Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-05-28
CYCLONE WITH A TRACK OF DE-
VISITATION.
Va Over is Miles 1t Wiped Ont
Happy Homes and Caused Terrible sr,,.s
Wreck $4,000 Damage with
Small Insurance Story of the
Losses Incurred.

Over course Of twenty miles with
! path Of from one-iourth to one
third mile wide Cyclone swept late
Friday afternoon through Ems !
county. 1t followed sultry day ana
Al $50 formed in northern Same
n the solomon valley moving north
east until II left this county In .ne
vicinity Of Industry. going into Gay J.
county. Through its entire course y
was visible for fifteen miles and Peo-
ple watched it from trains and eleva. :.
lions. It was perfectly formed ana
looked the pictures inevery Parficuiar'
a REFLECTOR representative drove
over most Of it's path Saturday morn
inc. Ii was singularly regular IN ~ !
course and though jumping here and
/. there, Tor considerable distances, maze
! clean swept Of the buildings in is
wav. It whirled in direction oppo'
site to that taken by the hands Of
watch and huge COTTONWOOD sreAa
were thrown north or south as they
happened to be on one edge or an
other Of the fateful cloud,
Cattle were killed in the neids.
Great trees is inches in diameter were
pulled from the ground, hedges were
torn up, and at the same time light
articles were left untouched. Hail
fell in the northern portion o. the
storm and rain and straight vino
followed the twister. Harry Harvey
had load OF hay out in this storm
near the north line Of the county.
He drove A miles and then measured
hail stones on the hay that we're ~
inches in circunierelce.
It's probable that the damage done
in the fifteen or twenty miles Of the
course will approximate SSo,ooo'
The insurance carried by the losers is
light, probably not more than $4,000
altogether. The story Of the cyclone
path is one not to be realized except
BY personal visit; it fuldlls every
story Of complete ruin.
THE STORM IN wILLowDALE.
When the cyclone entered Dickin-
son from Saline county it first struck
Willowdale township 5 miles straight
north Of Solomon. 1t was noticed
about $50 p. m. in the southwest.
II travelled northeast and crossed into
Dickinson on W. G. Lewis farm,
tearing down his cattle sheds but
missed theNhouse and barn on the op-
posite side Of the road. From here
It went across wheat field for 80
rods, then struck Henry Taylor's
barn, tearing it down, also broke
down the trees and blew the chimney
off the honse. 1t kept going to the
northeasterly direction, tearing up
fences and hedges as it went for near
iy a mile from Henry Taylor's- Then
il struck David Dobson's place on the
northeast quarter Of see. - Mr..
Dobson is now resident Of Abilene.
Not a building remains standing
All were completely ruined and blown
in every direction, including the
large handsome house built two years
ago. A. Lee who lives on the farm
had all his machinery torn TO pieces.
He also lost 600 young chickens and
many pigs we're killed. Itnext struck
Harmon Kehlsr's buildings across the
roai and few rods porth from Mr..
Dobson's place. All was smashed.
blown apart and ruined. Everything
with which il came in contact was
destroyed Not . building was left
except q corn crib full Of corn which
was not damaged.
SAVED Br rHK CAVES.
The families Of Mr.. Lee and Mr..
Kshlsr we're in the eyslone caves and
were not injured. All the wiudmilla
which Il hli we're broken down. Il
passed on through pastures and fields
and Il just missed james Dunnett's
bulldogs, more than q mile beyond
Mr. Kshlsrs farm. II passed > few
niles vithobt serious damage It
rssohsd ths A. L. ssylor farm and
passed bssuesn hoess nnd bsrn, in
iarlnx neither bui ripping up q Wind