Great Bend, KS Tornado, Nov 1915 - Deadly Tornado

DEAD.
Charles H. Smith, Piano salesman
W. W. Hale, Mill employee
MAY DIE.
Jacob. L. Imel, mill employe
Mrs. J. G. Krebaum, wife of the foreman at Moses and Clayton ranch
John Miller, Pennsylvanian working on Moses and Clayton sheep ranch
Carl Johnson, 12-year-old son of Marion Johnson

INJURED
C. H. Hall, Chicago. Not dangerous
Mrs. Louise Miller and three children. Not dangerous
Mrs. Floyd Brown and two children. Will recover
Mrs. William Brown. Condition good
James Dalley. Leg broken.
Claude Kehrer. Condition good.
Louis Zutavern, not serious.
Miss Joyce Clark, not seriously.
William Sellers, colored, wife and daughter Ruth and two small children. Condition good.
Albert Joslyn, colored, hotel porter Will recover
John F. Brown, light plant superintendent. Not serious.
Francis and Clarence Eldrich Condition good
Mr. and Mrs. I. E. Davis, grandparents of Eldrich children. Condition good.
R. S. Clark, Neosho, Mo. Moses and Clayton ranch worker. Not dangerous
Charles Gilman, transfer wagon driver
C. B. Worden, retired farmer, wife and grown daughter Blanche.
Mrs. Marion Johnson, wife of postoffice engineer.

Two people were killed outright and several so seriously injured that it is not believed they have any chance to recover as a result of the terrific cyclone which visited Great Bend last night at 7:05. It was the first cyclone that ever struck this city and one of the most destructive cyclones that ever visited this part of the state. The storm left a path of destruction two blocks to three blocks wide and which extended from the laundry to the Moses Brothers & Clayton farm near the east school building.

The scene of the desolation which met the view of those this morning viewing the effects of last night's storm is indescribable. Hundreds of people from town and from all parts of the county were here to look over the pathway of the storm and to see the damage done. It seemed impossible to everyone that so much destruction of property could have occurred with so little loss of life.

But the morning showed the stories of the night before to be only a slight part of the real thing. The ruined homes, the stripped trees, the general air of desolation, the damage to the mills, laundry, and other businesses, the railroad yards full of broken overturned box cars, everything pointed to the fury of the storm and the fact that Great Bend had suffered.
Citizens were out with first aid for the injured a few minutes after the storm had passed over the city and scores of autos were pressed into service to aid the ambulance.

The cyclone struck the city about 7:05 and was proceeded by a roaring noise similar to the noise of a fast running train but several times as large in volume. What added to the horror of the catastrophe was the wrecking of the light and water company plant and the inability of the firemen to cope with several fires which broke out after the cyclone had wrecked the southeast portion of the city. The streets were dark and it was almost impossible for those seeking to give aid to find their way about the wrecked portion of the town.

The first place struck was the laundry which was razed to the ground and practically destroyed. Then it struck the water and light plant, the big standpipe of the water company being town down and thrown across the engine house, putting the mains out of service. The big power hose of the electric company was torn down and a few minutes after the storm had passed on, one of the big boilers exploded with a boom that could be heard for miles. The Walnut Creek mills and office were torn down and in the mill heave machinery was thrown about as though they were toys. It seems a wonder that all the workmen but one escaped being killed. It was rumored at first that fifteen or twenty workmen in the mill had been burned in the debris. The elevator no warehouse were torn down.

Continued