New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-19
FIFTEEN DEAD
AS A TORNADO
SWEEPS WEST
Score Injured in Two-Day
Kansas and Missouri
Storms.
PROPERTY LOSS
PUT AT $25O,OOO
MANY WashoutS on Railways
Government Issues Flood
Warnings on Rivers.

Kansas City. No. June ls.-Fifteen
lives were lost. a score Of persons were
injured and property damage estimated
81 S250.O0O was done by wind, haI
and electrical storm which centred IN
Missouri and Kansas last night and
carly to-day.
The heavy fal Of rain Hanging from
two 20 FIVE inches turned many small
creeks into turbulent streams and the
-.,.rs .r,o torrents Tonight all
ro.rts in the Kansas River Valley ana
alorr fre Missouri River from Kansas
Cl.y. 20 jefferson CITY had been warned
hv fEe government of impending floods.
The list Of known dead includes four
teen names They were as follows:
Five members Of the family OF john
P.rgcs farmer, near Onaga; Mrs.
s~fbur Covey and child, Richmond;
Ms Mary BELL, Richmond; Charles
Morris and son. Guy, Westmorelard;
Iobr Gunther. Westmoreland; Gene
Nichols. near Wamego; Mrs. Altman
rear Latour; Mrs. Gertrude knau, near
Nevada
Railway Tracks Swept Away.
Many miles Of railroad tracks in the
affected district were swept away ana
to-day all trains entering Kansas Clty
were hours behind schedule. southern
and Northern trains were markGd IRON
foUr 10 five hours late, while Eastern
and Western connections were from
one 70 three hours behind. Because OF
The washouts between Kansas City and
s. Louis. Missouri Pacific trains we're
f,4oured over the tracks Of the Santa
Five members Of the family Of John
RurCes. "a farmer, near Onaga, IN rot
tawatomie County, were killed and tW3
seriously injured in the tornado, &C
cording 10 a report received at the To-
reka Offices Of the Union Pacific Rail
road. Many houses were wrecked,
stock was killed and much other prop
orty damage done.
At Westmoreland, Kan, Charles Nor
ris. president of the Kansas Southern
& Gulf Railroad; his son, Guy, and
John Gunthcr, a druggist, were drowned
when a bridge gave way under theH
railroad gasolenc car. Five other per
sons who were on the car escaped. Inc
Incident followed a clOudburst.
Three persons lost their lives at
Richmond. No. Mrs. Arthur Covey and
email child and Mrs. Mary Bell " re
the victims. The Convey home was
lifted from its foundG .ons and de-
moHshed. Mrs. Bell was struck by
lightning. Oc Williams, farmer, and
his wife. living near Richmond, were
struck bv wreckage when their home
was swept away. Both were danger
Cusly injured
Blown Into River.
Mr.. Morris and his son were on an
i1sDcction trip. Near Westmore.and
Lridge had been taken out by rising
water. and the car was stopped. Morris,
his son and Gunther decided TO re-
main on the car, while 'he others went
back 10 tell Of the discovery. A wall
of water suddenly swept down and
,.hirled the car into the swollen stream.
None of the bodies has been recovered.
Gene Nichols. a farmer, living near
Wamego. was killed by lightning.
Mrs Gertrude Knau, eighty years OLD,
was killed. Frank Hunter probably IA
tally injured, and Mrs. Hunter and
Nr and Mrs Truman Fosbery serl-
,aslv injured in q tornado which swept
section half q mile wide and ten
miles loIg near Nevada, Mo, early %
Gav. peerfeld, Walker and Harwood'
villages in the storms path, are re-
rorted 20 have suffered heavily.
Sixtv-Gve cars were blown from the
Frisco tracks IN the yards at FoiI
Scott. Kan. One was q work train, IN
which track laborers were living. Three
were injured. The home of J. ]. Wood
was blown over intact, carrying the oc-
cupants with IL. No one was hurt.
Several farmhouses and many small
buildings north of Fort Scott were
R1ru.r auay