Norton, Kansas Tornado
June
24, 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
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
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.
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