ALMOST WIPED OUT.

Sabotha, Kansas, Almost Blown Into Oblivion – Many Wounded.

Topeka, Kas., May 17. – A funnel-shaped cyclone struck the north part of the town of Sabotha, a small place northeast of here, near the Nebraska line, late this evening, destroying the Grand Island railroad depot and elevator and about twenty residences. Twenty or twenty-five people were wounded, several of whom will die. Twenty families were rendered homeless, losing everything they had. The cyclone passed off towards Falls City and evidently did great damage. Owing to darkness and heavy rain, particulars are hard to get at this hour.

Earlier in the evening a cyclone was seen to form over the town of Miltonvale, Kas., and struck the ground a few miles out of town, but did not do much damage there. It is probably this is the same cyclone that struck Sabetha.

All houses have been thrown open to the injured and all the doctors of the town are attending. The most seriously injured are:
Wr. Cary and his wife and eldest daughter, all badly hurt, the latter probably fatally.
Mrs. Elsie Murphy (colored), will die.
S. P. Hayes, buried beneath the ruins of his house; jaw broken and serious internal injuries.

The family of E. Horton were in their big block when the whole west side was blown out and the walls came tumbling down, but all escaped uninjured.

Sabotha, Kas., May 17. – A cyclone from the southwest struck Sabotha at 7:30 o’clock this evening and tore an ugly gap through the business and residence portions of the town. A score of buildings were destroyed and several persons badly injured, two of whom will probably die. The Rock Island depot was razed, together with a dozen residences in its vicinity. Five persons who were in the depot at the same time escaped without serious injury, though Mr. Ausin, the telegraph operator, was carried several blocks by the force of the wind. On Main street the front of nearly every store building was blown in. To-night a large force of men are patrolling the streets with lanterns and doing all they can to relieve the homeless.

The Wheeling Register, Wheeling WV 18 May 1896
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Transcribed by Jenni Lanham. Thank you, Jenni!