Our Past Is Present June 9, 2017

June 9, 2017

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

           

            Yesterday’s story was about the flood of 1908.  Today’s story takes us back to June of 1905, when a tornado struck the northeast part of Jefferson Township in Geary County at about 10:00 in the evening.  It caused a great deal of damage to property and crops.  The first flood took place near the crossing of the Kaw River.  This was the Country Club on Whiskey Lake. Tents and camper’s outfits were carried off into adjoining fields.  Some of the fourteen persons were there to spend the night and they took refuge in the clubhouse where they had to remain.  Big trees were broken by the force of the wind.  Further away from the river, the storm seemed to gather force.  At Jake Boiler’s place corn cribs and a windmill were blown away.  At John Cameron’s farm the out buildings and front porch to the farmhouse were wrecked.  Mr. Cameron had finished putting up two stacks of alfalfa a few hours before the storm came and in the morning there was nothing to show where the stacks had been.  The wind turned the large barn on John McIntyre’s place on its foundation, and the back part of Mrs. Rasmussen’s house was blow away.  Clarks Creek was out of its banks in the morning and it was impossible to cross the Coffey, Settgast or Conrow bridges with teams of horses on account of the water being as much as ten feet deep on the approaches. 

            We have had some strong winds lately, but apparently nothing the tornado of 1905.