The San Francisco call., 1905-05-12
SENSATIONAL INCIDENTS.

SENSATIONAL INCIDENTS.
Some Narrow Escapes Among Many
Terrible Tragedies.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla, May IL
! A special to the Oklahoman from Ho-
bart says: Owing to the general con-
fusion and excitement after the tor
nado had passed at Snyder fire broke
out and burned up all that remained
of the buildings upon one of the busi-
ness blocks. So far 1t has not been
possible to find out whether or not
any bodies were cremated. but it is
highly possible that such is the case
An unidentified woman was picked
up dead, having been pinioned to the
ground by a scantling, which entered
her left eye and came out through the
back of her head.
Clarence Donovan and Miss Nina
Fessenden were to have been married
last night, but had just postponed the
nuptials until this morning. Both were
instantly killed.
Frederick Crum, boy Of II, had
started to cellar, when flying tim
her struck him and severed his head
entirely from his body.
Debris was carried to the northeast
as far as Copperton, twelve miles
away, and it is reported that there
are more of the fragments of homes
at that town and that vicinity than
are in the tornado path at Snyder
CARRIED IN TELEPHONE BOOTH.
About seventy-five head of horses
and cattle were killed on the town
site. A committee was set to work to-
day to remove the carcasses.
The Mayor of Snyder is having much
trouble arranging for the burial of the
dead. The confusion is great, owing
10 the fact that there still remain a
great number of unidentified bodies at
the morgue. There, Is great suffering,
owing to the lack Of provisions and
lack Of shelter. What houses remain
In the town are In bad condition and
are unsafe for habitation Moreover.
there is not enough to care for the
homeless. Bedding and wearing ap-
parel are both lacking, and despite the
efforts to succor the unfortunates they
are still in a bad condition. Many of
the wounded could not be cared for
until 0 o'clock this morning, and by
that time their wounds were in a bad
condition.
DR.. York Of this city, who was active
in relieving the suffering, says that 20
per cent Of the wounded will die. The
total number Of wounded is now esti-
mated at 100. Several persons are yet
missing and it is certain that before
another day dozen more will be added
to the death list.
A car Of provisions, supplies. bedding
etc., was shipped from here this even
ing and large crowd went down on
the evening train to assist the dis
tressed.
Details Of the sensational escape of
one of the girl operators at the Snyder
telephone exchange are received. The
manager of the exchange was fatally
injured, and one of two female oper-
ators was killed. The other took refuge
In telephone booth, which was blown
into field without seriously injuring
it's occupant.
CAUGHT ON WAY TO CELLARS
Two trains were started from Law
ton to-day In addition to the regular
train from that place to Snyder Two
hundred people have left Lawton for
Snyder to render any assistance pos
sible.
1t is said that not one building at
| Snyder is left uninjured. Every build
ing north Of the Frisco tracks Is de-
molished. including the cotton COM
press and the roundhouse.
The morgues are overcrowded and
sanitary conditions are fast becoming
unendurable.
When the storm was seen coming
people rushed from their homes for
storm cellars, but most of them were
caught before they reached places of
safety. Flying debris injured many.
Most of those killed were carried
down when their houses collapsed and
were pinioned in the timbers.
AS soon as daylight came and peo-
pie could comprehend the extent of
the damage done a mass meeting was
held and relief committee formed
At the little hamlet Of Eldorado the
Ralston family Is said to have been
completely wiped out.
Hundreds of inquiries have been
pouring in all day from relatives and
friends of Snyder people in all parts
of the country, severely taxing the ca
pacity of the Snyder telegraph office.
With the removal of the injured to
other points the strain upon the peo-
pie of Snyder will be greatly relieved.
The property loss is variously esti-
mated at from 100000 to 100000
Two hundred residences are demol-
| ished and about half the business
buildings are practically total loss.
The remainder are more or less dam
aged The Hilton, the largest hotel in
| town, remains intact and a portion OF
the building was used for an emer-
gency hospital. The injured will not
be taken farther than Hobart and
| Lawton tonight.