, 1905-05-09
CYCLONE STRIKES KANSAS VII
LACE At MIDNIGHT AND
TWENTY-FIVE PERSONS
ARE KILLED.

poTent vi Every nu-ot
Fiercest in Strip Hardly More
Than Hundred Yards Wide-Many
People Asleep When Storm Began.
Salina. Kas., May "a cyclone
swept away a section of Marquette, a
town of 500 inhabitants in Mcpherson
county. 1t is reported from a reliable
source that twenty-five persons were
killed and over 100 injured. The
storm hit the town at midnight. Most
of the people were asleep and were
killed as they lay in bed. Others,
manned and bleeding, awoke to find
themselves buried in the wreckage of
their former homes.
Last evening had been hot and op-
pressive; then came a fierce rain, and
soon after midnight the tornado.
Within five minutes its awful work
had been done, INT the town of Mar
quette was practically swept out of
existence. Telegraph and telephone
wires were torn down, and it was not
till after daylight that communication
could be had with the outside world.
The business portion of the town is
reported comparatively slightly dam.
aged. but in the residence portion, or
west side, a strip 100 yards wide was
practically demolished. All the houses
on Lincoln street, twenty-four other
houses in town and five in the country
were destroyed. In one family the
father, mother and three children were
killed. Two men rushed from their
homes when the wind was al it's
tiercest. Both we're killed by flying
timbers. The Swedish Lutheran and
Methodist churches were ruined.
The awful effects Of the cyclone are
apparent everywhere. The furniture
store Of Olaf Olsen has been converted
into a morgue, and at 10 o'clock this
morning twenty-four bodies were lying
there. Nothing SO disastrous as this
tornado has been known in the history
of central Kansas. Reports reaching
here up to noon today show hat the
destruction Of life and property is
widespread. The list of dead is grow
ing constantly.
Partial list Of the dead:
GUSTAvE ANDERSON.
TILLIE ELLERSON.
MRS. A. v. ANDERSON.
MRS. ELMER HULTGREN.
BLANCHE sWIETZER.
NINA SWIETZER.
LENA SWEITZER.
INFANT COULSoN.
M. P. NELSON, wife and three chill
dren.
A. 8. JOGREN.
MRS. OLAF HANSEN and child.
GOTTFRIED NELSON and wife.
ELMER NELSON.
MRS. PORTER and baby.
MRS. ROBERTS.
CLYDE NORRIS.
Physicians from Salina and the sur.
rounding towns began arriving in Mar.
quette early and are working on the
injured. All through the dark and
early hours Of the morning dozens Of
the living were clearing away the
debris and rescuing the dead and in
jured. Temporary hospitals were i'm
%provised.
The storm struck without the slight.
est warning, excepting such as was
conveyd by the extreme sultry day
It was gone almost before 1t was real.
lied that it had come. The injured
rushed out. The alarm Of fire and the
walls of the victims struck the air
simultaneously. Unusual darkness pre-
vented the finding of the death strip
Immediately, but soon the whole town
gathered there and began the work
of rescue.
The arst damage was three miles
directly south Of town, where three
houses were demolished and the in
mates killed or MANNED. The wind
then uprotted an apple orchard lyinl
between these housas and the towr
proper and tore along Lincoln street
Excepting two cottages. every house
vas demolished. Towards the NORTH
mart the destruction widened and tool
IN the Lutheran church. Not . hous,
~ r-lA ~f->- A. rN>~