Geneva, NE Area Tornado, Jun 1908 - Laid Waste by Wind

LAID WASTE BY WIND

WILD TEMPEST IN NEBRASKA KILLS MANY

MORE THAN A SCORE ARE DEAD

Many Others who are Wounded Will Swell Death Roll---Property Loss Incalculable at Present.

Omaha, June 8.----Reports received here place the known dead in the southern Nebraska tornado of Friday evening at twenty-two, and possibly twenty-five, with three or four points yet to hear from, and a correspondingly large list of injured. With every line of communication by wire closed to the stricken points it has been well-nigh impossible to secure details of the destruction wrought by the tornado, but sufficient has been received to show that it is the worst of its kind which has ever visited the state, both in loss of life and destruction of property.

Fresh News Is Bad News.

As meager reports come in the casualty list grows, each succeeding report from the different towns, adding from one to three dead and several injured. Homeless and helpless, more that two hundred people, members of farmers' families, have sought refuge in such homes as were not in the path of the storm, or were fortunate enough to escape without serious damage. Not a head of live stock is left in the wake of the tornado, and crops are utterly destroyed. Between Byron and Deshler the greatest loss of life occurred, twelve persons being killed outright and several receiving injuries from which they cannot recover.

List of the Known Dead.

The list of known dead and injured is as follows:

LULU SMITH, domestic at Shively home, near Geneva;
IRENE SHIVELY, aged four, near Geneva;
Mrs. MAUD CARTER and Baby CARTER, at Carleton;
two children of Mr. Small, near Guide Rock;
HENRY MADISON, near Franklin;
Mrs. AUGUST FENTELL and ELIJAH ARTENBRICHT, near Shickley;
Baby FLEMING, drowned near Fairfield;
JOHN AUSTIN, wife and son;
______ FENTELL, seventeen-year-old son of Mrs. AUGUST FENTELL;
two daughters of Mrs. C. SIMPEL;
one entire family, four to six members, names unknown----all near Byron.

Fatally and Badly Hurt.

Fatally injured--- John SHIVELY and Ross SHIVELY, Geneva;
John MERRIAM, Shickley;
Press BAILEY, Carleton;
August FENTELL, near Shickley.

Seriously injured---Mrs. John SHIVELY and A. F. McREYNOLDS, Fairfield;
Mrs. AUSTIN and one child; Miss YOUNG, near Riverton;
Mrs. BENNETT, near Geneva; Lester CARTER and second child, Carleton.

The Iowa City Citizen, Iowa City, IA 8 Jun 1908