The Elk Mountain pilot., 1911-04-21
TWO TOWNS WIPED OFF THE
EARTH AND HUNDREDS ARE
INJURED.
WIND, HAIL AND RAIN
KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA ARE
HARDEST HiT-MiSSOURI
ALSO SUFFERS.

are reported dead, at least a hundred
injured. two towns practically swept
away. scores of buildings demolished
property damaged as the result OF a
tornado that ragged in Kansas and
Oklahoma
The tornado was accompanied by
rain. hail and lightning.
Many buildings were struck by light
ming and burned
Western Missouri was visited by a
rain and hail storm but this section
was not in the main path OF the tor
nado.
Telegraph and telephone wires were
rendered useless in the worst stricken
sections and 1t is probable that the
complete report OF the death toll al
the property damage will prove much
greater than they now appear.
The tornado levied its greatest toll
OF dead at Big Heart. Oklahoma. where
eight persons were killed. ten injured
and almost every building in the town
wrecked
Whiting. Kans., was practically
wiped off the map. sixty buildings be-
ing blown down. thirty people, hurt
and one person killed.
At Powhattan, Kans.. n woman and
u child were killed.
The tornado was accompanied by u
driving rain and swept everything In
its path. Houses were blown from
their foundations. and the occupants
whirled through the air.
The tornado struck Big Heart from
the southwest. Scores of persons sur
prised at the town being suddenly
thrown into a state Of semi-darkness,
rushed from their homes and business
places only to be struck down by
flying debris.
At the edge OF the village hun
dred Indians were encamped. Their
tents were gathered up like bits Of
paper and carried away.
The town OF Whiting was badly
damaged and thirty persons injured.
Among the buildings that were
wrecked was the Midland Valley rail-
graph operator are reported to have
been killed. As result communica-
tion with the outside world was cut
off. The tornado had passed an hour
before message was sent to Tulsa
for assistance.
When the rescucrs arrived from
Avant and Tulsa they found fully 400
people homeless. Aided by the light
of lanterns. which were frequently
blown out in the drizzling rain and
swift wind, the searchers experienced
much difficulty in locating the dead
and injured. Several bodies were car
ried outside of the village limits and
were found In farmers fields.
a high school building was wrecked
at Eskridge. Kan, a number OF houses
damaged and from fifteen to twenty
persons injured.
At Hiawatha, Kan. schoolhousa
was blown down, an eight-year-old
boy named Pelton. Geraldine Nielsen
heimer. 10. and a small child killed.
The Meisenheimer girl sought ref
uge with three companions in coun-
try schoolhouse and the building was
wrecked soon afterward. The dead
girls companions were uninjured.
Several persons are known to have
been hurt at. Netawaka. Kan.
A child was killed at Manville. Kan.
The Kansas end, of the tornado
started near Whiting and swept in a
southeasterly direction for a distance
OF more than fifty miles.
1t is thought that many more peo-
pie were kNled and injured than have
been reported at this time. Telephone
and telegraph crews are working. now
that the storm has abated. to get their
wires in shape. 1t is big task, as the
storm left only one telephone wire in
operation between Topeka and Kansas
City. and all telegraph wires between
Kansas City and Oklahoma are lost.
In Kansas City the storm did little
damage. A few horses were killed by
lightning and some buildings struck.
The rain lasted about an hour and
was heavy. Hail accompanied 1t.