The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-18
HIT BY TORNADO.
Sorrento, Ill, Is Wiped Out by a
TWister.
Four Persons Killed and Thirty
five Injured.
40 HOUSES SMASHED.
Everything in Track Of Storm
Swept Away.
Blow Was Followed by a Torrent
of Water.
STORM WIDE SPREAD.
WashOut Near Alton Caused
Wreck Of a Train.
LOwIands in Vicinity of St.
Louis We're Flooded.
Two Killed and Several Injured
by Storm in Territory.
LOwIands in Vicinity of st.
Louis We're Flooded.
Two Killed and Several Injured
by Storm in Territory.

st. Louis, No, Oct. 1S.-A tornado
struck the village of Sorrento. H., 33
miles northeast of st. Louis last night,
killing four persons. injuring 25 9TH
ers, of whom three probably will die,
and doing a great amount of damage
to property.
Forty houses were blown to atoms
or removed far from their foundations.
Everything in the track of the tornado
was swept away.
The Dead.
MRS. THOMAS FILE, 3S years old.
MRS. WILLIAM STEWART, so
years.
WILLIAM MANN, so years.
HARRISON MANN, 18 years.
Partial List Injured.
Mrs. william Mann
Frank Shields and two daughters.
Mrs. I. J. May.
Charles Miller and wife.
Henry Hays and wife.
Henry Barlow and wife.
William Birkland and wife; she will
probably die.
Thomas File, fatally.
Mrs. Phoebe Moore.
Mr.. and Mrs. George Root.
Mrs. John Griffith.
The four killed were in their homes
in different parts of Sorrento. All were
badly crushed.
Swept Main Residence Portion.
The storm approached from the
southwest and swept through the
main residence portion OF the town.
The work of the wind was quickly
done and then followed a heavy
downpour of rain. Those who escaped
injury were for the time panic
stricken, but finally rallied and set
to work to rescue the injured. The
people by lantern light in the pour
ing rain searched through debris and
dragged out the injured. Some resi-
dences were swept away completely
Those left standing were converted
into temporary hospitals.
The storm that partly wrecked Soren-
to deluged Alton, H., where there was
a cloud burst. St Louis also suffered
from a terrific thunder storm.
Near Alton no loss of life occurred,
but the streets were turned into tenn
porary rivers. Fourteen miles distant.
the village of Grafton was deluged and
the main street was three feet under
water Ten miles. north of Alton a Chi
cago, Peoria & 81 Louis freight train
struck a washout in the storm and
plunged down an embankment into
Branch creek. containing six feet of
water The cars contained cattle and
horses, many of which were killed or
drowned. Several tramDs are believed
to have perished.
Train Plunged Into Creek.
Engineer Frank Drew. Fireman H.
Ballard and Brakeman Albert were in
the engine when it plunged into the
creek and all had to swim for their
lives. Patton was so badly scalded
that he would have drowned had not
his comrades rescued him.
At st. Louis the lowlands of the River
Des Peres were flooded and police were
busy this morning rescuing people from
LacIede Fire Brick company is flooded
and Vice President J. L. Green estimates
the damage at from $4,000 to $4,000.
At union station this morning three
trains were bulletined indefinite 4 late,
two annulled, two had not been heard
from and nearly all were several hours
late, the result o. washouts.
One-third of Forest park, outside the
worlds fair enclosure, was submerged
by water from three to fifteen feet deep.