The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-05-19
AWFUL WORK OF The WIND
TORNADO ALMOST WIPES OUT
TOWN OF SNYDER, OKLA.
Death List, It Is Said, Will Exceed
1OO-Bodies of S5 Victims Found
Enormous Damage.

Snyder, Okla, May 13.-All esti-
mates of the number killed by
Wednesday nights tornado in and
south of Snyder make the total at
least 125. The tornado travelled a
distance of So miles, cutting path
from a quarter mile to a half mile
wide. The farm houses in the path
were demolished and the occupants
killed or injured. All the men avail
able are needed here to clear away the
debris, bury the dead and care for the
sick, and the fate of the farmers
struck by the storm has not been fully
Investigated. Estimates of the num-
Der killed outside of Snyder range
from 25 to 40.
The havoc wrought by the tornado
is complete. Out of town OF 1000
people, not more than a score OF
houses are intact, while two-thirds OF
the buildings are totally wrecked. The
storm formed south of Olustee, near
the Texas line, and took a northeast
erly course through a we'll settled Sec
ton. At eight o'clock it was observed
by the people of Snyder, but the usual
funnel-shaped formation was lacking,
and though the roar was plainly heard
for some time before the storm broke,
many were OF the opinion that it was
a hail-storm. Within a few minutes
the sky became suddenly dark, and a
terrific downpour of rain began, last
ing for several minutes, when it stop
ped almost as suddenly as it had COM
menced A few moments after an ON
nous calm followed, and then the tor
nado struck, tearing buildings to
pieces as though they were made of
paper.
Many people who had thought to take
advantage of the calm to seek refuge
in cellars were caught in the streets
and between buildings, where some
were lifted high in the air and dashed
to the ground as though hurled from
a catapault, while others were struck
by flying debris and beaten almost be-
yond recognition. Those who remained
in their houses Jared no better in the
path of the tornado, which swept across
all excepting few blocks in the south
eastern corner of the town. The frame
structures collapsed like eggshells,
burying occupants under the debris,
killing. crushing and manning.
In a few moments it was all over and
the air was filled with shrieks of injured,
mingled with cries of those who had es-
capped and were seeking lost ones. With
in a short time messengers were dis
patched to Mountain Park, two and on
half miles away, where the news was
sent by telephone to Hobart. Physi-
clans and nurses were called for and re-
lief trains were made up at Mangum,
Hobart, Chickasha and Lawton and hur-
ried to the scene by the Frisco. Mean
while the able-bodied survivors in
Snyder were working heroically all
through the night amidst the most
heartrending scenes.
To add to the general confusion and
distress, after the tornado had passed
fire broke out and burned up all that
remained of the buildings on one of
IuS DuSiuSoS UIOSho. ~ IL udS
not been possible to find out whether
or not any bodies were cremated, but
it is highly possible that such is the
case.
Relief is being sent from neighbor-
ing towns. From Oklahoma City went
100 men to dig graves and seek the
dead still in the ruins, and also a
dozen undertakers with 100 collins.
Offers of financial assistance have
come from numerous cities. Governor
Ferguson, of Oklahoma, has issued a
proclamation calling attention to the
needs of the stricken town.
The property loss is variously esti-
mated at from 100000 to 100000. Two
hundred residences are demolished, and
about half the business buildings are
practically total loss. The remain
der are more or less damaged. The Hill
ton, the largest hotel in town, remains
intact, and portion of the building
was used for an emergency hospital.