The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-26
A STORM IN JOPLIN, MO. Four Persons Killed and | Many Injured. SIX OF THEM WILL DIE The Property Loss Will
 Amount to $500, GOO. Other Sections are Visited by High
 winds-Boy in Omaha Receives Probably Fatal Injuries Ex-Mayor Hurt.

Joplin. Mo-, April 25.-Joplin was visited today by the most destructive storm in ita history, during which at least two persons were killed outright. six fatally injured, score or more seriously hurt and s3Uo,O worth of property destroyed.
 The dead-Esther Hunter. killed by falling timbers; Martha Cape. colorsd. died from flight.
 Fatally injured-William Jones. Bidwell Hunter. Mrs. Anna Hunter. Mrs. Marion Hicks, a boy named kruger. at Villa iielghts, three miles west of Joplin; F. B. Rely, at Googoo Mines, three miles west. The fury of the storm broke loose at 4:35 this afternoon. There was no pre- monitlon ot it's terrible violence. There vas no funnel-shaped coud. The wind was d straight gale. but it was of terri ble velocity, whipping down scores or houses in the southern part of the city and reducing to kindling wood one hun dred thousand dollars worth of the finest mining plants in this district.
 Havoc in the City.
 The worst havoc in Joplin city was in a territory four blocks wide, commencing at the west limits of the city at Seven- teenth Street and ending at Seventh Street on the east. Within this narrow belt the destruction done was visible on every hand. Most of the houses are not completely razed. but there IS scarcely building which is not damaged. No one was killed here, but some persons had miraculous escapes.
 The home of Mrs. Nellie Sullivan was destroyed and all of the family were in- jured by falling timbers. Mrs. Sullivan was badly hurt about the head and face. and her 2-year-old baby was blown fifty yards into a pond and saved from drown ing by the heroic efforts of her 7-year-old brother, who had also received injuries from the storm. Ono room of the resi- dencr of S. D. Brown on Ivy Street WAS blown away and his young son was car ried three blocks, receiving only slight injuries.
 The Worst Destruction.
 Passing east from the main portion Of the city, the storm spent its fury on the suburban districts known as Moonshine Hill and Villa Heights. Two persons were killed at Moonshine Hill. News oi the terrible destruction there did not reach the city until late tonight and in- vestigation will not be possible until morning.
 The hill is now a mass of tangled debris and not a single house is left standing. Il is populated mainly by miners who live in little shacRs. Of the little home of Bidweli Hunter not timber Is left stand ing, and the three inmates of the house are dying. all having had their skulls fractured.
 It is feared that the mining camps fur ther west which seemed to have been ir the path of the storm have suffered great damage, but no reports have been re- ceived from there.
 Many of the finest buildings in the city were wrecked. The tall spire of the Baptist Church. one of the most impos' ing ediflces here. toppled over and crash ed through the roof. destroying the handsome interior of the building. The Stevens Hotel was unroofed and its oc- cupants were driven elsewhere for refuge from the deluge of water which flooded them The Frisco round house was des' troyed and no less than twenty mills ara badly damaged. The telegraph, tele' phone and street car service is paralized The electric light and gas plants are crippled leaving the city in darkness.