Brown County World from Hiawatha, Kansas • Page 1

A It Historical Society 111 1 I I I I I .1 I I I I i ll FRIDAY. Thirty-Third Year. No. 21. HIAWATHA, KANSAS, MAY 22.

1896. $1.50 In Advance. FRIDAY. TheWay to thank God for His Mercy is to help afflicted Neighbors Z. 4 4 After the storm at Reserve.

Looking from the elevator. Photo by Chase. SABETHA INCIDENTS. WFUL WORK AT RESERVE The Storm Does the Most Damage PRETTY RURAL HOMES RUINED THE FAMOUS PONY CREEK AND PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE FARM HOUSES IN THE TRACK OF THE TORNADO. and Dr.

J. M. Cecil, who had cyclone insurance on his residence, but none on his fine library, valued at S800. Following is a rough summary of the loss: L. W.

Green Co Cor-nelson, Margraves J. Reasoner, $6,000: John Haldeman, Charles Wagner, Dr. Cecil, S800; C. E. Kelly, J.

W. Clark, on building, J. W. Cock-rell, 31,000. R.

M. Stewart, 84.000; A. J. AVeir, $000; Maur Weir, $600; Ed A ONCE PRETTY TOWN LAIN COMPLETELY TO WASTE SUNDAY EVENING BY A TERRIBLE TORNADO. West and North.

The storm came into Sabetha from the southwest, but did no great damage till it struck West Main street and man's house and barn, G. B. Richmond's building, John Gamble's new residence, Daniel Durston's house, Geo. Zeigler's house and stable, Warren house unroofed, John Johnson's buildings and fully twenty others. A strip of sidewalk running along the east side of the Fisher property was seized up in the air and carried along over roof tops, cutting off several chimneys in its coarse.

Prof. Farmer's Report. Supt. Farmer, who visited Sabetha says the house in which Supt. Morgan lived was on the edge of the tornado.

Three Persons Killed and Many Thousands of Dollars Worth of Property Destroyed. The People Give Liberally and the County Commissioners Donate $12,000. The People Stand Together Like One Family and Will Not Leave CM, Aided By Their Friends, Will Build Anew Stronger and Better Than Ever Before. Phillips, S2.000; Methodist church, Christian church, 82,500. Many of these lost all they had.

Some of from Morton's corner went to Wick ham's, all or nearly all, is desolation. All those big residences, old Dr. Irwin, Shephard, Lahr, Dr. Redding, Pugsley, McMillen and others are badly shattered, though none of those large ones are completely down. Many lost the roofs and are punched full of fly them even to the clothes on their is critical but the doctors think he will recover.

Mrs. Schock and Mrs. Sayler were backs. The situation In the country around here is little better. Houses, barns, windmills, are generally other comforts but often wondering "whatever became of poor dolly Why people delight in having a relic to bring to mind daily this awful visitation is a mystery.

One relic hunter stated that she had a relic picked -up after a tornado over twenty years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were not able to attend tueir little child's funeral. They sat near a window and aw the white hearse go by containing the white coiF.n.

The mother, who is anxiously awaiting the coming at another little one, was completely pros aemonsnea. uethany church, twelve The siding was torn off and shingles scattered. The barn was demolished. The Sabetha schools are closed. The west wall of a brick feed store was blown 15 feet and the wall then fell toward the building.

The general course of the storm was from the miles west, ana io. 33 school house on J. I Smith, living two miles north of Morrill, saw the funnel shaped cloud approaching from afar and watched! its coming with great anxiety, thinking at one time it was going to strike his dwelling, but it suddenly veered to the west as it came near Morrill and passed him nearly a mile westward. Another but smaller storm cloud was seen passing east from where he lived, also moving in a northeasterly direc ing timbers. The same way on the north side of the street; Horton's block had the entire west side taken out.

Sam Dorren's roof was punched the east, were completely torn down. Kansas City Times. Curiosity seekers were much disap pointed that they were not allowed to Mr. Reasoners Endorsement. We sent a great number of papers gazeit the poor mangled bodies and southwest to the northeast.

The wall of a bed room was blown out, everything was taken out. Two dressers from this room have not yet been found. to Reserve and wrote to Mr. Reasoner bruised faces of the sick and dead. It was almost impossible to keen people found dead in each others embrace, having been killed instantly by the falling wall.

