The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-04-15
TWO WIPED out
TsWns Of Whiting and Big Heart Pracli-
caItp LeveIed by Tornado.
FIFTEEN WERE KILLED

Reports From Other Places Tell OF
Death and Devastation Dealt BY the
Winds--Probably One Hundred
Have Been Killed in Kansas, Okla
homa and Missouri.
A heavy wind storm, attaining the
tions, and accompanied by rain, hail
and lightning, swept over western
Missouri. Kansas and Oklahoma We'd
nesday, killing Is people, pr, ctically
destroying two towns, 1n!uring al
most hundred persons, wreckins
scores of buildings and putting al
most every telephone and telegraph
wire in the territory out of commits
sion.
The tornado levied its greatest toll
of dead at Big Heart, Oklahoma,
where eight persons were killed, 10
injured and almost every building in
the town wrecked. Whiting, Kan
sas, was practically wiped off the
map. Sixty buildings were blown
down, 80 persons hurt and Mrs. Da-
vid Stone killed.
At powhatan, Kan, a woman and
child were killed. a high schoo,
building was wrecked as Eskridge,
Kan, number Of houses damaged
and from Is to 20 persons injured.
At Hiawatha, Kansas, school
house was blown down, an S-year-old
boy, named Pelton, was killed, and
several buildings were struck by
lightning. Several persons are known
to have been hurt at Netawaka, Kas.
A boy was killed at Manville, Kas.
The Kansas end Of the tornado
started near Whiting and swept in
southeasterly direction for distance
of more than so miles. -,l
It is thought many more persons
were killed or injured than have
been reported at this time. Telegraph
and telephone crews are working,
now that the storm has abated, to get
the wires in shape.
Two more deaths we're reported
from Hiawatha late Wednesday
night. Geraldine Meisent teimer, 10
years old, and small child Of Otis
Mellott are the victims. The Meisen-
heimer girl sought refuge with three
companions in country school
house, and the building was wrecked
soon afterward. The dead girls
companions were injured. It is not
known now the Mellot child met it's
death.
A Topeka, Kansas, dispatch says a
tornado travelling in southeasterly
direction destroyed the town Of
Whiting, 25 miles north Of Topeka,
late this afternoon. Sixty houses
were blown down and 80 persons in
jured.
Eskridge is 25 miles south Of To-
peka. The storm struck there short
ly before 4 o'clock. The high school
building was blown down and 20 STU
dents were injured.
A. woman and child were killed
at Powhatan. Mrs David Stone, wife
of farmer living near Whiting, was
swept from the steps Of her home
into neighbor's yard half a mile
away. She was picked up dead.
An interrupted telephone message
from Netawka says many persons
were injured there. Only one tele-
phone wire is working between here
and Kansas City.
George A. Scott, an Atchison, To-
p<,ka & Sante Fe engineer, who was
IL. Eskriage at the time of the storm
sa.ys at least Is houses were blown
down.
After he left Eskridge, says Scott,
h. could see the tornado sweeping
across the country for distance of
10 miles, overturning houses, barns
aud sheds in it's path. He heard of
go one being killed in Eskridge.
Benjamin Besch, fireman on his
engine was blown out of the cab
window and hurled across the street.
I'he only injury he sustained was
slight cut on his head.
While Mrs. Ray Garnum of Pow
1latan was sitting in her house. the
storm swept the greater part of the
building from over head. She was
but slightly hurt.
A Big Heart, Okla, dispatch says
eight persons were killed and 10 in
iured in a tornado which struck that
place at o'clock Wednesday after
noon, leaving but few houses stand
Ing.
The tornado swept everything In
it's path. Houses were blown from
their foundations and the occupants
we're whirled through the air. Inis
town was demoralized and telegraph
ic communication cut off. Relief
trains were started from Avant and
Pawhuska.
Big Heart has population of 400.
The St. Joseph & Grand Isla'.l de-
not and box cars at Manville, Kan,
we're blown over by a tornado We'd
nesday afternoon. A farm house was
also wrecked and one child killed,
according to information received by
the Grand Island officers at that
place. Telegraphic and telephone