The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-03
KANSAS NEWS.
Great Dust and Wind Storm
Swept Over the State.
Came in an Instant Accompanied
With Cold Wave.
WHEAT is DAMAGED.
In Some Portions Houses We're
UnrOofed or Blown Over.
Telegraph Wires Are Down and
n.,A - GonrsaO
WHEAT is DAMAGED.
Telegraph Wires Are Down and
Out of Service.


western Kansas was visited late We'd
nesday afternoon and night with
wind storm of greater extent and mag
uitude than it had seen in years. From
4 o'clock until 8 o'clock the Arkansas
valley was caught in a gale of wind
that blew buggies and lighter vehicles
from the streets of villages and towns,
overturned outbuildings, and unroofed
houses and barns in some localities 1t
blew away shocks of corn and hay
stacks. and lifted the loose soil from
the top Of the ground and transformed
1t into great clouds of dust and dirt
The wind preceded a drop in tempera-
ture of from 40 to 80 degrees.
For weeks the weather in this sec
ton had been like an Indian summer.
The ground was dry to a depth Of per
haps two inches. This offered fine food
for the wind and with the dirt of the
wheat fields came the young wheat
itself The storm will do iaca1culable
damage to wheat FROM TINS place
west to the Colorado line record break
ing warm weather temperatures had
marked the last week in February.
Never had the thermometer marked so
high at this season The first TWO Gays
of March were the same.
In this place a few buildings were
torn down and some trees broken off.
One or two houses were unroofed. but
so far as could be learned no one was
injured. NickerSOn and Sterling Suf-
fered in about the same degree. At
Great Bend a half dozen or more
houses were unroOfed and several We
hicles were blown from the streets.
Some of the occupants were injured,
but none were killed.
Greensburg reported hard straight
wind that damaged buildings.
Telegraph service is badly crippled
along the Atchison. Topeka & Santa
he TTr1inn Is working with
a few wires to the Colorado line. The
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific wires
are down west of Liberal indicating
that the storm is even more severe in
western Oklahoma and northern Texas
Cattle will rot suffer unless a biz
gard comes. in which case there will be
losses. as sheds and fences are down
all over the cattle country.
AT CLAY CENTER.
one of the most remarkable cold
waves and dust storms ever known in
this section struck this place about
o'clock Wednesday afternoon. The
early part of the day was very warm,
and men worked in their shirt sleeves
in the streets. Without any warning
the storm came on the city, and for
more than an hour continued so thick
that one could not see across the street.
The mercury fell more than forty de-
grees in three hours and is still falling.
The wind continues without abatement
and dense clouds of dust continue to
blow.
The east wall of the old Dispatch
hotel was blown down, breaking a tele-
phone pole and many wires, Gripping
the telephone company and blocking
the street. The building had previous
ly partly fallen down. Many windows
at the greenhouse were also blown in.
AT STRONG CITY.
At noon Wednesday the thermometer
was 80 degrees, with light south wind
blowing. At o'clock in the evening
r4.,7 70,,Irr 70 +l,<.
northwest and blew almost a gale. car
rying with it great clouds of dust.
There has been very little rain or snow
in this vicinity since the first of No
vember. 1t is feared the high wind
will greatly damage the wheat crop.
The temperature is rapidly falling.
AT ABILENE
After a day of summer weather a
terrific dust storm swept over this sec
ton from the north at 4 o'clock last
evening. The wind is severe on wheat
which is very small and easily drifted
under.
AT FORT RILEY.
A furious wind storm struck this
point a little after 4 o'clock Wednes-
day afternoon. It came from the north
and within a half hour the thermome-
ter dropped from 81 to Sc. The coming
of the storm was heralded by immense
clouds of dust which obscured the sun.
When the storm was at it's height,
buildings so feet away could not be dis
tinguished. Windows were blown in
and limbs Of trees broken off.
AT MANHATTAN.
A terrific sand storm swept through
this section last night. The wind blew
gale The thermometer dropped As
degrees in a few minutes
AT CONCORDIA.
A cold wave and dust storm swept
over Cloud county last evening. The
thermometer fell rapidly and the air
was filled with dust. Wheat is needing
moisture badly and the wind will dam
age it considerably.
AT PRATT
One of the worst sand and wind
storms in 20 years prevailed last night.
Considerable damage to crops will re-
suit
The most severe wind and dust storm
in several years reached here at 4
o'clock Wednesday afternoon from the
north. The dust storm had the appear
ance of heavy smoke and was plainly
visible long before it reached here.
The thermometer fell 80 degrees the
first hour of the storm and so degrees
in three hours. The storm is general
in this part Of the state.
AT REPUBLIC CITY.
A dust storm struck this place at 2:2C
o'clock Wednesday and continued
throughout the afternoon. A high wind
from the north accompanied the storm
and as the surface of the ground is dry
it is very damaging to the wheat crop
No moisture has fallen since Novem-
Der.
AT ELLSWORTH.
After an ideal spring day great dust
storm struck here at AIS o'clock Wed
nesday afternoon. The thermometer
dropped 40 degrees in so minutes.
AT JUNCTION CITY.
The temperature here fell about *
degrees last evening and is now below
the freezing point. The cold wave was
accompanied by a sand and dust storm
which was one of the worst experience.
ed in this part of the state Great
damage from the wind has resulted ir
the dry wheat fields.
AT WICHITA
Since 6:15 o'clock last evening g
strong north wind has been blowing
with If