The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-05

and they were Immediately carried "a
their respective homes.
At thirteenth and Walnut streets,
at Odd Fellows hall q colored lodge
was in session. About eight colored
men were slightly injured and it was
at first reported they were killed
From Seventh and the river as iar
down as can be seen one continuous
sea Of desolation meets the eye and
bewilders thousands OF spectators
who never dreamed of anything SO
horrible. On Chestnut street from
Thirteenth to Seventeenth almost the
entire neighborhood was wrecked.
The devastation through the streets
surrounding Baxter square was com
piete, and at the same time the most
ireakish. st. Johns church was com.
pletely wrecked, trees in the parks
were uprootsd, foundations we're laid
fat and the very mud from the streets
was raked up and dashed against the
wrecked houses and walls. The.freak'
ish tornado took the middle Of the
LouisvilI City Railway company's
building leaving the north and south
ends intact. It looks as II an i'm.
mense scoop had been torn out OF the
middle.
The track OF the tornado ended at
Twelfth street on Jefferson, and while
destruction between Eleventh and
Twelfth streets was so terrible the
block between Twelfth and Thir.
teenth was intact, except an unroofed
house or two, besides the city rail.
way eompany's building. The scene
at the ruins Of Virgil Wright's cigar
store, at 1:20 o'clock this afternoon,
when four bruised and mangled bodies
OF Louisville hotel laundry girls were
found was simply horrible. A huge
mass OF humanity, actuated by curl
osity, made q rush for the debris
when it was announced bodies were
protruding, and it took the moral
suasion oil q squad OF police, armed
with strong billies, to keep them back.
-Four untortunates were found IN the
cellar, directly at the spot under what
was the second floor front room.
They were wedged in 50 tightly suffo-
cation must have been swift, and
picks had to be used to remove them.
They were horribly cut and maualed.
The coroner and q corps OF assist
ants he has pressed into service are
assiduously at work gathering what
ever information concerning the dead
and missing that can possibly be had
IN the confusion that exists on the
scene OF the catastrophe, Reporters
have assisted him greatly in the work,
though there is scarcely man in the
terror-stricken, gaping crowd chat
hangs about the ruins who can tell an
intelligent story, or whose statements
regarding the missing and killed can
be relied upon.
On Main street between Tenth and
Eleventh q street car was lifted bodily
from the track and hurled with such
force against the side Of one OF the
brick walls as to not only demolish
the car entirety but to almost Instant
ly kill the team OF mules attached to
1t. Along Market, Main and Jefferson
streets all the telegraph and telephone
poles have been blown down and the
wires strung across the street like
tangled braid. Trees have all been
or twisted from their stumps,
except q row OF sturdy beech that
defied the fury OF the elements. By
far the
GREATEST LOSS OF LIFE
at any one place was at Twelfth and
Market, where several different orders
and societies had met in Falls city
hall. 1t 10 difficult to estimate the
number OF lives lost at this point. 1t
was currently reported at 4p. m. that
seventy-five bodies had been recover.
ed, but an associated press reporter
found the number did not exceed per-
baps three fourths OF that number.
The remains as fast as recovered, are,
in the absence of q nlorgue. distribut.
ed among the various undertaking es-
adjustments.
On Market street in q number OF
places the front walls OF buildings are
torn out and the remainder left stand
ing. 1t seems as il the angry elements
had q special mission to wipe from
the lace OF the earth Louisville's to-
bacco business, which is famed over
the world. Only three warehouses
are left standing where fourteen were
fourishing yesterday. Henry Glover,
proprietor OF the Louisville ware
house, said this morning business
was stopped for the present. 1--WE
will not only lose our houses" he
said, "but much OF the stock, unless
the rain holds back. The loss OF to.
bacco will not be great, il we have
time to move it, but the loss by sus.
pension OF business will be considera.
BILE. We are now engaged in moving
hogsheads OF tobacco. OF course we
canpot get q cent OF insurance. !
cou not approximate our lost"
The women--blees theml--are dolno
great work. In the daily papers here
appears notice that the women's g
exchange will be open day and night
to dispense hot soups and other edi-
bles to the sufferers. All In need oil
them are invited to call aud get what
they want, and families having devas
tated homes are invited to send for
TODD. - r
Late in the afternoon Mayor ia.
cobs placed the devastated district
under martial rule. Shortly alter,
wards Chief OF Police Taylor ordered
the department under his charge to
arrest any suspicious character found
upon the scene OF the disaster, and
every person caught in the act OF pill.
Laying houses or robbing bodies
Members OF the Louisville legion on
guard were placed under the chiefs
charge, and the next night they were
patrolling the streets in the wrecked
vicinity in squads.
The loss OF property will be nearly
doubled IL heavy rain tails within AZ
hours. There has been some snow re
Gently which melted at once, but not
enough TO do any considerable dam
age. The principle single item OF prop
erty Ia danger is tobacco, OF which
100000 worth Is exposed.
s.H# ar'
.