The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-05-12
Clean SWath 100 Yards Wide
Cut Entirely Through
the Town.
TWENTy-FOUR PERSONS KILLED
Storm Strikes the Place at Mid.
night and Catches Vic
tins UnaWares.
Work of Rescuing the Injured Made
Difficult Owing to the Dark
ness-Aid Sent from Sur
rounding Towns.

Marquette, Kan. May 9.-Many
persons were killed. score or two
+, others injured and a part of the resi-
! dence portion Of Marquette was de-
molished by tornado that struck this
| place at midnight The number of
dead is placed at twenty-four but ow-
| ing to the confusion following the
| storm, it will be some time before the
actual casualties are known.
| The Swedish Lutheran and Metho-
dist churches and the opera house
block were wrecked and dozens of
residences were rendered into scrap
| heaps. The business portion escaped
| with slight damage Aid was asked
| of other towns and physicians were
| sent from Salina and many nearby
| places.
| Clean Swath Through Town.
| The tornado struck the southern end
| of the town and cut a clean swath 100
yards in width through it's entire
| length. Coming as it did at midnight.
| the people were caught without a mo-
| ment's warning. A heavy rain storm
| had preceded the wind and after the
| tornado passed scene of complete
| desolation followed.
| The tornado broke upon the town
| with great force, wrought it's terrible
| havoc within few minutes time and
! continuing on into the rich farming
| country north of Marquette, caused
! further damage. In Marquette many
residences were completely demolished.
! the wreckage being carried away en-
| tirely, while others were picked up
bodily, moved a short distance away
and dropped to earth.
Killed in Their Sleep.
Many of the victims were killed as
| they lay asleep, others manned and
bleeding awoke to find themselves
buried in the wreckage of their former
| homes. Following the storm came a
| lull Soon cries of the injured and
| frightened people could be heard on
every hand Men with lanterns ap-
peared here and there among the
| wreckage and as quickly as possible
the work of rescue was begun. Prog
| ress was slow because Of the darkness
| and it was some time before anything
! like a systematic effort could be made
| to remove the injured, and before aid
was asked of neighboring towns
Destruction Widespread.
One large section of Marquette,
! where the principal loss of life oc-
! Cured, was>entirely wiped out. Re-
| ports from surrounding country show
| that the destruction to life and prop
erty was widespread. and the list OF
dead and injured is growing con-
| stantly.
A store room belonging to Olaf OIL
son, a furniture dealer, has been con-
| yerted into a temporary morgue and at
| $50 twenty-four dead bodies had been
| brought in. Following the storm, the
| utmost confusion prevailed and it will
I be some time before the actual extent
| Of the storm is known.
Many Narrow Escapes.
The sufferers tell of many narrow
escapes from death. lone Sailen, the
! lifted in her bed and carried to the
! middle of the street, receiving only a
| few scratches. Sailen and his wife
were dangerously injured
| The mattress upon which the baby
! daughter of the Rev. Smith lay was
doubled up in such manner as to COW
| err the child and protect it from falling
| timbers. In spite of the destruction Of
| the Smith house. the entire family es-
capped uninjured. Mr.. and Mrs o. s.
| Ellyin We're carried on their bed a dis
/ lance Of 500 feet and laid down with
out being seriously injured
Dead and Injured.
| The known dead: Gus Anderson
/ Tillie Ellerson. Mrs. A. v. Anderson,
Mrs. Elmer HuItgren, Blance Switzer,
Lena Switzer. Nina Switzer, Anna
| Coulson, NJ P. Nelson and wife and
three children, A. Sjogren, ST., Olaf
| Hanson and wife. Gottfried Nelson
and wife and child, Elmer Nelson. Mrs.
| POSTER and child, Charles Roberts,
| unknown woman.
The most seriously injured are: V.
A. Anderson. @. s. Elvin and wife,
| Mrs G.. Mccormick, Mrs. Charles Rob-
| erts and three children. M. Sjogren,
| Mrs. Berg. Heata Swenson, NJ. Coul-
son and three children, Swan Hart,
| Rose Briton. j. A. Carlson and wife.
| William Barley and wife, Anna Dit
| lof. John Dittlof, Olaf Carlson, Mrs.
| John A. Carlson, Andrew Peterson
| and wife.