The Daily Oklahoman
Thursday May 11, 1905
Special to Oklahoman from Hobart, O.T.
TORNADO WIPES OUT TOWN OF SNYDER
Five Hundred People Said to Have Been Killed and Injured --- No Details Obtainable
The Town Reported to Have Been Demolished ---
Relief Trains Sent Out from Hobart and Chickasha This Morning With Physicians
and Nurses
Hobart, O. T., May 11 ---2 a. m. --- The town of Snyder, 32 miles south of here, was practically destroyed by a cyclone tonight, and it is reported that five hundred people have been killed and injured.
Details are almost impossible to obtain. The wires, both telegraph and telephone, are down west and south of here. Conflicting rumors fill the town and all is excitement in preparation for going to the scene of the tornado by any conveyance possible. A special train left here at 2 o’clock carrying nurses, physicians and many others.
. The Oklahoman exhausted every effort early this morning to ascertain the extent of the disaster at Snyder, but no details could be learned further than that the town was destroyed and a large number of people killed and injured. It was impossible to reach any point further than Hobart. Even Lawton was cut off, the storm evidently having passed east of Snyder. At Chickasha, physicians and nurses were called up and the Frisco sent a special train for the scene of the disaster [sic]. All towns in the vicinity available were telephoned from Hobart asking for aid.
The storm broke over the town at 11 o’clock in the night, and all wires were blown down cutting off communication instantly. The first news of the disaster came from Hobart, to which point meager information drifted, and no further facts were obtainable.
A relief train leaves Oklahoma City at 5 o’clock this morning over the Frisco.
The latest advices from Hobart, which came in about 4:30 this morning, give the estimate of the number of dead at between 350 and 400. The storm struck the town from the southwest, traveling north until about 100 yards south of the O. C. & W. track, then it turned to the northeast, striking through the business section, destroying a large hotel and business blocks, cotton gins, etc. North of the track not a building is left standing.
Dead bodies are said to be scattered all over the streets and surrounding country. The streets are piled with debris. The first special relief train, which was sent from Hobart, arrived at the scene about 4 o’clock.
Fort Worth, Texas, May 11 --- J. M. Eagan, agent of the Frisco at Snyder who is reported killed was formerly superintendent of telegraph for the Frisco system and was one of the best known telegraphers in the west.
FOLLOWED BY FIRE --- BUSINESS BUILDINGS BURNED IN
ONE
BLOCK AFTER TORNADO PASSED.
Special to the Oklahoman.
Hobart, Okla., May 11, (8:51 p. m.) To add to the general confusion and distress
after the cyclone at Snyder had passed, fire broke out and burned up all of
what remained of the buildings upon one of the business blocks. So far it
has not been possible to find out whether or not any bodies were cremated
but it is highly possible that such is the case.
An unidentified woman was picked up dead, having been pinioned to the ground
by a scantling which entered her left eye and came out through the back of
her head.
Clarence Donovan and Miss Nina Fessendad were to have been married last night,
but had just postponed the nuptials until this morning when the cyclone struck.
Both were instantly killed.
Severe Rain Storm
Lawton, Okla., May 11 – Two severe wind and rain
storms visited southwest Oklahoma and Indian Territory yesterday. The first
one came in the forenoon and extended entirely across the southern portion
of Oklahoma and Indian Territory, damaging a number of town and farm houses.
The second arose at 8 o’clock last night. It traveled across the country
from the southwest and divided a few miles out from Lawton. One portion extended
eastward and the other northwest. Both were accompanied by hail that did some
damage to crops.