The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-04-05
Loss of Life Estimated at
Possibly Eight Hundred.
Millions Lost in Money and Suffering
tncalculable.
Forcwarned But Not Forearmed-Th
ing Events of n Night of Woe and
Agony City Filled With
Msagled Dead and Bleed
ting Injured.

LOUISVILLE KY, March 29.--The great tor
nado of Thursday evening did not steal upon
this city like n thief in the night
For three or four days the gathering tempest
| had been apparent TO the Signal Service ap
proachirg from the northwest, and note oi
| warning had been sent to the city on Wednes
day. But the citizens looked upon It as case
of "Wolt! wolff and paid no attention TO 1t,
and went to their places of amusement their
business or their homes without serious
thought OF danger or fear OF the approaching
blast
| Its approach was heralded by pealing thun.
der Slnding lightning and a rolling mass OF
dense. black clouds that conveyed full warning
TO sober minds who considered the conditions
| that surrounded them. This buster OF the ele-
ments continued for considerable while, so that
| many people found sufficient time to close their
| houses and prepare for heavy storm. They
| did not, OF course. anticipate II tornado, and
many houses on the edges OF the tornado were
| left in condition that made them more easy
conquest of the approaching destroyer. when
| they might possibly have been secured against
it. To those in the center of its path no precau-
| tor could have availed against its cohcentra-
| ton of devastating power
| a silent clock upon wall In one OF the dis
manted houses records the hour of SEQ p. M,
! and that must have been the time the center OF
the tornado touched the city. Beyond the city
| there are evidences that it was, perhaps u
narrowed as it approached, and its full force
was concentrated into the space of about three
blocks for the assault upon the great city.
From the extreme southwestern corner OF
the city across TO the river, in q northeasterly
direction, is track of ruin and desolation such
rs has never been seen before. No building
was able to withstand its force that stood in
/ the center of its path. Towering massive
structures OF brick and stone were crushed TO
pieces like eggshells, and the debris scattered
FAR and wide.
The belt extends ut Nineteenth street across
tine city in direct line northeast taking in al
most all OF the suburb OF California Kentucky,
Maple, Lexington. Broadway, Magazine. Chest
, nut and Walnut streets from Fourteenth west
10 Nineteenth street On Walnut street the
belt extends from Thirteenth west to Six
Seenth, and the same space is covered on Green
and Grayson streets. On jefferson street IL
came from Thirteenth street up almost to
Tenth, and on Market street, from Twelfth to
Ninth. On Main street 1t commenced its work
of devastation ut Eleventh street and extended
up rs far as midway OF the square between
Sixth and Seventh, showing that II took some
what of n Zig-Zag course ut this point. Thence
on to the river 1t swept moving down a belt
from Sixth to Ninth streets.
1t swept on across the river lashing the water
INTO fury and plowing giant furrow through 1t,
and'went crushing through Jefiersonville, leav-
ing wreck nine blocks wide in its track. Then,
whirled around and came back across the city
demolishing the Water Works and all else in
its way and continued ON its course OF dcstruc
rion southeast. How far IL went in that way and
upon what quarters II LAID its mighty weight is
not known at this time.
Beneath the ruins piled up in the track OF the
tornado lie the bodies OF hundreds OF people.
How many hundreds is not known; some place
IT as high eight. Many have already been
taken out crushed. mangled and dead, and
volunteer hands digging IN the twisted.
matted debris for the bodies OF hundreds OF
Others known to he there.
Thousands OF people were to-day at work all
over the extensive mass OF wrcckagc. seeking
for the bodies OF the dead, and 10 was u mourn
ful sight TO see There Is no present means of
estimating the loss Of life. The best efforts
humanity can employ are being made 10 recov-
'er bodies where 1t is known people have perish
ed. and all the time reports come OF others
missing from among the living.
II is positively asserted by those in n position
10 know that in Falls City Hall alone there were
not less than three hundred people, and yeser-
day afternoon only about "A score were accounted
for alive, and nearly seventy dead bodies had
fDedn'recovered. In this building there were
Swo lodge meetings and a dancing school in
progress. In the midst OF the solemn service of
the one and the Giddy whrl of the other The
overwhelming destruction came. with only the
warming OF an earthquake like wrenching of the
victory shout Of a triumphant monster.
Horror beyond description seized all. Every
one who could be led to recall The experiences
OF Thursday night was without words 10 express
them. '1oadd to the horror the fires IN the de-
sirOyed buildings, many OF which were the
ordinary CRATE fires, igntcd the ruins aud con-
sumed the imprisoned living and the mangled
ssudia rcientlessly as the debris that held them
tight against the possibility OF rescue by those
who. driven back by the scoi ching flames were
forcod to listen to the agonizng shrIcks OF the
living and let them die.
The tornado passed rapidly away and then
tN wurSof rescue began. Thousands who live
In other districts OF the city crowded the streets
where che ruin had been wrought minglng
wtl those who had escaped and were looking
for loved .ones who had failed to turn up. As
eadn body was,earricd into the improvised dead
houses a dozen or moro people crowded 10 see
II II was the corpse OF some missing frlend or
relaNise.
All night the search continued. the labors of
the resouefs being lighted by bonnres made OF
the Gsioris'df therTuined houses, and day dawned
upon time works still unfinished. Death. sorrow
and dissolution Tegned everywhere Nearly NIL
business was suspended. and the energy OF the
city wsns giyenrto the work OF recovering the
dead and the relieEof the stricken. Millions Of
properly has been destroyed, and there rs no
insurance against ssnch " calamity as this.
Whole DiOcks OF business houses and ware
or abosft eighteen squares there is scarcely a
building that win not have 10 be razed 10 the
ground TO complete the'work where the tornado
failed. The @al4 have been so wrecked and
cracked when not totally prostrated that they
are no longer safe.
One is at a losste ,conveJ to one who has not
seen the wpselS AN adea of the terrible force
that wrought It, Standing at Baxter Park and
looking toward the Ohio river, the tornado has
pl0SHed fugyow Through tae town a square
wiae, converting the huildngC that opposed ii
into heaps OF rilsRs Gp either side OF this main
furinsg the buildings Aape b8en damaged In
many ways, increasing tine width OF the path OF
the tornado TO three or fonr squares.
The great center of death is TIE Falls City |
Hall, where more than two hundred men, wom- |
en- and children are entotnbed. n is situated |
on Market street. near Twelfth. The structure |
waa three stories In height and wI1en struck |
oy the tornado several meetings were being
,eld within it, The loss OF life at this place far
'rceeds that at any other one locality. and OF
he great number known 10 be under the debris
I is certain that none will be recovered alive |
The ruins are now scarcely one.story high, SO
borough was the work OF the wind
on the second door OF this building Miss App
vas teaching dancing class OF young chil
lrcn. and there we're present the mothers,
athers and other attendants OF the gay iuye-
liles In one OF the rooms on this floor the ex.
cutiye body OF the Roman Knights was In ses.
ion. OF the seven members present all es-
aped but one
nd Ladies OF Honor. was holding meeting
nd there were u lbQ tmbcrs present when