The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-25
B0MBARDED.
Topeka Riddled by HailstOnes
Large as Oranges.
Fifty Thousand Dollars Damage
Done the City.
MANY PEOPLE HURT.
aOre Than 100 Persons Bruised
and Bleeding.
One Skull Crushed and Other
Injuries Less Serious.
Tin Roofs Were PerfOrated
Like a Sieve.
BIGGEST HA1LSTONE
Measured Fully Fifteen Inches
i'm circumference.
Dozens of RunaWays and Sew
eraI Hurt in This Way.
One Skull Crushed and Other
Injuries Less Serious.
Tin Roofs Were Perforated
Like a Sieve
BIGGEST HAILSTONE
Measured Fully Fifteen Inches
i'm circumference
Dozens of RunaWays and Sew
eral Hurt in This Way.

A hail storm unprecedented in the
history of Kansas visited Topeka and
vicinity yesterday evening between 6.5O
and O'Clock.
solid balls of ice Weighing from a
few ounces to a pound and a half drop
ped through the air with terrible VeIoc-
ity. injuring those unfortunate enough
TO be exposed, destroying property, kill
ing young cattle and horses and de-
vastating crops
Never was there anything like 1t IN
this part of the country. The ice balls
as large as apples striking on the roofs
and window panes, made a noise like
and window panes. made anoise like
musketry and crashing of cannon, and
for a few minutes there was the great
est excitement and alarm. Those on
the streets when the storm broke made
for the nearest shelter. some to be
knocked down by the descending ice be-
fore they could reach it; people in
houses rushed to the cellars thinking
a tornado was at hand, women scream
ed. children cIung to their parents and
cried from fear, and the entire city
was in a state of CONSERVATION.
The hail storm continued for fifteen
minutes In that time every skylight
was demolished, greenhouses were
wrecked and window panes broken in
almost every residence and place OF
business, even several plate glass fronts
being destroyed
The only thing that prevented the
utter smashing of sash, plate glass and
shutters was the lack OF wind and the
short duration of the falling hail.
The storm broke suddenly. The re
port sent out by the weather depart
ment at Washington predicted thun-
derstOrms for Topeka and vicinity, but
nothing worse About o'clock the
sky became heavily overcast with light
clouds. Obscuring the sun, which had
been shining fiercely during the day
There was nothing unusual IN the
cloudiness and no one anticipated the
storm which was to come.
But about o'clock a sudden change
occurred in the atmospheric conditions.
In the northwest heavy black clouds
commenced to form, rapidly rising from
the horizon and extending in every di-
rectiOn until they hung in u dark,
threatening mass directly over the city
Below the mass of clouds extending
along the horizon the sky was of a pc
culiar greenish color; the general belief
was that cyclone was imminent.
People left their houses and places of
business to view the threatening clouds.
As the minutes Waned the sky dark
ened and continuous flashes of light
ning appeared in the west The clouds
ally drop over the city. They were of
lnlSy blackness. The still air was
broken by a light breeze and a man
looking at the flag on the state house
dome saw that it was from the north
west. Suddenly the flag whipped
around the pole, and then unfurled in
the opposite direction, with the wind
blowing against it from the southeast
At the same time the heavy mass of
clouds took on a rotary movement. and
many Of the people who were watching
the formation of the storm rushed to
their cellars expecting a tornado. Only
Tor space of two or three minutes
" as the wind from the southeast as the
flag on the state house dome again
whipped around the pole and then once
more blew out in the same direction as
at first, with the wind from the north
west Then the storm broke. There
was sound as of brickbats falling
r or moment the terrible uprOar of
the great balls of ice beating on the
roofs and sidewalks and pavements
confused the people. and it was hard
70 reaIize what was happening. In the
business portion of the city ice crash
ing through roofs and skyIights and
Le-ltIl5ls IN IN 1ns TN and slate roofs
sounded ike the progress of a mighty
battle
For Is minutes the terrific fall of hail
continued People seeking shelter we're
struck -5y the balls of ice and son7e
felled to the ground; others had their
heads cut open. some had the flesh ON
their arms split and fingers broken
and all who were struck by the immense
hailstOnes were painfully bruised.
Horses hitched in different parts of
the city tore loose from their hitchings
and dashed wildly down the streets.
Cattle standing in pastures rushed
madly about, believing, while a number
OF calves and younger cattle were
beaten to death by the chunks of ice
At one time six runaways We're visible
on Kansas avenue.
haS
yards and pavements were scattered
with haflstones almost as large as or
anges. In some places roofs were
broken through, every electric car out
in the storm was more or less damaged.
plate glass windows and window panes
were broken.
The fan of hail was still in progress
when drenching rain commenced It
was accompanied by a heavy wind.
blowing at the rate of SO miles an hour.
This continued until nearly 7:3O o'clock
After the rain accompanying the hail