The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-29
KIRKSvILLES SCENE OF RUIN.
CYCLONE LEFT DEATH AND FEAR
FUL DESTRUCTION.

Path of the Tornado Was 600 Feet
Wide for "a Distance of N Mile.
List of Dead Now Numbers Fifty.
Houses Upset and Levelled TO the
GrouRd-Property Damage Was
About S200,OOO-sOme Remarkable
Escapes From Death.
Kirksviile, Mo-, April 2s.--As a result of
the tornado that swept through the east
ern portion of this city yesterday evening.
demclishing half OF the residences and
other buildings, 200 families are homeless
and nifty dead bodies and seventy injured
persons have been recovered from the
ruins. More than a dozen of the injured
win die.
Although the rescuers have been search
ing the ruins ever since the storm spent
its fury, many are still missing. and it is
thought that a considerable number of un-
fortunates were consumed in the flames
that broke out soon after the storm had
ceased.
The work OF rescue continues but It
may be days before the total number of
victims is known.
The Victims of the Storm.
AS far as known, the names of the dead
are as follows: Mrs. Henry Billing
ton, Mrs. A. r. Bowman, Theo-
dore Brigham, ex-merchant; Miss
Lena Brown of Moberly; child of
Rev. Albert Burr: Seth Feather years
old. Mrs. w. w. Green, A. j. Glasse and
wife, DR.. w. b. Howells; j. B. Larkin, re-
tired merchant; three children of Henry
Low; Mrs. John Mahaffey, sr., Mrs. John
T. Mahaffey, child of j. T. Mahaffey, f.
M. McClay and wife, mother and niece of
j. T. Miller, Miss Ora MILAN, of Wood
land, Mo; Mrs. Blue Panschott and baby;
Mrs. II. K. Scherburne, Samuel Weaver,
ex-contractor; Miss Leona Whaley, DR..
Wheeler, Mrs. Joe Wood, Mrs. Col Little
Miss Mary Rorabaugh, Mrs Lou Mitchell
Harry Mitchell. J. X. Anderson, DR. Bill
lings Drew Bowman, James Cunningham
Mrs. Elliott, Miss Bessie Green, c. A.
Gibbs, Mrs. C. A. Gibbs, Mrs Heaman,
Miss McClay, Mrs Ann Miller. John C.
Weaver, John C. Weaver. Joseph Woods,
Mrs. Woods
evening, most of the residents were at sup
per. The tornado cut a clean path one
mile long and 600 feet wide through the
residence section, leaving death and de.
struction in its wake. Buildings were de-
molished or twisted apart and scattered to
the four winds.
A conservative estimate places the ag-
na
individual loss ranging from 500 to &c.,
900.
Some Remarkable Escapes.
The wind played many pranks and there
were some miraculous escapes ]. G. Coon
field and his family were eating supper
when the tornado struck their home. The
house was picked up and dumped against
a hill The building was not completely
wrecked, and the family escaped without
anything worse than a severe shaking up,
Houses on both sides OF the residence
of w. M. Hull were blown into splinters,
but the wind was content with twisting
his house off its foundation and leaving 1t
intact. The house was In the center Of the
district and 1t was used as a hospital af-
ter the storm.
p. j. Rleger, a prominent attorney, ran
into the path of the storm to save his
family, who were helpless with fear. Dash
ing into the house he carried his wife and
children into the cellar. AS he stumbled
into the place of safety the building was
levelled to the ground.
Among the first of the buildings wreck
ed was the elegant $4,000 residence
of Mrs. Mary Hensley, in the southeast
ern part of the city Not vestige of it
Is left.
Three Children Killed.
The residence Of Fl. Lowell, just outside
the town. was twisted into heap OF ruins
and three of his children buried in the
debris and killed Other large residences
were lifted from their foundations and lit
orally torn into kindling wood.
For time the people in that portion OF
the town not touched by the storm were
panic-stricken, but as soon as they recov-
cred their wits they Immediately went to
the aid of their unfortunate townsmen.
Calls for help were sent to surrounding
towns and were quickly responded to. The
wounded were carried 10 the homes of
hospitable neghbors and given immediate
attention.
Twenty-Five doctors from Moberly, Ma
con and other points along the line Of the
Wabash Railroad came to Kirksville last
night In response to urgent calls for medi-
cal assistance. The visiting doctors CO.
operated with the local physicians and
the work Of caring for the wounded was
expedited.
The Work of Relief.
AT the call of Mayor Norton, a mass
meeting was hefd this afternoon and an
executive committee was appointed TO raise
funds and take fun charge Of the work
of relief The property loss Is estimated at
fully $4,000, and 1t Is stated that 500
persons are utterly homeless.
The district visited by the storm has
been recently built up with borrowed mon
ey and as a result, scores are not only
homeless but burdened with debt, for only
very few Of the buildings were insured
against winds.
The body Of a man was found tonight
in well, from which the platform had
been blown away. The body has not been
identified
Mrs. Miller. reported missing has been
found seriously Injured
The relief committee receiver $500 to-
night by telegraph from various points.