Volume 15 , Issue 20

Oklahoma Visited By Disastrous Storms (30 May 1909)

It was a Sunday morning, front page headlines, in the Bismarck Daily Tribune, in Bismarck, North Dakota, that we find mention of "Oklahoma Again Visited By Disastrous Storms - Many Reported Killed." The news story begins on the front page and continues over to page 12.

Floods added horror to devastation worked by winds that day as wires were down and full particulars were impossible at time of going to press. Many tornadoes were visible at same time, and people were driven from small towns were left homeless.

Oklahoma City, OK, May 29, 1909 -- Fifteen and probably more people were killed in a tornado that devastated the Oklahoma towns of Keywest and Depew.

Forty or more were injured. At least ten were killed in Keywest. That figure was confirmed by a number of people who fled just before the storm. Five were dead at Depew.

The tornado swept over a wide stretch of farming country. Wires were down nd many rumors of death and destruction at isolated points could not be confirmed that night.

Following the wind came a deluge of rain. Floods then added their terrors to the situation. The wreckage of Keywest soon was flooded by rising waters. Practically nothing was left of the town of 200 inhabitants. Rescuers hastened tot he place, but could not cross Salt Creek, which had become a raging torrent.

A few inhabitants of Keywest crossed the stream before the rise made it impossible. The confirm reports that at least ten negroes were killed and twice that number wounded.

Among the injured was a young woman named Brace. She was in the post office and the building was blown away. She was seriously hurt. The residence of J. L. Hart was demolished after having been rolled over a half dozen times wight he occupants inside. Mrs. Hart's back was broken; a little girl's limb was wrenched, and Hart and two other children were seriously injured.

Depew was destroyed by a double twister that was formed from that striking Keywest and traveled in a northeasterly direction, and another coming front he east. The tornado wiped out Depew, then pushed northeast, spreading its force presumably a few miles further on.

Small tornadoes followed in rapid succession in an atmosphere, that was nearly humid. They rose high in the air, circled about the dipped. As many as five were observed during the display. The little tornadoes had spent their forces when the big one came at 5 o'clock. Preceding and following it were terrific rain and hail storms. The streets of Stroud and Sapulpa were veritable rivers.

A newspaper man tried at 10 o'clock tonight to reach Keywest, but was turned back by the high waters. Not a wire was working in that part of the state and towns within a radius of ten to twenty miles had heard unconfirmed rumors.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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