The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-17
STORM At PUTNAM
Several thousand Dollars
Damage Done
BY WIND AND HAIL
No Insurance on Property
Freaks of the Wind.

The farm Of Ten Travis distant but a
mile or so from Putnam, was traversed
Sunday afternoon about o'clock Dy q
tornado The farm house, barns and
other outbuildings were torn 70 frag-
ments by the ''twister," but Mr. Travis
and his family escaped injury by seeking
shelter in a cyclone cave.
It was a mere chance that the family
escaped death. The weather had been
threatening all day and an OMNIBUS calm
preceded the storm. Mr.. Travis thought
but little of the condition of the weather,
as he supposed that it was nothing Out a
spring shower. Just about I o'clo,k he
heard a loud roaring sound and looked
out and saw the clouds boiling and
twisting about. He warned his family
and they rushed out Of doors. At that
time the tornado could be seen only a
short distance away The entire family,
Mr. Travis. his wife and two children.
ran u the cyclone cave for safety. Hard
~ had they gained entrance when the
''twister" struck the house and demolish-
ed it. The barn and other buildings were
next lereled and strawstacks anG the
Ike scattered 10 the four winds.
The debris lodged upon the cyclone cave
and the family We're penned within The
tornado did no damage elsewhere. seem
ing to have dropped down on Mr.. Travis
farm and then risen again. Neighb IFS
came to the aid Of the family and dug
away the debris from the door IF the
cave It was feared for a time that they
were injured and the story got out that
the entire family had been killed. A a
matter Of fact not one OF them suffered
INJURY Of any character. The damlzA
done by the tornado to Mr.. Travis's place
Tli amount 70 several thousands Of dol
Kars, with no insurance
AS usual. the tornado performed some
freakish antics. An iron bedstea1 in. the
mouse was blown several hundred feet
and twisted and rolled -p into a ball.
In the barn there were twelve setting
hens. These were blown away By the
storm and stripped Of their feathers. bur.
strange to say. the nests We're not !nju--
ed. Three Of the hens. led by some ma
ternal instinct, returned to their nests
When the neighbors arrived on the scene
70 assist the family. they were greeted /
by the strange sight of three hens. COM
pletely denuded of feathers, sitting on /
nests Of eggs.
The tornado was followed By fierce
wind and a pouring rain. A barn on the
property Of J A. Powell, two miles south
OF Newton was blown down and some Of
the outbuildinss damaged. John Hersh-
myers place, four miles south Of New
ton, was damaged somewhat. The porch
Of the house was demolished and some
OF the outbuildings We're blown away.
North Of Newton there was no damage
from wind, but considerable injury was
done TO the growing wheat by a heavy
hall Near Otto Tanseman's form. four
and half miles north the ground was
covered with hailstones larger than mar
oles. and in some instances as large as
Eggs. The growing wheat was badly cut
up and good portion of it undoubtedly
killed George Vinroe, in the same vicin-
Ity, reported that his wheat was serious
y damaged, 10 such an extent, in fact,
that he did not expect a QUarter-crop.