The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-02
TORN BYA STORM
Tornado Sweeps Through the
City of EmpOria.
Houses Blown Down in South
western Section.
LINES ARE ALL DOWN.
Telegraph and Telephone Con-
nectiOn Cut Off.
Heavy Rainfall in Topeka and
Elsewhere.
LINES ARE ALL DOWN

Emporfa. Kan, May "A TORNADO
of considerable proportions accom-
panied by hail and heavy fall OF ram
struck Emporia last night about I:zt
O'Clock The twister came from the
southwest after several hours OF marc
wind and preceded violent thunder
storm. It's general direction was north-
east though it varied to the east anG
southeast, cutting swath which va
ried in width from $50 to 300 feet
through the residence section IN the
south part of town.
A great amount of damage was
done, houses, barns and outbuildings
demolished, all telephone and electric
light service demoralized in this part
of town and considerable stock killed.
There was no loss of life and few peo-
pie were injured. The tornado had its
start several miles from town and Mrs.
George Davis. who lives six miles
southwest of Emporia, was blown
from the debris of her home into a
hedge fence and seriously hurt.
Damage at County Poor Farm.
The path of the tornado through the
farm vicinity is marked by Il mum per
of ruined houses and barns, demOl-
tshed fences and outbuildings. 1t
struck the county poor farm, one and
one-half miles southwest of town. and
the damage there is estimated at
$1,000. The east half of the main
barn was destroyed, and the front of
the north building was badly DANA aged.
The cloud, which hugged the earth
closely, was vicious in its force, and
huge trees uprooted testify to its
power. 1t made it's entrance to EN-
poria through the Randolph fruit or
chard, which is laid waste and struck
the residence portion on lower Neosho
street.
The home of Perry Hayes was the
first to be greatly damaged by the
storm Preceding the tornado. the
house was struck three times by light
ming and Mr.. Hayes was stunned.
The storm did not last more than
three minutes. but in that time the
width of the town. more than a mile,
was trayersed. The cloud left its work
of destroying houses. veered past the
corner of St Marys hospital which
was crowded with inmates. removing
corner of balcony and then left the
town.
At the edge of town the roof of a.
bunk car was lifted and the Mexican
laborers within were forced to take
refuge in a tool house. The tornado
apparently followed the Santa Fe cut
off track toward the southeast and
scattering reports of damage from THAI
vicinity have come in this morning
All telephone and telegraph lines are
down and Emporia is cut off from
connection with surrounding towns
Damage to crops from the wind and
hail is great and garden truck and
fruit is injured. A rain of 2.26 inches
fell during the night.
Family Missing at Neosho Rapids.
From Neosho Rapids comes the in
formation that the house on the Brf-
we're farm. between Neosho Rapids
and Hartford. was demolished and
that the family could not be found
T iS In
the damage southwest of town was
much heavier than in Emporia One
hundred cords of wood owned by C. s.
Linck is scattered over the Cottonwood
river valley.
Reports from neighboring towns are
coming in slowly, but it is reported
that Plymouth, eight miles west, suf-
fered severe damage.
Storm in Topeka.
Beginning before s o'clock last
night the rain which visited Topeka
left .7S inches of water in it's wake
The rainfall Saturday night amounted
10 .33 inches making the total fall
since Saturday 1.21 inches and break
ing the drouth which has prevailed
here for three months. Reports from
outside Topeka indicate the rain was
general and was accompanied west of
here by heavy hail storm. Damage
to telephone and telegraph wires gem
orally over the storm district is re-
ported.
The heaviest rainfall came between
and o'clock this morning. The
storm was accompanied by the first
electrical display of the season. The
night was lighted up and made bright
as day most of the time by continued
flashes of lightning. The rain came
IN showers, most of the night and thew
lasted from 2 to 20 minutes save dur
ing the heaviest rainfall between 2
and o'clock
Early reports show hard rains and
hail west of Topeka. At St. Marys
there was a driving rain and a hail
storm during which large hailstones
fell. The hail storm lasted I 5 minutes.
Wamego reports rain and hail. At
Manhattan rs inches of rain fell and
there was some hail but not enough,
It was reported, to do any damage
junction City reports only a small
rain. Threatening weather prevails
over the storm district today. Abilene
reports a terrific electrical storm, a
hard rain and some hail West of Abb
lene the wires are down and it was
impossible this morning to learn the
extent of the storm.
Two inches of rain are reported this
morning from Silver Lake. The rain
seems to have been of about the same
severity here as in surrounding towns.
An uneasy barometer prevailed this
morning. The readings show that be-
tween last evening and l o'clock the
barometer fell Is inches. From 1 un-
til 4 O'Clock it rose 20 inches From
until $50 o'clock it fell Is inches
and from $3.50 until 3 O'Clock it rose
20 inches. Cold air succeeded by
warm air currents caused this f1uctu-
alton and made what is called an "un-
easy barometer" by the weather Off
cials.
Conditions were right for a severe
hail storm last night. according to
Weather Observer Flora of the local
station The hail was general through
out the state aecordino fo fnforro a