Mrs. Schock's husband was killed by a falling tree in Indiana a few years ago and since she has lived here. Her two daughters moved to Arizona last spring and only her son Nelson is living here now. SUe was an exemplary Christian woman, beloved by all who knew her. She was buried at the Pony Creek church Tuesday.

Joseph Nicholson, an invalid living on John Fletcher's home farm, was in the house with his wife and three small children and hired man. His house was blown over but all escaped with slight bruises, a stove around which they had clustered protected full of timbers, and so along to the west Ed Slosson's house was completely torn to pieces. The Seaman house was carried the street and hardly two pieces left together. Mrs. Black's house lost part of roof, afflicted with such morbid feelines tion the same as the larger tunnel cloud that he had been watching, and away from the places where these un- ortunates lay.

The first day after the storm the door to the room containing the corpses had to be nailed shut to asking him to correct errors in The World' ilrst edition. He replied: "Many thanks for Worlds. All gone before 12 o'clock. For a newspaper report it was fine. The Reserve people fully appreciate the many things done for them by Hiawatha folks.

They have done wonderfully well by us and richly deserve great praise. keep out the procession of the curious eyed, iln spite of the remonstrances of the physicians many who could not do a particle of good succeeded In getting into the hospital and worried and 1 them from being crushed by a falling fretted the patients by their presence, trated with grief. The rain v.as so heavy that only a few carriages were In the procession. The black hearse, containing Mrs. Itynder's body, went first.

This was shortly followed 'by the white one, No relatives of either -were able to attend the last sad rites. The funeral services of the little Bweeney boy was held from Dr. Cecil's house Wednesday morning. His family were all able to be present. Mr.

Ter-hune was buried Tuesday morning at Padonia. The rain prevented many rom attending his funeral. Mxa. James McGuire, Mrs. John Mc-Uulre, Mrs Culp, Misses (Jirard and Littrael mderxt yards or dress goods into much needed clothing while at Keserve between trains Tuesday.

Mrs. Lindley's youngest brother father-in-law lives at Sabetha. A 'few days before the cyclone he drew all of his deposit from the bank to transact some business. The cyclone got all of it. It was in a big pocket book but whether the wind soattered it or dropped it bedily in some remote corner will probably never be known.

The money found is placed with the relief comtnitte. Weir's blaeksmith shop, the only stone or brick building in town, was leveled with the rest. Although the cyclone, turned per tor they taiKea ana stared, in this civuizea county such in manners are Sabetha shows much more evidence of a whilriug, twisting storm than Reserve. Very few buildings were levelled to the ground as completely as they were at Reserve. Northeast of Sabetha, nea- Sycamore Springs, several people were in a cellar.

A cow dropped into their midst. The cow was afterwards lifted out and the only way the people could remain was by holding to one another. Chas. Wasmund, west of Sabeta, lost everythingeven his wire fence Parties in Sabetha say a horse flew through the air. A pig was picked up out of his pen and given a ride through ti air and then dropped in a neighboring pen with other pigs.

From a Private Letter. From a letter written by Ella S. Birdsell to her brother we learn that at Frankfort three houses were com- when it had passed by he and his son went horseback to see after the two married sons, John and James, who lived northeast and in the possible course of the smaller cloud which had passed in that direction. James and family were found all right but at John's home further east a sad sight presented itself. His dwelling was overturned in the road and lying near by was the possessor of that once happy home cold in death.

He had been caught outside of his dwelling when the building turned over onto him and crushed out his life. His wife and three children were found inside the building alive and without serious injuries. Mr. Smith was buried in the Morrill cemetery on Tuesday morning. He had his life insured for 81,000 in the New York Mutual Life.

The cyclone was seen approaching from the southwest by Jacob Warner, living on the state line 5 miles north windows, and the frames driven full of timbers. Everything between Hor-tons' and the Grand Island depot is gone and there the storm seemed to increase in fury. The depot is gone and then in a line north to the edge of town, you could hardly tell where a house had been standing. In this locality is where the people were hurt, where they had no cellars. The Carey family are all hurt; the girl has since died and Sam Hay, Elijah Murphy and several others.

