The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1889-01-18

over tnirty neau nnn u numDof hto ssits
missing, and there is but n belief, and
that is that probably q dozen or more OK
the missing arc still beneath the debris.
The coroner Inns summoned o jury, and
tomorrow will begin nm inquest on tho
bodies.
Five men were roasted to death in the
Reading railroad carpenter shop. They
will hold no inquest on the silk mill un-
Ill they nre satisfied that all are taken
out.
Mr.. Grimshaw, the lessee OF the mill.
estimates the number dead at from thir-
ty-fiye to forty. A number are so seri-
ously injured that they will die.
The loss to the railroad company by
burning Of the paint shops and passen-
ger cars is probably 1856, 900. The loss
TO the silk mill and machinery is about
$t10, 900.
An associated press reporter was at
the silk mill all night and Witnessed
some most heartrendlng scenes. Rela-
tiyes and friends were running about in
their frenzy and grief seeking for lost
ones as though deranged.
The incoming trains this morning con-
tinued pouring into this city their
crowds OF strangers, and ut Don it was
estimated that 10, 900 persons surrounded
the scene of the silk mill disaster.
These greatly interfered with the work
of, removing the debris and taking out
the dead and finally the Reading artille-
~, the city's only military organization,
were called ont and ordered to the ruins
to keep back the crowds. This morning
eight more bodies were taken from the
ruins. The confusion is great, and q full
list Of the dead and injured is not OBJ
.l1 Ix...1 h.. han
contributed for the relief of the sufferers
and benefits have also been arranged.
The latest estimate of the killed has
been reduced to fifty, but this is uncer-
tain, as no one knows how many human
beings still lie beneath the mountain OF
brick, mortar and timber.
The cyclone left the entire city In
darkness, which was only relieved by
the electric lights and huge bonfires,
which shed their lurid glare on the
scene of death. All night long brave
| and willing hands assisted in the work
| of rescuing the victims of the mill acct
dent. The list of fatal cases will reach
100, and may be more. The hospitals
and undertaking establishments are
filled with victims. Physicians are all
busy, and many private houses have
been opened for ire accommodation OF
the injured.
The work of rescue was greatly re-
tarded by the singular manner In which
the mill collapsed. 1t did not fall, but
was bodily crushed down, falling in
upon itself. Not n vestige of the walls
are remaining standing above the stone
| foundation, the rafters and timbers OF
the flooring projecting in all directions.
| As the building was steam heated, the
ruins did not take fire, otherwise not
one of the unfortunates could possibly
have escaped death in its most appalling
form.
The only eyewitness to the disaster,
so far as is known, was Mrs. Gennill, re-
siding on Mulberry street. AT about
twenty minutes of six o'clock" said she
to n reporter, 81 heard an awful crash,
and thinking it wa the new house which
is being put up along side of us, / ran to
the front door. A great cloud of dust
hung over the silk mill, and L could hear
the crashing of timbers and the roar Of
the falling walls. The next moment /
saw the mill n great heap Of ruins, from
the midst of which came such awful
grooming and moaning and terrible cries
as I never want to hear again. Not q
soul did I see come out OF the mill, and
it seemed many minutes to me before
anybody came to the spot. I stood
there in the door, like one struck dumb,
until my husband came running from
his work"
Teams of every description, omni-
buses, funeral coaches, fire wagons,
hospital vans, and private vehicles were
pressed into service, and were running
rapidly to and from the scene of disas-
ter all night long, bearing the bodies of
the wounded, dying and dead to their
homes or the various hospitals.
George Grimshaw, one of the propr1-
etors of the mill who was in the Office at
the time and barely escaped with kis
life, having received several severe
wounds on his head, stated there were,
to the best of his knowledge, about two
hundred and seventy-five persons, prin-
cipally girls and boys, in the establish
ment at the time of the occurrence.