Eskridge, Kansas
Tornado
April 12, 1911
At Eskridge a High School Was Demolished
and Twenty Pupils Suffered Injuries.
A day of sultriness and wind that blew straight
ahead with great velocity gave rise to a tornado
in Central Kansas about 4 o’clock yesterday
afternoon.
The storm started near Eskridge, in Wabaunsee
County, about twenty-five miles southwest of
Topeka, and traveled in a northeasterly
direction. It was the old-fashioned twisting
wind and the funnel shaped cloud and wherever it
dipped down to earth houses, barns, live stock –
everything in its path – was caught up and
dashed to the earth again.
Besides Eskridge, Netawake and Whiting in
Jackson County, Powhattan, Hiawatha and Robinson
in Brown County and other smaller towns were
partly wrecked. Four persons were killed and
upwards of fifty injured in this stretch of
country.
George M. Scott,
an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe engineer, who was
in Eskridge at the time of the storm, says at
least fifteen houses were blown down.
After he left Eskridge, Scott said he could
see the tornado sweeping across the country for
a distance of ten miles, overturning houses,
barns, and sheds in its path. He heard of no one
being killed in Eskridge.
Benjamin Resch,
a fireman in Scott’s engine, was blown out of
the cab window and hurled across the street. The
only injury he sustained was a slight cut on his
head.
TOPEKA, April 12. – The storm struck
Eskridge about 4 o’clock. The high school
building, a 2-story brick structure, was blown
down and twenty pupils injured.
The storm seemed to form southeast of Eskridge
and it moved across the town towards the
northeast. Eight houses were blown down and
about twenty residences and other buildings
damaged.
The Kansas City Times, Kansas City, MO 13
Apr 1911

Eskridge is 25 miles south of Topeka, Kan.
The storm struck at 3 o’clock. The new high
school building was blown down and 20 students
were injured. It is not believed that any of
them were fatally wounded.
The Lima Daily News, Lima, OH 13 Apr 1911

Children Injured.
Eskridge, Kan., April 12. – A tornado
tore through the eastern part of this place at 4
o’clock last evening from the southwest, tearing
buildings to pieces and injuring a number of
children who were leaving the school.
Daniel Cousins
was seriously hurt, but is improved this
morning. Thirty children were slightly injured.
Ben Resch,
a Santa Fe fireman, was hit by a flying timber
and seriously hurt. Thirty houses were blown
down or damaged.
The house of Robert
Strathern, six miles northeast of
town, was destroyed and
Mrs. Claire Rutledge, a married
daughter, had an arm broken. The barn of
Arthur Clark,
in the same neighborhood, was destroyed.
The property loss here will be upward of
$50,000.
The Evening Standard, Ogden City, UT 13
Apr 1911

The injured....
Ben Resch,
fireman on the Santa Fe train, injured at
Eskridge by being hit with a flying scantling.
Thirty-five children and a number of adults
at Eskridge.
The Galveston Daily News, Galveston, TX
13 Apr 1911

INJURED
Benjamin Resch
of Eskridge, Santa Fe fireman, blown from
engine and bruised
Mary Bell, 10 years old, of Eskridge,
ankle sprained, face cut.
William McCaulley, pupil at Eskridge
School, bruised.
John Cousins, pupil at Eskridge, Kas.,
School, skull fractured; condition dangerous.
Eldon Parmiter, pupil at Eskridge
School, scalp cut and body bruised.
Henry McKee, pupil at Eskridge
School, bruised.
Warren Duff, pupil at Eskridge
School, bruised.
William Parmiter of Eskridge,
bruised.
A. H. Seymore of Eskridge, injured
when rock was dislodged from foundation of his
house.
Mrs. Claire Rutledge of Eskridge, one
arm broken.
Claire Rutledge, head cut.
The Kansas City Times, Kansas City, MO 14
Apr 1911
Transcribed by
Jenni Lanham. Thank you,
Jenni!

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