Will Machamer was killed at Jake Meisner's, west of town. Mrs. Meisner and girl were killed. A Stone house did the job. The storm from here passed between Nelly's and Starn's, not doing them much damage and but few marks can be seen, till it reached the Fulton house where it drove all into the cellar, and then to Howard's, Barker's, Hahn's Lanning's, Crow's, Lichty'j, and Saylor's.

not at all in keeping with the splendid and timely reliet given. Many kind hearted people said "Oh, if they were my friends I could not stand it to have people stare at them so." wall. Elmer and his wife went to the cellar which whs afterwards found literally filled with debris; neither were hurt. After the storm they made their way towards Peter but were a long time getting there on account of the severe rain. They stopped for some time along a hedge where they had found, a mattress to help protect them.

Jack Scott and part of his family had gone to Morrill to attend church and were delayed there in safety. Mrs. Scott and three small children took refuge in the cellar where they were Latest Reserve Corrections. The surviving Sweeney boy had his head hurt and arm brofcen. W.

S. Rowersox was Mrs. Collin's tenant; took to T. T. Jones house blown from foundation and unroofed.

E. R. house blown from foundation and badly wrecked. Only 15 out of 17 houses can be made habitable. The Sweeney and Phillips families are at A.

II. Beamgard's. A pair of lace window curtains hung full length in tree. One unfortunate objected to dress ing up. She said she felt as if she ought to dress to suit her surroundings.

Monday J. S. Simms, chief train dis patcher Mo. Pac. at Atchison, was so haps by some inverse current, bore down upon Iteeerve from the northwest, the tine residence of J.

M. Clark, one mile northwest, escaped almost uuscathed. Mr. Clark is the sou of a Cincinnati banker, who when he moved to Kansas years ago, traveled overland, and, it is said, slept upon his own land every night. At that time the old gentleman had 20,000 acres of land in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas.

Miss Erma Sweeney said that when the storm came she was trying on her sister's shoes. Her mother was holding ti least child and the two little boys had gone to bed la the next room, lier little sister wanted to go to bed but her mother told her to wait till after the storm was over. She said she wasn't afraid of the storm; she had seen worse ones. She went to the light to lodk at a watch. She remem hers standing looking at it and then nothing more for everything seemed mmmammmmmmmmmmmm ha I 1 11 1 muni 1 ill! 1 11.1, 1 Tjzl.

dazed and confused. She saw ner lit tie sister under a plank and went to help ber when something hit her on the head and it seemed as if it would At Reserve. View from the school house, which is surrounded by the trees. kill her. iter face and head are so swollen that even her father did not pleasant and decent that he stopped the wrecking tram to pick persons up know her when she went to meet him.

The wateh was found afterwards still wno were waiting between Reserve aad Hiawatha. He can cret anvthinsr running. Miss Cora Sweeney was at a neighbors house. She escaped. Some one asked a Reserve sufferer what they needed.

She said, "every thing and anything." She had only he wants here. Those who escaped from the wreckage with their lives do not coin plain of a single hardship but are full of thankfulness for their miraculous escape. A number of fruit trees were untouched. But many groves were literally riddled by the wind. Many visitors at Reserve Tuesday were causrht in a heavv shower.

Thv one suit of clothes, the one she had on during the storm, the dress a calico. Mrs. M. Yost was of most valua ble assistance at Reserve. She cut out and directed the sewing done by the good women.

took refuge in some box cars. While pletely demolished. Mr. Todd's, Ben Rice's, Boone's, Sander's, Johnson's, Jilson's, Moran's, Smith's, Bussell's, Osborn's, Abie's, the Christian and Methodist churches, Harp's, Leopold's, the Carsoe house, Campbell's and Rinkerton's, were badly smashed. In the three blocks from Pedcoes to Hopkins all the houses are partly down.

Souder's, Gregg's, McKevir's, Hodge's, the Dean place, Jim Brown's, Jim Fowler's houses were literally swept away. Every barn in the track of the storm is scattered, big trees uprooted; sidewalks gone, two horses killed. Mr. Kennedy, the undertaker, the only person hurt. The storm struck here about six o'clook.

The piano of a family named Brown was seen up in the air but has not been found yet. One farmer had eight horses killed. Reserve Loss. Jacob Reasoner, 38000; Cornelison Margrave, 83000; Green Margrave, 51500; B. M.

Stewart, J. G. Haldeman, Frank Wells, 800; Shera. Phillips, S3O0; Dr. Cecil, S2.500; found after the storm but the house barn and all the outbuildings were swept away.

