, 1890-04-16

lives, lt was at first believed, were Sacri.
feed to its mad fury. Fuller reports, how
ever, showed that the loss of life was
exaggerated, While an official statement put
forth tonight reduces the number OF the
Killed to Seventy-fve.
1t seems even now hardly possible that
so much damage could have been lone in
so short Il time. The tornado burSs upon
the city with absolutely no warning. 1t
lasted but a very short time then the skies
were cleared Of The sweeping clouds that
had obscured ,uem, and ing moou came
out to 5dsa It's soft light up0n such 4 scene
IS WAS never before witnessed here or
about here. Whole blocks of houses had
been moved down, demolished, crushed to
SnI.nterS. Hundreds, Of meu, women, and
childreN were buried in the shattered
ruins, and the bowling of the storm was
quick = Superseded by the frightful cries
OF those out OF whom the life had not been
altogether crushed.
Relief parties We're organized as quickly
as was humanity possible, and within ten
minutes alter the IooSened winds had sub.
sided hundreds Of willing hands were at
work IN the task OF rendering assistance
where it was needed.
The wrecked portion of the city lies be.
tween Eighteenth street, Broadway, Elev-
enth, and Main Streets the tornado having
passed ~dlagonally acrCSS the section, which
Is probably IL mile square. Probably the
greatest loss of life occurred at the Falls
City Hall, which was in the centre of the
tornado. In the lower rooms Of the hall
were from fifty to seveuty-fve children,
with their mothers and other relatives,
taking dancing lessons. There were at
least one hundred and twenty-five persons
on the lower floors and seventy five more
were attending a lodge meeting on the up.
per floor when the terrible wind swooped
down upon the bnil1ing. The entire strnct.
ure in less than FIVE inmates was n shape.
less mass of brick and mortar, buTying over
two hundred helpless victims in The ruins,
Of whom few escaped uninjured.
Along Main-street the path of the storm
extended fl ON Sixth 10 Eleventh streets
and not Il single building in that area was
laft standing. Gee asionally a massive
stone or iron front Still stood intact, while
all the rest OF tia structure proper had
been swept entirely away. In tue course
OF the storm lay the prided tobacco mar.
kct Of the city, and to-day the warehouses
almost to the last one are in ruins. They
include the Kentucky, PickettS, Ninth,
Street, Falls City, Ph@niX, Green River,
AUClSNliC, GhlfI plIGc, central, dIU EIuIC~
erS'. The destruction of the Louisville and
Mint h-Street warehouses could not posi-.
bly, have been more complete. Thousands
Of hogSheads Of tobacco lay in the mass of
brick and mortar, some exposed to view,
others buried from sight beneath tue
debris.
The effect of the tornado was widespread.
For miles in either direction about the city
occasional roofs were torn off and the trees
lifted out OF the ground by the roots. AS
the special train sped toward the tated
city teaIing Associated Press representa-.
tives from Indianapolis, the evidences were
first noticeable fully tiily miles out. First
came to view an occasional dead tree brok-
en- into pieces, then larger and more sub.
Ttantiai trees, and finally mOnarchS of the
forest which had been felIpd 10y The awful
force of the gale. Mlny Of lie little towns
along the Jefferson, Madison and Indiana
Railroad were fairly stripped Of their signs
and ginger, bread work.
4 few miles south of H%enryville, about
tWent y-0ne miles from Louisville, lay an
engine, with its great iron nose plunged
into a bed of soft yellow mud. On the on.
poSite side lay the massive tender. and be
hind it two coaches tipp d on their sides.
1t was the wreck of train No. 6. combip.
atom which runs between Indianapolis
and Louis vile. The train was making The
hest time possible in the heavy wind, when
it struck a lIiIch tree that had been torn
up By its root and flung across the track.
M QUO un i,,iora1