105 years ago

may 31, 1917

A cyclone that killed 30 or more people in Sedgwick and Harvey Counties last Friday lapped over into the southern edge of Marion County and did quite a little damage.

Among those damaged, the Cal Riggs place northwest of Florence was practically destroyed, two windmills were down on John Snelling’s place, and a hen house was destroyed and the roof taken from a barn at Harry Cole’s.

W.J. Pratt, having purchased the Kansas Cash Store, has moved it to the Knott building one door west of Foust’s Racket Store and has purchased nearly a whole new stock. He now has one of the neatest and best groceries in eastern Kansas.

Edwin Hayen, son of Edward Hayen, east of town, visited home folks a short time ago and has now passed his examinations and been sent to Fort Sam Houston in Texas to train with the U.S. Aviation Corps. His brother, Charles Hayen, left yesterday for Fort Logan to enter the service. As the other brother, Fred Hayen, is a member of the National Guard, the war falls heavily on this family.

Willis, 6-year-old son of Henry Hett, southwest of town, had his foot badly cut in a mowing machine Tuesday and is a patient in the hospital here. He is getting along nicely.

Straw, leaves, small pieces of shingle, and other stuff of that sort fell here last Friday afternoon during the heavy rain — coming as developed from the cyclone area 20 to 25 miles southwest.