The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-12
TOREGDO'S SWEEP OF DEATH.
100 KILLED At SNYDER, OKLA,
AND OVER 200 INJURED.

AMI w M W. AHNN
s,orm spFead Havoc ThrOughout District
-Retcucrs. HurFylng 60 stricken Town.
Find Bodies In the streets and Many
Injured Pinned Under the Debris.
MOUNTAIN PARK, okla, May 1.-THE
toUn of SNYDER, which was hit by a tornado
aoon after midnight this morning, Is almost
IN ruins. IL had / 200 inhabitants. mostly
Tsxans. and many Of thess were either
killed or injured. Il IL now believed that
the number of dsad will not exceed 100
and that over 200 were injured, about so
of them seriously.
rhs ,ornado's havoc was not confined
% SNYDER. That the village Of Olusee
was also destroyed by the same tornado
IA believed for all attempts 10 reach 1t By
wire or telephone have failed Accord
ing 10 the course Of the storm, IL would
have struck with full force upon the niue
village Of frail frame dwellings.
Reports from dispatches on the santa
Fe road say that the town OF Quinlan' in
Woodward county, was hit and that three
persons are known TO have been killed.
Relief expeditions are getting to the
stricken town as fast as possible The
first 70 arrive was a trainload OF physicians
and nurses from Hobart. A second train
containing a dozen undertakerS, who were
In conference at Hobart, has been sent to
Snyder with a carload Of collins.
At least four relief expeditions are sup
posed TO have reached Snyder to assist
the Hobart party. The Frisco railroad
authorities are doing all in their power
TO assist in getting aid 70 the scene, and
special trims. made up OF freights and
any odd rolling stock that can be secured
have been sent there.
All the physicians and ablebodied men in
Lawton, which is the nearest point OF tele-
phone communication with Snyder, have
gone on a work train over the Frisco road
to the scene. Dispatches from Quanah,
Tex, indicate that all the section hands
on the railroad have been ordered TO join
the residents OF that town and go to
Snyder.
According to those who went to Snyder
early to-day, forty residences and twelve
stores were destroyed, while many other
buildings we're unroofed or badly smashed.
| Ten inches of rain fell.
The tornado came out Of the southwest,
and in its northeasterly sweep lett lts VIC
Tins strewn along the route taken by the
first relief train. For miles before the
volunteers reached Snyder they saw heaps
Of splintered building material. In the
town itself, or what was left OF II, they found
masses Of ruins.
tin roofs and brick the survivors were
| wandering aimlessly. SO great had been
the shock 10 those who had escaped that
they were Of hardly any assistance TO the
rescliing party Field hospitals were es-
tablished in the totally RACED section OF
the town north Of the tracks OF the Okla
homa City and Western Railway. ms
had been the business section, and many
Of the merchants lived in rooms over their
stores.
Along the lines Of the streets here many
bodies, crushed and bruised almost be-
yond recognition, were found. The care OF
the dead, however, was forgotten in the
face Of the sutferings OF the injured be
meath tho buildings, and the entire force OF
available men continued working in the
ruins
Residents at Hobart, thirty miles north
Of Snyder, say that from the reports brought
In by men whose ranch houses were on
the edge Of the tornado's course, sheds
cattle and single and tin roofs were car
Tied like feathers on the breast ola bowling,
dust laden wind. All along the plains
when daylight came we're masses OF wreck
age stretching fully fifteen miles from
the scene Of the demolished town.
Snyder came into prominence eight
months ago, when its Inhabitants waged
war on the men Of Mountain Park. Both
towns we're striving for supremacy in
county Affairs. and many were killed on
both sides In the face Of the great ca
lamity the feud has been forgotten.
GOVERNOR APPEALS FOR AID.
GUTHRIE. Okla, May li.-Gov Ferguson
tonight issued the following proclama-
ton:
"On Wednesday night the town Of Snyder,
in Kiowa county, was swept by destruc-
tive cyclone. Many persC MS, probably
100 were killed. many wounded, numerous
others rendered homeless and destitute
The territory has no provision for rendering
financial aid We will have 10 depend
upon the good pee pie Of Oklahoma TO give
reli-f 20 the distrV ssed people Of Snyder.
This Ia sad for Oklahoma, and am
satisfied that our people will respond. and
as far as possible relieve the unfortunate
victims Of this disaster as far as financial
aid and kindness can do.
Contributions should be sent at once
care Of Bank Of Snyder
ANADARKo. Okla, May IA water
spout, ACCOMPANIED by a destructive wind,
hit the istrict east OF Hinton, in North
Ca6do cot nty, this afternoon. Two brio Res
on Sugar Creek we're swept away, growing
crops we're literally washed away and
builGings Unroofed and destroyed Rain
fell In torrents for fifty minutea.