The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-01

CT THktt-, q. t.. M2rSN N1.--Nh91akef.
tlle Interior boom town. atty miles sou n
east from Guthrie. IS a mass of ruins.
Last evenings cyclone. dealing death and
destruction 20 everything Ia its path.
swept down upon the town and almost
completely swepi Il OF the face Of ths
earth. or her so inhabitants. tsenty-Ssx
we're killed outright or burned to death.
and fal,y i7o were ln1uresA OF these latter
Il Is thought fourteen viii die, and ywea-
ty-four others are in a dangerous coEldi-
ton. The remainder OF the population 10
homeless. The Presbyterian church.
N.tcheNs hotel and two other buildings
are ali that remain standing. These have
been turned into hospitals. The property
loss viii agsregate Ssa.0Oo
The storm came Up from tho southwest.
almost without a moments warning. and
sweeping across the town, first denaosish-
ei tue business district. then laid low the
residence portion and passing or. spent
Itself IN the open prairie.
The wrecks OF many of the store build
ings took IRE. AID ia sh0ri time an awful
holocaust was IN progress. Many 81 those
in j4red am buried IA the ruins were burn
ed 20 death before help could arrive. The
fire broke out flrst IN the ruins Of the New
York store and The lincoln County hank
ard spread 20 The adjoining buildings. MAX
ing it necessary 20 fight the flames as We'll
as rescue the injured.
The people were slow 20 recover from
the shock OF the calauity. and not until
soday did anything like system prevail in
the work of relief. At II o'clock tonight
particulars are meager. Save one Stow
working telephone wire out OF Chandler.
and but one telegraph wire from Guthrie.
the town Is still practically cut of from
the outside world.
Death From the Hack Funnel.
The storm broke upon the city suddenly.
The sky was clear an hour before. Shortly
before O'Clock mass Of dark clouds
gathered in the southeast and then whirled
north. They soon developed into funnel
shaped monster. which bore down upon the
outskirts OF the town. AS the mass touched
the ground the roar was deafening. The
funnel split as IL struck the southwest bor-
der OF Chandler, which In situated on hill
overlooking the Cow Creek valley, and
one half went through the town and the
other turned north. Before escape was
possible the cyclone had passed through
the town. Tearing through the business
district. stores were hurled right and left.
or lifted high into the air and tossed in
every direction.
Chief Justice Hale. OF the Oklahoma SUI
preme court. was holding court In the
courthouse, which was crowded. He ran
with ais wife TO n hollow. and the two were
protected by large boulder and were not
hurt Others In the courthouse did not
fare so we'll A moment later the structure
was twisted around and hurled into the
street. a complete wreck. One OF the oceu-
pants was killed outright and dozen
others injured
Further down Main street the Lincoln
County bank building was toppled over and
was soon enveIoped in flames. Here. be-
fore aid could reach them. five untortu-
mates were burned 10 death. plnioned down
by heavy tlmbers. Still further down the
street three children suffered similar
...At Tat. frra
wrecked wagons and buggies and debris of
all kinds from the buildings 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
made the streets unrecognizable, piling
them high with debris. A two-day-old
ba he was carried four blocks and not in
jured. while the mother was crushed in her
bed The trail the storm left was one OF
wreck and ruin'most complete.
Dased Survivors Helpless.
With the FIRST realization OF their pre-
tffcarnent over the un4njurcf and able-
bodied found themselves from fright ard
confusion vel nigh as helpless 10 render
cid as their more fortunate neishaors.
Finally when an effort TO send for outside
all was made. Il was found that ali COM
Yrr1uicatlom with the oaEside world had
been cut or the telephone Office being
among the buildings destroyed. IL was
several hours before communication with
Guthrie was secured. A brief idea Of tho
nature OF the devastation wrought, to-
sether with an appeal for aid. had been
sent 20 the neighboyinR city. when the
wire snapped and Chandler was again shut
or
In the meantime. however. a train bear
fnx physicians and others had ieff for ths
scene TIE wire came up later and fur
akA ssF - rsysrs
sponse ard additional rescuins parties
were sent ont as the extent OF the DANA 90
became known
The night in Charfler was one Of lnde-
ecroable terror. With many of It's in
Fabiiauts dead or dying. and the remain
der too badly injured or unable from
frfRsnt or because OF the darkness 20 rem
der assistance. no order prevailed Rain
poured down in torrent. The injured ia
many cases unavsliingly cried for help snd
lay IN the wrecks or thefr homes until
daylight made IL porsfble for them TO heip
themselves. or when aid from surround
ing toe ns arrived.
~3v rnifnlxht sorn~ show % systematic
rescue rad been perfected. and the dead
ard dying were being released from tho
rggins. iTnprovfsed hospitslw were erected
ard the uufortuuates cared f0r as b@s.
coui6 Al I o'ciock twenty dead bodies
Rad been taken from the ruins. while oez-
I
removed 80 riaces 90 safety.
BUT ono II Chan8leg'a physicians
csped injury. ard even after al from
Guthrie arrlve9. there was scarcity of
Surgeons Only tgo were ab'n 70 40 any
tafnsx As. night ans on~ Of these. Or
w-olcots with blood streaming from q
Elrhfiesa eye WORRIED until he tainted
Daylight brought hundreds ~ pe0pis
frcra surrounding towns. and men women
( ard children ssztssed IN caring for tbs in
jured. Liftf> prosre~es was made how
ever. and If was not Bnfii noon thar an or
ranizea EFFORT In alisvAatfng tne sufger1ng %
the injured vas effected The four re-
a1sIrlng bIlidloES we're turue3 into hos-
pitais. and 6fre1fef hy Mayo 81 -. Kin
ney. ;hc work proceeis1 as satisfactorily
As possible
Freak. of the DESTROYER.
Queer sigtsa gree, fhs eys on ali -ide.
Ten trees have Eolse roof on @aeh.
cIgthtng ard hoaGehoi4 yoo3s a-e scatter
- on the STREETS. dead horses cows ard
other animals are % - wen everywhere.
wniie Pile of ruins has a fns piano On
top 0f -
Many 90 the citizens wanAs- about fss
streets Aaxet a. tns calamity ana sim0ss
on tha verge q insanity af tbe i0SS 70
/ fsrig ard homes. Two y fhress aags
/ gore stark mad.
~ nlxhrfam tonight 20 90 people Es6
CoAslaued ou PAGE Taree.