Mrs. Scott was found by the neighbors sheltered under the cellar doors protecting her children with a bed tick which she had the presence of mind to take with her to the cellar. Mrs. Rogers, an aged lady living west of Morrill was at home with her little son. Robert Micky, who lived near neighbor, but who had not been damaged, went to look after Mrs.

R. Her house was swept away and she was found sitting on a log with her little son, badly hurt. It took 14 surgical stiches to sew the wounds in her head, but she, though badly hui, Is expected to recover. Tne old land mark of the neighborhood, the bouse built by Jacob Lichty's-x jather in the early history of was swept away without leaving splinter as a relic Its Ben Nicholson and wife and twochild-aen had taken refuge in a cave made-only a few week's ago. The family is left almost destitute of clothing and! all else.

Mr. Nance with seven children took refuge in the cellar. His home waa Hymn Book Found. Elliott Irvin picked up a hymn book opened at hymn 465 beginning: All is dying; heart! are breaking. Which to ours were closely bound.

Everything we love and cherish Hastens onward to the grave. Yet unchanged while all decayed, Jesus stands upon the dust. The Devoted Reserve other. Mrs. Rynder, who was soon to give birth to another child, was found dead in a pool of water.

Her blind baby was clasped to her breast. It was badly hurt and will probably die. A sensational newspaper correspondent says that a monument will be erected sacred to the. Memory of the devoted mether. The Lo5s.

The tornado altogether has certainly destroyed a million dollars worth of property, to say nothing of the far more precious injured and killed. Rala Interferes With Progress. The rains add to the discomforts at Reserve. The workmen cant do much. Some flues were built Tuesday and articles of value picked up.

What It Looked Like. The twister appeared to S. J. Miner of Sabetha to be ten or twelve feet in dianJeter, a mile high, the end on the ground, whirling with great velocity and thrashing in all directions. The spiral column was as white as milk and the whole was surrounded by a mass as black as any cloud you ever saw.

In this black mass there appeared to be great rolls of mud. It moved along plainly, not much faster than a man would run. The commotion was awful and the roar terrible. And so it passed out of sight but not out of hearing for an hour. All this time it was pleasant about my place; no disturbance of any kind.

I was eighty rods distant from the storm. At Sabetha. Among the wrecks at Sabetha are: a H. White's new elevator, residences of Bjr4. Qo.

Barrington, A. Coleman land as. Patterson, Grand Island coal chute, Austin HoUister's carpenter shop with steam fixtures, two of W. G. Sargent's buildings, M.

Arties' stable, stock killed, John Bow- The school house, temporary hospital and a quarter of a mile east of Morrill. It was a huge mass of black cloud, funnel shaped, which would rise and dip to the ground alternately as it moved towards him from the southwest. It moved slowly as it appeared to several who watched it from afar. Mr. Warner viewed the storm until he found that his own house would be included in its track when he went to the cellar with his family.

His house was only partially wrecked and afforded shelter for others whose house were entirely swept away. Sam Miller living near the church on the Warner farm left with his wife and children to find shelter at Dan Say-lers, being of the impression that Mr. Sayler had a cyclone cellar. In this they were mistaken. They went with the Sayler family into their cellar.

Mr, and Mrs. Miller and Mr.Sayler's mother, an aged lady, and Frank Sayler were along the west wall and escaped unhurt. Mrs. Sayler and Mrs. Schock.

a widow living at Mr. Sayler's were along the east wall and were covered with rock. Mr. Sayler was seen rising up from his covering of rock, by Mr. Miller, exhibiting as it seemed to him superhuman strength, but was nnable to stand on his feet afterwards.

His case looks as if it could not stand the mo tion of the slightest wind. The relic hunters have been search mere itev. Mr. Brown, of Frankfort, a Christian minister, made quite a talk on the doctrines of his church. Mr.

Brown lost a S1000 library during the tornado at Frankfort. Tuesday the ice houses were placed undercover. Mr. Sweeney is expected from Colorado Springs to-day. He arrived.

ing wildly for something worth saving. How would they like for anyone to search around for relics from the scat tered fragments of their homes? Clothespins, bits of glass, keys from instruments, photographs and inch thin gs are eagerly picked up. One relic hunter had a doll. Think of having this in the home as a relic, a constant Summary of the Losses. Only two losers by the cyclone' had storm insurance.

Frank Wells of Falls reminder of a little child, not realizing the lost of home, clothes and many I City, who owned a small building here, (COXTESUED OS FOURTH PAGE.) (continued on Firm page..