or dying, and the remainder
too badly injured or unable from fright
or because Of darkness to render assist
snce. little better order than bedlaH. pre-
vailed. Rain poured down upon the dis
consulate Inhabitants and addei horror
to the situation. Many injured lay In the
wrecks OF their homes till daylight made
II possible for them to help themselves or
aid from the surrounding towns arrived.
Many wrecks took fire and burned them
selves out. and several were stu sEnolder-
IEg when NOR ting broke over the town
II Is believed many Of the missing ~cr<
burned to death
story of the storm.
The cyclone struck Chandler without
warning at s last evening. The work OF
carnage began before the Inhabitants re-
means Of escape was lesS stores were
hurled right and left. lifted nigh into the
air and tossed in every direction. The
courthouse. in which Chief Justice Dale
was holding court. was taken OF the
foundation and the building nearly crush
ed Passing on through the residence dis
trict the wind demon rushed into the open
country. where II finally spent itself, leav-
ing the trail of wreckage and ruin most
complete. Houses rested on their tops,
and the streets were piled high with de-
bris- Overturned stoves started fires and
unhampered. the IRE began its part in the
work of destruction A deluge came.
which probably was the saving of the
town, for in many spots II Quenched fircS
and Stemmed CONGREGATIONS that Chand-
ler's citizens could never have hoped TO
stay. The uniniured and able-bodied
found themselves, from fright and eonfu-
sion. well nigh helpless to render aid TO
their more unfortunate neighboFs. Finally
when the effort to send for outside aid
was made IL was found that all commu-
nication with the outside world had been
cut of.
Only Two Buildings Standing.
Chandler was built on a hill In thick
timber. situated 50 miles southeast Of
Guthrie. II was one of the most pros
porous boom towns, but without railroad
facilities. But two buildings in the bus
mess portion, it Is reported, are left
standing. They are the Mitchell hotel
and Grand Island grocery store.
Chief Justice Dale, of the Oklahoma su-
preme court. who was holding court when
the cyclone came up. narrowly escaped
He ran with his wife to hollow and the
two were protected by a large boulder
and were unhurt. Others In the court
house, which was crowded, did not fare
so well. one being killed and a dozen in
jured. The structure was twisted around
and hurled into the street, a complete
wreck.
Much Damage In Kansas.
Kansas City. March "A disastrous
windstorm. in some places of a cyclonic
nature, passed over central and southern
Kansas last night. The loss OF property
is heavy. As far as known no fatalities
occurred. The storm was most severe in
Harvey. Sedgwick. Mcpherson and Mar
ion counties. At Florence the entire end
of the Santa Fe roundhouse was blown
away and the building wrecked There
was heavy damage also in other parts
At Burton. Harvey county. cars standing
Many buildings in town were unroofed
and some completely wrecked. Mcpherson
City suffered severely. The telegraph ser
vice Is badly crippled
Chicago. March A--AccorCiing to Pro-
fessor Garriott, chief of the weather bu-
reau, southern Illinois and Missouri will
have thunderstorms Of a severe nature to-
mig ut. A tornado danger signal has been
ordered out in all towns west OF St Louis.
Perry. Oklahoma. March n.-ThIs coun-
ty was visited by fierce storm OF rain.
wind and hail last night Creeks are out
of their banks. and low farming lands un-
der water. Some houses were blown
down. 1t Is not known that any one was
injured.