KIRKSVILLE TORNADO submitted by Paulette Haynes, Anderson, Indiana I found these articles in two Kansas
newspapers. You will notice discrepancies in the two lists
of dead. |
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The Rooks
County Journal, May 4, 1899 KIRKSVILLE IN RUINS. Many Lives Lost Newton, Missouri also Torn In Pieces and Fifteen Persons Killed. A gathering storm that had been threatening all afternoon broke upon Kirksville, Mo., in all the fury of a cyclone. A path a quarter of a mile wide and as clean as the prairie was swept thru the eastern portion of the city and four hundred buildings, homes and mercantile houses, were leveled to the ground in scattered ruins. The list of killed so far as known are as follows: William B. Howells, student American School of Osteopathy. Mrs. W. H. Sherburn, wife of student School Osteopathy. Jas. Weaver, Sr., retired contractor Theodore Brigham, merchant Ed. Beeman, boy. Mrs. W. W. Green and daughter, Miss Bessie. Mrs. Henry Billington Mr. A. W. Galsee Mrs. A. W. Galsee Mrs. Ben Green Mrs. John Larkin Sr. Mr. C. A. Gibbs Mrs. C. A. Gibbs A. C. Beal James Cunningham Mrs. Mitchell Mrs. T. Mahaffey Mrs. C. Woods Mr. A. Little Mrs. A. Little Mr. Joe Woods Mrs. Joe Woods Mr. A. W. Rainschott Mrs. A. W. Rainschott A large number were injured. Intense darkness prevailed after the cyclone and the rescuers were at a disadvantage for a short time until fire broke out in a dozen places in the ruins and shed light over the scene. No attempts were made to extinguish the fires, partly because the rescuers had no time and partly because of the need of light. On both sides of the storm's path the debris was piled high and burned fiercely. In all probability a number of bodies have been cremated. The storm first struck the eastern portion of the city, near that part occupied by the boarding house of the students of the American School of Osteopathy, the State Normal school and McWard's seminary. It was just supper time for the students, and it is thought very probable the list of dead will be well filed with students, as a large number of these boarding houses were demolished. As far as known tonight these three institutions of learning escaped the storm. The storm then went northwest and wiped out Patterson's nursery, pulling the trees out of the ground and hurling them through the city. A second edition of the cyclone followed the first, twenty minutes later. It came as an inky black cloud, widely distributed, and covered the whole town, but passed above the houses doing no material damage and gathering fury as it went. It undoubtedly struck the ground a few miles out of Kirksville. |
The Logan
Republic (Phillips County KS) Thursday, May 4, 1899 THIRTY-ONE ARE DEAD Awful Havoc at Kirksville, Mo., by a Tornado Ninety-four Badly Injured Kirksville, Mo., May 1 - The corrected list of those killed in the tornado of Thursday night places the number officially at 31. The list follows: Theo Brigham, a retired merchant Mrs. A. R. Bowman Son and daughter of Rev. Mr. Albert Burr Bab Billington Seth Feathers, 8 year old boy A. J. Glasee and wife. Mrs. W. W. Green Miss Bessie Green W. B. Howells, student of osteopathy Three children of Henry Lowe. J. B. Larkin, retired merchant Georgia Lane Mrs. Cal Little Mrs. John Mahaffey, Sr. Mrs. Ora Millen Miss Zara Millen Miss Ann Miller, aged 98 years Mrs. Blue Panschott and baby. Mrs. Mary Rorabaugh Mrs. H. K. Sherburne John C. Weaver Miss Leona Whaley Mrs. Joe Wood Miss Wood The number of injured now reaches ninety-four, and some of them are so badly injured that they will in all probability die. The search among the ruins still continues. Those known to be missing are: J. F. Ashworth John Elliott Mrs. John Johnson ---- Johnson Mayor Noonan has made a list of 100 families, including about 500 persons, who have lost everything and are in need. All the hungry have been fed through the efforts of the citizens, who are co-operating with Mayor Noonan. The annual encampment of the G.A.R. of Missouri is scheduled to meet in Kirksville May 10 for a two days convention. This will be declared off.
Kirksville Tornado of April 27, 1899 Kirksville Ice Storm 1911
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