The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-05-16

most Cut On from the OutSIuc
World and Information is Difficult
to Obtain-Fire Broke Ont in the
Stricken Town and Added to the
Distress
Guthrie, Okla, May 1.-THE death
list of last nights tornado at Snyder
will probably exceed 100 persons.
! Eighty-fve bodies have been recoveT-
ed, a dozen persons are missing and
F., given up for dead, and Of the forty-one
seriously wounded several are likely
! to die. More than one hundred other
persons suffered less severe injuries.
Relief is going from n~eighboring
towns. Oklahoma City today sent 100
men TO dig grave and seek the dead
still in the ruins. and a dozen under
takers with one hundred collins. Offers
of financial assistance have come
from numerous cities.
Governor Ferguson, Of Oklahoma
has issued a proclamation, calling at
tention to the needs Of the stricken
town.
1t is still difficult to obtain infornia-
ton from Snyder. A single telegraph
wire furnishes an outlet, but it is
blocked with private messages concern
ing the dead and the injured.
To add tc the general conclusion and
distress after the tornado passed, fire
broke out and burned up all that e
NAMED of the buildings in n of The
business blocks. So far it a not De2n
possible to find out whether any bod
les we're cremated. but it is possible
that such is the case.
An unidentified woman was picked up
dead, having been pinioned to the
ground by a large s73Yer which enter
ed her left eye and came OFT through
the back of her head. Clarence Dono-
ven, a railroad engineer and Miss Fes-
sender were to have been married last
night, but had just postponed the nup'
tials until this morning. Both wer;
instantly killed by the storm.
Fred Crump, a boy, had started TO ;
r cellar when a flying timber decapltat
ed him. Debris was carried nOtheas
as far as COoperton, twelve miles, anc
it is reported that there are NOR:
fragments at that town than in tn
tornado path at Snyder.
About seventy-five head of horses ant
cattle were killed at Snyder. A com
$ mittee this began to remov
Is c-arcasses.
le The mayor of Snyder is having mucl
trouble preparing for the burial O. thu
: dead. The confusion is great, owjni
l0 to the fact that there are a number .
unidentified bodies at the morgues.
There is much suffering owing t
q lack of provisions and places to stay
Whit houses remain in the town az
in bad condition and are unsafe TO
habitation. There is not enoug
to care for the homeless. Bedding ar
: wearing apparel are both lacking IN
=. despite the effort to succor the unio
Inmates they are still in a pitiable con
dition. Many of the wounded coul
not be cared for or given medical al
until min o'clock this morning an
by that time their wounds were aggra
waited. DIR. York, of Hobart, who wa
- active in relieving the suffering, say
- that twenty per cent. Of the wounde
:. will die.
The havoc wrought by the tornad
nv is astonishing. Out of a town tina
= housed 1000 persons not more thai
G a score of houses are intact. Will
ne two-thirds of the buildings are wreck
a ed. The storm formed south of Olus
ey tee. near the Texas line. and took
d. northeasterly course through a we
IL settled region. At s o'clock it wa
Ia observed by the people Of Snyder. Du
:. the usual funnel shaped formatiol
was lacking. and though the roar wa
plainly heard for some time befor
the storm broke. many were of tn
he opinion that it was a hail storm
he Within a few minutes. the sky sud
denly became dark and q terr1ri
~ of rain began. lasting 10
seven Then the rain stop
ned almost as suddenly as it started
For a few moments. an ominous cali
a followed and then the ornado struck
ed tearing buildings to pieces as thong
they were made of paper.
- Many people who had thought t
take advantage of the calm to see
Nc refuge in cellars were aught in tn
MS streets and between buildings wher
ny so,ne were lifted high in the air an
esuI dashed to the ground as though hurl
rv ed from a cataDult while others wer
h. struck nv fving debris and iniure
almost beyond recognition. -Thos
o who remained in their houses in tn
,rd path of the tornado Jared no bette'
lptt 1t swept across all excepting q re-
ess blocks in the southeastern corner {
ID the town. Frame structures collapse
,ev like egg shells. burying occupanl
- under the debris killing. crushing an
- manning.
Six hotels and boarding houses WEI
torn TO pieces. burning many DersoT
ee in the wreckage. North of h raj
road where many cottages too nor
is left and even the wreckage in gre:
-, part was carried Gwav.
III IN a few moments the tornado vi
over and air was filed with scream