Norton, KS Tornado, Jun 1909

Norton, Kas., June 25 - - Northwestern Norton county was devastated Thursday afternoon by eight tornadoes, which destroyed farm buildings, injured men working in the fields, killed and carried away live stock, and mowed down trees like grass.

Six tornadoes formed at 4 o'clock, following a sultry day. The nearest one was ten miles from here. The funnel-shaped formation disappeared before the storm reached this city. There was a heavy downpour of rain, accompanied by hail measuring six and seven inches in circumference.

Telephone lines in the storm-swept district are demoralized, but the reports brought in by rural carriers show that each tornado was destructive. The infant of Frank Gentry was blown from its mother's arms and cannot be found, and the residence and outbuildings were swept away.

Forty head of cattle were killed at Brunswick ranch, thirteen miles nortwest, many being carried two and three miles by the wind. Farm hands in the fields were severely bruised and several have broken bones.

Frank Cave lost his house and barn, not a timber remaining. Austin Ough's barn is gone and the roof of the house is missing. S. W. Myers's house and barn are blown away. Lew Searl's house is damaged, and the barn carried half a mile.
The storm formed on Sappa creek, and moved in a southeasterly direction. The small loss of live reportedly is attributed to the early hour at which it struck. Practically everyone had time to reach storm cellars and places of safety.

Later in the evening two tornadoes made their appearance twelve miles south of Norton, traveling eastward. Lenora is directly in the path.

The Chillicothe Constitution, Chillicothe, MO 25 Jun 1909

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Norton County the Scene of Destructive Storms - Child Lost.

Norton, Kan., June 26. - Six destructive cyclones formed in Norton county. The nearest one was ten miles from here. A heavy downpour of rain was accompanied by hail, measuring six and seven inches in circumference. Telephone lines were blown down.

The infant child of Frank Gentry was blown from its mother's arms and cannot be found. Residences were swept away. Farm hands suffered severe injuries. Timber was mowed down like grass.

Edwardsville Intelligencer, Edwardsville, IL 26 Jun 1909

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Read newspaper article: Destructive Tornadoes Visit Norton County, First to Visit County in Memory of Man from the Norton Courier, 01 July 1909, as well as articles from the Phillipsburg News-Dispatch and Long Island New Leaf. Illustrated with photos. From the Norton County, KSGenWeb site.

http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/norton/disasters/tornado/tornado.htm

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