The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-04
CYCLONE At IONKANA
Cuts a Swath Through That
NewIy-BuiIt Town.
GREAT PROPERTY DAMAGE
No Loss of Life But Some
Miraculous Escapes.


death in its wake was coming with the
| hurricane, but the trailing tentacle of The
| funnel shaped cloud was concealed by the
dense food of down-pouring rain. The
| hurricane Itself was monster force. but
| the cloud demon within it is what did the
! damage In Towanka- It cut a path
! through the newly built town and de-
molished everything wooden where II
! struck
1t swept across Salt Fork near Thomas
Fountainst residence and sounded TO the
family like the boom of a cannon when
it struck the river bank. This seemed to
break its force as it went over the Foun-
tain residence, but the woodwork shop of
Fountain & Son, farther up In the town
did not escape so easily and was left a
complete wreck. Next It tore through
the capm of the Bonheur Bros. at Joseph
Hamirs barn. It picked up wagon con-
tanning a rope OF performing dogs. car
ried it several rods from where it stood
and dashed it too pieces on the ground.
The dogs were not badly hurt and easily
made their escape. The pelting rain
frightened them so that several of the
dogs Gre pt back into the ruined top and
huddled down in the hay. "McGinty," a
clown dog, and 'Corbett." a pugilistic
English bull terrier. ran away and were
not again seen until after the storm.
Wagons were hurled to pieces, one being
carried four or five rods before it feel,
top down, an utter ruin. Next thing IN
the cyclones track was large new black
smith and machine shop, recently put in
successful operation by Messre. Bunch e.
Wardlow. 1t was large double building
built very strong and strung up with
bridge-like stringers. 1t was completely
fitted with tools and machinery and
number of new carriages stood on the
floor. The roof and walls rose bodily,
leaving the floor intact, the broken sec
tons of the building whirling over and
sailing as it were like huge collidng kites.
A. G. Bonheur's bill wagon was close to
the walls of HamiPs livery barn, several
blocks from the camp Of the show. He
stepped out of the wagon to seek safety
just as the machine shop was struck
He saw the W alls of the building wrench
away and plunge toward him. There was
no time to lose and without Selling is
outer garments he bounded away toward
Joseph Mamil's dugout and got there a
few steps in advance Of a section of roof
that almost grazed his heels. Joe Hamil,
jr., was vainly attempting to cover the
entrance of the dugout it'll a storm door
as Bonheur came out of his wagon. The
door was whirled from his powerful grasp
like top and went sailing to parts un-
known, as Bonheur plunged through the |
entrance. followed by HamiI. The walls |
of the shop fell on the spot which the |
two men had vacated. The Keetch fam
fly Of acrobats had only the day before |
moved their wagon from the spot where |
the walls few across and would undoubt- !
edly have been killed had 1t stood there.
The track of the cyclone lead between
the big barn and a row of stores on
street in a northeasterly direction In
Its diagonal course it took in some build
ngs on Main street. SCOTS new hotel
Just under completion, was turned ten
feet out of its foundation line and badly
internally, the partitions being
broken and a large supply of new dishes
smashed into fragments. Dckson's sup
ply store was ruined and the residence
If Chaunce Curley partly destroyed The
'front.' of ]. A. Halls livery barn and one
md Of Ed Clark's stable were blown out.
horse of John Martindale was killed,
md large chicken house belonging to
Al Wize was torn to pieces and thirty
chickens vanished and not a feather of
he fowls has yet been discovered.
1t then crossed Main street Galley &
'reeman's blacksmith shop was next
azen to the earth. Much other damage
vas done. Luckily It was Sunday and
ew people were at the shops or stores
nd no one was hurt so far as reported.
Several amusing incidents happened
hat cannot all be related but here is
ne that would be suitable for Puck or
udge, to truthfully present the quality
( humor that distinguishes our genuine
'estern characters under very trying cir
INSTANCES. George Stanley was stand
lg In Joe Hedrick's barber shop door
'hen the cyclone struck that part of |
own Hedrick das shaving J. ". Riley
hen Stanley called out Look out for
ourselves, boys, the shop is moving" !
he building did move violently and the
lree men ran into the strre. only TO be
fled bodily and rushed fifteen feet across
lain street. They were Jared consider
bly, by the sudden fetch-up. but unin- ]
ired. and Riley dipped his head 10 the I
ind and said: Thanks" They returned I
the shop 10 find it several feet out
its proper line Close shave" said
LEY as he resumed his seat in the chair. {
\ new carriage of George Haddick, the
ardware man. was in Bunch & Ward e
w's shop when the shop was destroyed
nd it was found not TO have received J
ven Z scratch.
The citizens OF Towanka take the ca 9
NIFTY with oalmness and even joke each
her over the incidents Of their rnisfar-
mes They are already planning 20 begin
e work Of rebuilding the ruined portion
the town, with The characteristic pluck
I'd perseverance that is lsseparable in
lie nature Of Oklahoma settlers.
Causualties have not been reported from
lie farming country around Tonwanka.
hieh is very thickly settled region.