Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1905-05-19
TOWN OF SNYDER, OKLA, PRAc-
TlcAILY WIPED OUT BY Sc. -
WE'RE WIND STORM.
MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED PER-
SONS KILLED AND SCORES
SUSTAIN INJURIES.
LOSS TO PROPERTY ESTIMATED
At FOUR HUNDRED THOU.
SAND DOLLARS,

Snyder, Okla, May 12.-Ninety-five
persons are known to be dead, dozen
are missing and given up for dead and
$50 more are injured, seven fatally, re-
sultant from the tornado which tore
through this vicinity at $40 Wednes-
day night.
In number of cases entire families
were killed and in almost every fam
lily in town some member was injured.
The havoc wrought by the tornado
is complete. Out of q town of 1000
people not more than score of houses
are intact, while two-thirds Of the
buildings are totally wrecked.
The property loss is variously esti-
mated at $400,000. Two hundred resi-
dences are demolished and about half
the business buildings are a total loss.
The remainder are more or less dam
aged.
The tornado struck Snyder from the
southwest, travelling north until within
about 100 yards from the tracks of the
Oklahoma City and Western railway.
There it took a northeasterly course
through the business portion Of the
town. North of the track not build
ing was lett standing.
Storm Formed Near Texas Line.
The storm formed south of Oulstee.
near the Texas line. and took north
easterly course through a well settled
section. At 8 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
tor some time before the storm broke,
many were of the opinion that it was
a hail storm. Within few minutes
the sky became suddenly dark and a
terrific downpour of rain began, last
ing for several minutes, when it
stopped almost as suddenly a. it had
commenced. A few moments after
this an ominOus calm followed and
then the tornado struck, tearing build
ings to pieces as though they were
made OF paper.
Many people who had thought to
take advantage of the calm to seek
refuge 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 4 oatapult, while others were
struck by flying debris and beaten a.
most beyond recognition. Those who
| ina in,
ter in the path of the tornado. which
swept across all excepting q few
blocks in the southeastern corner of
the town. The frame structures col
lapsed like eggshells, burying occu-
pants under the debris, killing. crush
ing and manning.
Six Hotels Demolished.
Six Of the eight hotels were torn to
pieces, burying many in the wreckage.
North Of the railroad track, where
many cottages stood. none is left and
there the wreckage is mostly carried
away.
In few moments it was all over and
the air was filled with shrieks of in
jured, mingled with cries of those who
had escaped and were seeking lost
ones. Within short time messengers
were dispatched to Mountain Park, two
and a half miles away, where the
news was sent by telephone to Hobart.
Physicians and nurses were called for
and relief trains we're made up at Man
gum, Hobart, Chickasha and Lawton
and hurried to the scene by the rail-
roads. Many of the ablebOdied sur
vivors in Snyder were working heroic
ally all through the night amidst the
most heartrending scenes. A building
was utilized for a temporary hospital
and another used as a m0rgue. The
latter, a dry goods building, presented
a gruesome appearance when day
daWned with the corpses lying tier
above tier on the shelves. The search
for bodies continued during the day
and at S p. m. ninety-five had been re-
covered. Others are being searched
for, which with the casualties reported
from the country will probably raise
the death list to above 100. Several
fatally injured will raise the list of
casualties.