Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-11-12
EIGHT LIVES THE
TOLL OF TORNADO
STRIKING KANSAS
Twister in Sweep Through Several
Towns in Central Part of State
Wrecks Hundreds of
Buildings.
GREAT BEND HIT THE HARDEST
Small Town Of Zyba Thrown Into
Mass by Violence of the
Windstorm.
HUNDREDS OF TREES FLAT

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Nov. IL
The number Of dead in the wind
storm which swept over central Kan
sas early last night, wrecking hum
dreds Of homes in its course through
several towns, remained at eight to-
night. Communication with all but
few outlying sections Of the
stricken district was re-established
late today.
Although the damage was greatest
in Great Bend. where a path three
blocks wide through the industrial
and residential sections was cut by
a tornado, reports tonight show that
Zyba, Kan, a town of 200 popula-
tion, was the most thoroughly
wrecked of the towns and villages in
the storm.
Every building in Zyba is said TO have
suffered damage and many of them were
demolished Three persons were killed
there and several injured. In blow
lasting only few minutes the entire
town was thrown into a mass of strug-
Cling humanity, wrecked homes, trees and
fallen wires.
Every Building Wrecked.
Reports of damage to buildings, death
10 live stock and injury to inhabitants on
isolated farms were received late today.
Near Pratt. Kan, a farmer who had been
away from home for the night returned
today and found every building wrecked
and his family scattered to the homes of
a.-l.H -. L.
home when the storm struck and no mem
ber there escaped injury.
Hundred of trees. one of the most
valued things about a prairie home, were
blown down. In many cases great cot
tonwoods which were planted when the
country was first settled were snapped
off or split
Great Bend late today began to recover
from the shock and began cleaning up
the debris. A. company of the Kansas
National Guard assisted In an examina-
ton OF the wrecked buildings and in pull
ing down dangerous ruins.
Lighting Plant Destroyed.
The lighting plant was destroyed and
the wires over the greater part of the
city were blown into a hopeless muss.
1t was believed no electric light would
Hoisington, Kan, was also supplied
with light and power from the Great
Bend plant
Great Bend was without water in the
city mains tonight and will be in that
condition several weeks. according to the
city officials. The standpipe was blown
down and the pumping plant destroyed.
Deaths were distributed as follows:
Great Bend
CHARLES H. SMITH.
W. w. HALE.
Larned-
- ISRAEL PERGER.
MRS. PERGER.
Zyba-
MRS. L. L. FORGE.
Derby
AN UNIDENTIFIED MEXICAN La
BORER.
Many persons at first believed dead
were later found buried in the ruins Of
their homes ana rescued alive. Some.
after being reported dead for several
hours were found long distances from
their homes.
Early this afternoon messages from
zuba said Mrs. H. La Hartle and a
young woman named Meadows were also
Killed there Others members OF the
Hartle family were said to have been
injured seriously. Their home was de-
Elolished.
storm starts in Colorado.
The tornado that struck Great Bend
and towns near there last night, was
local so far as its cyclonic properties
were concerned. although 1t was part of
a general rain and windstorm that CEN
tered yesterday morning in central colo
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