CYCLONE SWEPT THROUGH 
FLAT RIVER WEDNESDAY
Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, 
St. Francois Co. MO, June 1, 1917

A cyclone which left a trail of damage in its path, which will amount to thousands of dollars, swept through Flat River about 5 o'clock Wednesday evening. Its path was from about 25 to 50 yards wide and it was traveling in a northeasterly direction. Many persons received minor injuries but none were of a very serious nature.

The most miraculous escape from death was that of Mrs. Ben Topping and her son, Bryan, age 8. They lived in a small house owned by Dr. Topping, on the bank of the river just north of the first swinging foot bridge which crosses Flat river. The house was lifted high in the air, torn literally into kindling wood and the debris scattered over several blocks [see picture below]. Some pieces of the weather boarding were driven through the sides of houses over in the Crawley bottom. Mrs. Topping and Bryan were blown through the air a distance of about 150 yards and deposited in the river. Both escaped serious injury. Mrs. Topping sustained a painful cut in the forehead and Bryan was bruised up considerably. All of their furniture was completely destroyed. Mr. Topping, who is employed as a blacksmith at the Federal, was at work when the cyclone occurred.

The home of W. E. Justice was lifted from the foundation. Nearly every article of furniture in the house was turned over and more or less damaged. The roof of the new Y.M.C.A. building was damaged to the extent of about $300.

The Wesley house porch and roof were blown off and the building warped and twisted to the extent that it is almost a total wreck. Miss Julia Reed, housekeeper at the Wesley house, was out in the yard. She was picked up, hurled across the yard and sustained severe bruises. Several large trees in the yard were uprooted and the coal shed was blown over on the railway tracks.

Two houses owned by Mrs. Fannie Darling, at the rear of the Y.M.C.A. building, were blown off the foundations. The one fronting on Taylor avenue, occupied by L. R. Prather and Claud Thomas and families, was the most serious damaged of the two.

The house occupied by Elmer Henderson, in the Crawley bottom, was blown about ten feet off the foundation.

Three new houses which were almost completed, on the hill north of the Reuter mill, were almost completely wrecked. One of these was owned by Harry Jennings. He had taken out cyclone insurance, which went into effect at noon Wednesday. The other two houses were being built by Jesse McLain for Arthur Rhodes and Harry Brand. The loss will fall on Mr. McLain. He carried no insurance.

A two-room house, occupied by Austin Wood and family, was completely demolished. Mr. and Mrs. Wood saw the cyclone coming and took refuge in a gully. They escaped injury. All of their furniture was blown entirely away.

Others who sustained damage by roofs being stripped of shingles, chimneys blown down, sheds turned over, glass broken, etc., were Dr. H. M. Topping, Grandma Moody, Robert Kingsland, James Rader, Howard Jones, Robert Alexander, Lee Moore, B. Moore, M. J. Harlow, W. A. Webb, Harley Swofford, Sam Schrum, Church of Christ, Edward Crump, Rev. Harting, Dr. Magruder, Dave Phelan and Leonard Laws.

The twister was accompanied by a loud rumbling noise. The air in its path was filled with flying boards, shingles, pieces of trees and almost everything imaginable. It was darting up and down and at times resembled a large white, twisted ribbon. It ascended to a great distance just after passing the Y.M.C.A. building but as it neared the house occupied by Robert Kingsland it swooped down and picked up the house occupied by Mrs. Ben Topping and son. The fact that it gave considerable warning of its approach and its narrow path, which enabled people to get out its way, is probably responsible for the few accidents reported. For nearly five minutes before it struck here the air was filled with debris of all kinds and its path could be plainly discerned.