Area Heavily Damaged; No Injuries Reported Tonkawans have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving week following a harrowing Monday night when a savage tornado raked through the city from southwest to the northeast causing millions of dollars in damage with nothing more than minor injuries reported.The fast moving storm hit the city at 7:59 p.m. and immediately knocked out electrical service in most of the eastern portion of the city. There was no warning that the tornado was in the area although some portions of the state were under severe weather alert. Tonkawa was not included.The storm, which has been confirmed as a tornado by Civil Defense director Eddie Manley, entered the city just east of the Salt Fork river bridge inflicting heavy damage on the Marvin Hise garage on South Main, The Tonkawa Foundry, Carl True Grain, Co. fertilizer plant, and Williams Rock Bit copper plating shop. It then proceeded up to the 200 block on So. Fourth where many trees were knocked down, then to 2nd Street and up to the 200 block of No. Third to hit the Tonkawa High school a devastating blow and proceeded northeasterly to the K. C. Smith farm where a garage and barn were destroyed. It proceeded up 177 causing REA electric poles to lean to the east, struck the Arkla Gas company town border station where a relief valve was broken, allowing the gas to escape for about an hour before it was shut off.Tonkawa tornado tales“It was just like being in The Poseidon Adventure,” one young lady said Monday night after the tornado. Along with other 4-H members who were attending a meeting in the high school library, she scrambled under a table when window glass shattered. “Then we walked single file, holding hands, through lots of glass . . . and in the dark too” she exclaimed.George Kreger and Robert Prelesnick took candles made by men of the Habor Light Club to residents on Third and Fourth streets who were without electricity and any means of light. The two went door to door with trays of candles. “And how we appreciated them,” the residents said!Residents in the west part of town knew it was raining hard, but many didn’t realize central and east Tonkawa tornado damage until they received long distance calls from anxious relatives who had heard the 10 p.m. television news. Among them, Austin Barker ...
