Center in Van Wert Co.

     Lima, O., March 9. - First reports over crippled wires late tonight indicated that at least ten persons lost their lives tonight in a tornado which swept over northwestern Ohio, centering in Van Wert county on the Ohio - Indiana line.
     Traction officials tonight reported that towns and cities in adjacent counties have been struck by a wind storm of tornado velocity and that at least two persons have been killed.  A number of homes and farm buildings have been wrecked.  The roof of a stone crusher, situated a half mile from Middle Point Van Wert county, was blown off and fell within the city.  It was at Middle Point, where the casualties occurred.

Family Wiped Out.

     One family at Van Wert was wiped out when their house was blown down by the cyclone tonight, and several houses were lifted across the Pennsylvania railroad tracks, according to reports to the Ohio electric railway dispatcher's office here.  Conditions west of Van Wert are critical  Farmers have started out to hunt victims in houses which were blown down.
     The home of Abram Showalter, three miles south of Convoy, Van Wert county, were wrecked by the storm, it is reported, and it is feared that he, his wife and five children may have perished.
     According to meager reports from Van Wert, Ohio, the entire Wells family of five was killed.  This brings the known dead from the tornado to six, a baby having been killed at Middle Point.  Further deaths have been reported between Middle Point and Convoy, but these reports cannot be confirmed as wires are down.

Many Towns Struck

     Van Wert, Ohio, Mar. 9. - A cyclone a quarter of a mile wide and more than twenty miles long, struck Harrison, Union, Hoaglin and Washington townships in Van Wert county, at six o'clock tonight, wrecking farm homes and buildings and blowing down telegraph and telephone communications so that the loss of life and extent of injuries cannot be ascertained tonight.
     So far two persons are known to be dead and many injured.  Mrs. James Geyer of Harrison township, died at a hospital here from injuries received when her home was blown away.  Rex Ley, aged 12, was killed at Middle Point.  Several persons injured are being brought to the county hospital.
     It also is reported that the towns of Holgate and Halmer, Ohio, west of Leipsic, have been practically destroyed by a tornado.
     Appeals for immediate help have gone out to the adjacent cities.

Four Killed at Richey

     Fort Wayne, Ind., Mar. 9.  The Pennsylvania dispatcher here was informed that four persons were believed to have been killed by the storm at Richey, a few miles east of Convey, Ohio.  Pennsylvania trains are tied up at this point.

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     St. Louis, Mo., Mar. 9. - A wind storm that reached a velocity of 101 miles an hour struck St. Louis today and did considerable damage.  This high velocity lasted only half a minute, however, but for hours the wind blew at a rate ranging fro 50 to 72 miles.

Alternates.

     Launcelot C. Perry, Ohio City; Harvey J. Branam, Van Wert; Ira L. Lewis, Convoy; Russel B. Walters, Van Wert; Benjamin H. Handwerk, Ohio City; John K. Vlack, Van Wert.

Like a Kansas "Twister"

     The tornado came in the form of an old fashioned Kansas twister.  It would swoop down, wreck several farmhouses, then jump from a half to five miles before doing more damage.  The small loss of life is attributed to the fact that the tornado traveled mostly through open country, skipping towns and villages.
     Most of the damage was done in Van Wert county where five of the six known dead were killed at or near Middlepoint, Van Wert county.  The tornado swept a path from 100 yards to half a mile wide.
     Most of the injured in Van Wert county were taken to the Van Wert county hospital where several operations were performed by the light of small electric pocket lights, the city light plant having been put out of commission.

Big Boulders Carried.

     Queer pranks were played by the twister.  Big boulders weighing tons were lifted from their resting places of years and carried a distance.  Hundreds of chickens had all of their feathers blown off although they were unhurt otherwise.  One small chicken was blown high in the air and landed on a telephone pole, from where it was rescued today.  In numerous instances houses were lifted from the foundations and carried into adjoining fields.  In one case a heavy kitchen stove was carried half a mile by the tornado and was deposited in a field undamaged.
     Throughout the storm district hundreds of persons received minor injuries caused by flying glass and debris.  Twelve persons are reported seriously injured.

Girl Blown Into Barbed Wire.

     Near Miller City the tornado struck the home of Duke Lamison, a half mile away, and destroyed the house and barns.  Mary Lamison, age 8 years, was hurled through the air and landed in a barbed wire fence, 50 feet away.  She was unable to extricate herself until her father discovered her a half hour later.
     In the Cloverdale neighborhood, south of Continental, the three weeks old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Hitchcok was hurled through a window and landed in a cornfield, 250 feet away.  She was only slightly bruised and was rescued by neighbors, who were attracted by her lusty yells nearby an hour later.

Estimate Injured at Fully 100

     FT. WAYNE, Ind., Mar. 10 - The tornado which swept over Van Wert county and other parts of northwestern Ohio yesterday afternoon, killed five persons, hundreds of hogs, sheep and cattle and horses; created havoc among the farmers, whose homes and buildings were completely demolished or blown away, and injured fully a hundred persons.
     The storm came from the south and seemed to sweep over Van Wert county to the northwest in a wide circle barely missing the city of Van Wert and carrying debris from outlying farm houses into the streets of the town.
     At the John Wiseman home, five miles west of Van Wert, both Mr. and Mrs. Wiseman were severely injured, and Mrs. Geyer, mother of Mrs. Wiseman, sustained such serious injuries that she died a few minutes later, while being taken to the Van Wert county hospital.
     At Middlepoint, Rexford Lye, 10-year old son of Allie Lye, was standing at the door of a barn when the storm struck the Lye farm.  The lad was picked up by the wind, whisked around the corner of the building, which was falling, and was buried beneath the wreckage of the barn.  Mr. and Mrs. Lye were severely hurt.
     At the A. B. Showalter farm, two miles south of Convoy, every member of the family was injured, Myrtle, the 7 year old daughter receiving a double fracture of the jaw and Gaylord, the son, being badly-cut about the face and head.

Barn Flies Away from Him.

     John Wilmore, of near Van Wert was feeding his stock in his large new barn, when the storm swept over his farm.  By grapsing an iron-hook in the cement floor he was saved while the structure flew over him.
     Charles Kiel was driving to his farm south of Van Wert when the wind struck the road on which he was driving, killing his horse and driving a shaft of the buggy throug his side.  A passing automobile rushed the injured man to the county hospital, where he was operated upon under the light of electric torches and flashlights.
     Alde Kananski 8 year old daughter of a stone quarry worker near Van Wert sustained several deep gashes in the abdomen from flying glass.  She was operated upon but there is little chance that she will live.