Great Bend, Kansas Tornado
May
14, 1909
Kansas City, May 14. - - A series of tornadoes
in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma late today
killed at least seven, injured fifty-five, laid
waste one town, wrecked a
 train
and did great
damage to property. Twenty-five
were injured
 by a storm that
swept over Mount Washington and Fairmont park,
suburbs of Kansas City. At least two of
these are thought to be fatally injured and
others seriously.
Two Dead in Great Bend.
Near Great Bend a tornado killed two and
injured twenty. All wires were down in
that vicinity, and it is feared that the death
list may be great.
William Ackerly, a Santa Fe engineer, and
Frank Nicholson, a conductor, were killed while
with a bridge gang between Great Bend and
Kinsley. The tornado wrecked the work
train, of which Ackerly was engineer and blew it
into a ditch. Several members of the crew
were blown 100 feet. The piledriver
toppled over, crushing Ackerly to death in his
cab, where he remained with his hand on the
throttle.
Following are those injured in the Great Bend
storm: Lester Preston, Ranson Middaugh,
Portor Thomas, R. E. Rucker, R. M. Brown, T. E.
Fulkerson, Clarence Avery, Brakeman Murray.
Twelve unidentified.
Most of the victims in this case were members
of the Santa Fe bridge crew in the train wrecked
by the wind. The wind spread over a large
area, injuring many whose names could not be
obtained tonight. Many conflicting reports
have been received. One had ten killed.
The Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln,
NE, 15 May 1909
William Ackerly, a Santa Fe engineer, and
Frank Nicholson, a conductor, were killed while
with a bridge gang between Great Bend and Kindsley.
The tornado wrecked the train on which
Ackerly was engineer and blew it into the ditch.
Most of the victims were members of the Santa Fe
gang. The wind spread over a wide area and
injured many whose names cannot be obtained
tonight. Conflicting reports are received,
one saying that ten were killed.
The Durango Democrat, Durango, CO, 15
May 1909
 Great Bend Tribune, Great Bend, KS
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