The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-09
HAIL, Rain AND WIND
Damaging to Crops in Sedg-
wick and Sumner Counties,
WHEAT CUT TO PIECES
keChi and FURY Districts Suf-
fer Heavy Losses.

A devastating hail and wind storm Wis
fled a section. Of Sedgwick county at an
early hour yesterday morning and de-
stroyed all Of the crops in its path The
corn, which was between three and four
feet high was cut 20 pieces, and oats,
rye and wheat were treated in a like
manner. The storm was a sad blow to
the farmers affected, as there never were
Brighter prospects for fine all-around
crop. The news is equally sad to the res
idents OF Wichita, whose interests are
the farmers interests.
The storm came up from the northwest
and took q soUthwesterly course. In
this county the worst part Of the storm /
was in the neighbmhood OF FurIey and
Kechi, email stations on the Rock Island
road but reports from Sumner county
indicate that the wheat around Conway
Springs was cut TO pieces by the hail
stones and laid fat on the ground.
G. N. Jackson, a farmer living near
Furley, fifteen miles north said that it
was the worst storm that has visited
that section for years. Every bit Of his
crop was completely demolished. He had
seventy acres in corn. rye and cats and
1t was all laid fiat MY crop" said Mr..
jackson, won't be worth 10 cents TO
anybody. The corn was about four feet
high, and I don't believe that the hail
stones missed a single stalk. 1t was cut
in two just as even as If I would have
Mr.. Jackson also said that yesterday
morning after the storm hailstones were
so thick in quantity that he could have
scooped up a wagon load that had drift
ed behind his barn. Mr.. Jackson's oats
were ripe and almost ready for the reap
er. and the loss TO him is severe. The
hailstones bombarded his house and
broke out ten panes Of glass.
James Braggs, who lives a neighbor to
Mr.. Jackson, had ninety acres of corn,
oats. rye, etc, under cultivation. and It
was all ruined Other farmers in that
section who suffered like experiences are
S Clark. o. Jordon, William Baker. Dan
Burke, George Baker, the Haynes Bros.
and others. The last three named had a
large acreage OF wheat which they would
have harvested next week. All Of II was
completely demolished The loss to far
mers in the neirhborhood will aggregate
thousands Of dollars. 1t is too late in
the season TO replace the corn destroyed
and some of them are left entirely with
out any grain crop
AT Kechi. ten miles north Of the city
a harm belonging TO a farmer named
Swanson was blown over. lightning
struck his house and stunned all Of the
occupants, but none Of them was report
ed dangerously hurt. A horse belonging
to the same man which was in the barn
was killed by lightning, and it is reported
that another barn in that district was
struck by lightning and consumed by
fire.
The rain and hail storm was accompan-
led By a strong wind and took in a scope
OF country two miles wide and four miles
long. The rain extended further south
but did no damage to grain in any local
fly except around Kechi and F'urley.
Sumner county caught It worse than
Sedgwick. About > o'clock IN the morning
at Conway Springs a terrible hail storm
came from the northwest and destroyed
hundreds Of acres Of wheat. The grain
was ripening very rapidly and in a few
days would have been harvested. Some
Of the farmers in that section. profting
by former experience. had insured their
crops. and to these few the loss VIII not
De so great. The storm was aocompan-
Ted by a hard wind and in many places
trees VeYe destroyed. Stock in the pas
lures were very badly bruised by the hail
ard in some cases young stock was
killed outright.
The storm did the most damage about
eight miles northeast Of CONWAY Springs,
and many fields Of wheat and oats are a
total loss. Smith Bros. who fsrn or n
large scale had 400 acres OF wheat de-
stroyed This field is a total loss. a : the
wheat was beaten into the ground. Geo.
Groves. near the Smith Bros. lost 40
acres OF wheat and ninety acres Of oats.
c. r Fuller. in the same vicinity. had n
large field totally destroyed. It is rough
" estimated that AT least $50 acres Of
wheat around Conway Springs were in
iured. and most Of it IS = total loss.
Some Of the fields are covered by iusur-
ance. the amounts ranging from $500 70
81 go. but this Is rot general
The corn. while cut to the ground viii
probably come on al right. II vas rot
far enough advanced t. cut any g.eat
figure. although It will make & late in
maturing.
The storm did much damage n towns.
breaking cut many window lga.s, &C.
stroying trees and turning over cat
houses. Almost every ono was up crd
many took refuge in their cellars.