The Grit-advocate., 1905-05-19
VICTIMS Of TORNADO
LOSSES At SNYDER. OKLAHOMA
Death List Will Reach One Hundrod
Streets Strewn With Corpses-
Not One Building Escaped Damage.

NOT One buioin9 ESCAPED damage.
Guthrie, o. T., May 1.-THE latest
official reports from the tornado
stricken town of Snyder, Oklahoma,
place the list of dead at ninety-five.
Other figures advance this figure to
100. 1t is highly probable that the
death list, when accurately tabulated.
will reach 1872, although most cOnserva-
tive estimates place it at 100. A com
mercial traveller who reached Hobart
from SNYDER said the streets were
strewn with corpses after the tornado
passed. OF those injured t'ere are va
'rious reports. reaching from 100 10
$50.
1t is utterly impossible to arrive at
any definite idea of the property loss.
Considering the fact that not a single
building in the town of Snyder was
left undamaged. and the additional fact
Of the great damage to live stock,
fruit and crops, it is very probable that
the totla harm done by the storm will
reach n high figure. The storm formed
near the Texas line and its path ex-
tends in northeasterly direction for
over forty miles, causing damage at
Altus, Olustee and other small towns
and in the country. as well as at Sny-
der. Reports indicate that the casual
ties outside of Snyder will aggregate
over twenty-five, and may go higher.
At Snyder the lack of means to bury
the dead is causing serious inconven-
fence. There is plenty of medical at
tention howe"sr, financial aid being
needed most.
"A dispatch from Snyder last night
says:
The havoc wrought by the tornado is
complete. Out of town OF 1000 peo-
pie 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 north
easteriy course through well-settled
section. At s 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
hailstorm.
Within a few minutes the sky be-
came suddenly dark and terrific
downpour of rain began, lasting for
several minrtes, when it stopped al
most as suddenly as it had com.
menced.
A few minutes of omnous calm fol-
lowed and then the tornado struck.
tearing the buildings to pieces as
though they were made of paper
Many people who had thought to
take advantage of the calm to seek ref
use 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 catapult, while others were
struck by falling debris and beaten al
most beyond recognition.
Those who remained in their houses
Jared better in the path of the tornado.
which swept across all excepting few
blocks in the southwestern corner OF
the town.
The frame structures collapsed like
eggsheils, burying occupants rnder the
debris, killing. crushing and manning.
Six of the eight hotels were torn to
pieces, burying many in the wreckage.
North of the railroad track. where
many cottages stood, not one is left
and the wreckage is mostly carried
away.
In few moments it was all over
and the all was filled with shrieks of
injured mingled with cries of those
who had escaped and were seeking
lost ones.