The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-08
IN OKLAHOMA CYCLONE
Experiences of a Former Oskaloosa
Resident.

Snyder, Okla, May 31.-Haying
been in the midst OF the awful storm
that recently visited Snyder and it's
vicinity, | will endeavor to tell some
OF the conditions and happenings that
came to my notice. The storm came
on the night OF the 10th Of May, and
left death and destruction in It's path.
The city OF Snyder had bout 1900 PEG
pie. II is located In southwestern
Oklahoma, In Kiowa county, forty
miles west Of Lawton. The cyclone
left 116 dead and a hundred or more
wounded, and the town is now Ger.
tainly a desolate looking place. About
$50 houses we're blown to pieces, and
In the path Of the storm the houses
were ground into kindling wood.
Household furniture was made into
splinters. The place looks more like
n chip yard than anything else I can
think of. The debris and wreckage Is
piled everywhere. There Is not d
building In town that Is not damaged
to some extent. My two dwelling
houses were only slightly damaged.
The loss to the town viii DC yery u.s.
we're.
Some OF the residents lost every
thing they had on carth, and some
whole families were wiped out, every
member being killed. Mr.. Jacob
Bertsch, formerly Of Oskaloosa, a
brother of Geo. Bertsch, Of the
B~ertsch-Shurtz Drug Co., lost his
house and furniture. His loss is fully
$1,000. The big PecotE ranch was
blown TO pieces. The storm was 40
miles In length, and fully half a mile
wide. A number Of pictures from
homes In Snyder we're found go miles
northeast Of the town. Loaded cars
we're picked up bodily from the rail-
road track and carried many blocks
away. One was CRIED fully twenty
rods and set on top Of the boiler OF a
cotton gin. A ten.stall round house
Of brick and stone and cement was
crumbled TO pieces. Not a building OF
Gny kind is left north OF the railroad
tracks, and almost every stock Of
building material was blown out OF
town. The school house was left, but
was badly damaged. All OF the busl-
ness part OF town, churches, livery
stable, and other buildings suffered
much damage. Much electricity ac-
companied the storm, and II seemed
to strike almost every place.
The storm came without warning,
and people had no time to save them.
selves. The storm gathered fully an
hour before It struck. but people gem
orally did not think II was anything
serious, and It's cyclonic nature was
not known until II was too late. The
electric whirlwind was upon the town
before anyone knew what had hap
pened. Buildings were crushed down
like egg shells, and one eye witness
said that boards and missiles OF all
kinds were like bullets In the air.
The people now are badly frightened
at the appearance Of every little
cloud, and shelter caves are being
built In every direction.
The town Of Snyder will be rebuilt,
and preparations to that end are al
ready In progress. There is more
work to do than can be done for some
time. Carpenters are scarce and
wages are high. Fifty or more car.
penters could find ready employment
here now. Brick-layers and other
tradesmen are also in greatest de-
mand.
No one can describe the scenes fol-
lowing the storm. There was death
and destruction on every side, and 1t
seemed as though help would never
come, all communications having been
shut of. Now the dead have been
buried, and things are assuming nat
ural conditions once more.