Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-29
NRECK AND RUIN.
How the Tornado Struck the City--The
Swath a. Cut.

How the Tornado Struck the City-The
swath IL Cut.
LorrsvuIE. KFSTuCKY. March %
Every other house on Market, Jefferson,
aud Walnut streets from Tenth TO Six
tesLil streets is in ruins. Falkland suburb
swept away. At the Union depot, at the
foot 81 Seventh street. the Chesapeake and
ONO train for Washington was gust starting
Cgt filed with passengers. Tho building
was pros tTated, crashing IN on the tram;
tII the passengers, how were rescued
except one neWsbOy. such dissolution no
CT. has known in tins century. Every
building. tree. and telegraph-pole in the
district struck was levcllod. The cyclone
vDe predicted by q slgnal-serylce bulletin
Yesterday afternoon. but no heed WAS paid
2. DO. warning. The cyclone came with
f.arcr q warning sound, and IN all the
lllidngs struck the inhabitants we're en-
le,l In their usual vacations without
tf.rt tOcscape when their homes collapsed.
llo district laid waste comprises an area
q the city three miles long aud nearly half
mile wide. Among those whose bodies
lIye been identified are Mrs. May Hodges,
t.u's Simmons and four ciuidtcn, Gud
1i-s Alp Dcmlng, schoo-teachcr. who
WAS Giving lessons at the time the cyclone
struck the city.
Ine rain soon ceased and the full horror
of tAr situation became apparent. On
every side could bo heard the CrOans of the
diving and al around lay the mangled
bod c- ~ the dead. Scores Of bodies were
removed from the ruins, and the wounded
mon were taken 20 the homes of those who
Lad ,~raIcd the calamity and gwen every
possible attention, but many have doubt
died through lack OF proper medical
Oifcnlance.
BUSINESS DISTRICT.
In The business districts the havoc was
terrible. Buildings that were considered
ruh4tantal were demolished an an instant.
On. cyclone entered the town from the
Fnu'h and west, sweeping everything be-
f0reit. Small barns aud out-buildings were
caught up Icy the wind and carried with
crushing force against larger structures.
Trees were twisted Of short and hurled long
distances. Fences were leyelled IN the c0un-
NV for miles before the cyclone reached the
metropolis and for miles beyond. Every
church and other prominent building IN
fhe city Is either destroyed or badly dam
aged, including two school-houses, the
courthouse, and jail, and many smaller
structures.
ROW II CAME.
The tornado struck this city between
md u clock at night from the southwest
LortA.astwa1d. leaving death and dcstrnc-
ton everywhere Outside Of clearly de-
fined limits the citizens knew only OF a
heavy rain. accompanied by high wlnd.
Soon came the alarm of fire from different
stations. and horrors of the calamity began
o. dawn upon the people. Houses, halls
oi amusement. railroad stations. all went
down before the mighty powers OF the ar
The storm soon passed on. the CLOUDS scat
tered. and the moon cast Its hight over
tle s0islY-strickcn city.
lchtf parties were soon organized; the
whole force f the fire department was
soon 10 WORK. IL Is impossible that SO
WIDE "a sweep Of territory covered with
ruinci homes. and with the wrcD Ks Of halls
AL buildings 81 every character does not
contain many dead Enough is known to
Elbow chat Loui-vIllc has been VISITED 10y
e. most appalling calamity. The wrecked
portion of the city hes between EiSh-
t..nth. Broadway. Seventh. and Nam
ttreets the destroying elements passing
dproually across u section winch ~ pro
iANl,a milo square. At least two hundred
l.Y-o- are IN ruins. IL j. feared that at
lD.t two hundred lives are lost
rtopAB1g GREAIEsT loss or LIFE.
Probably tho greatest loss of life oc-
cured no Falls City Hall, which was III the
centre oi the tornado. In the lower rooms
81 tlc lall were fifty or scventv-hye chll-
dr.l ulil their mothers and otner rela-
two tas'ng dancing lessons. There We're
hi l,.-. ..l persons on the lower hooIs
and ..trrt five more attending lodge
W,r'.ag on the upper floor when
fIe terrible wind swOopCd down upon inc
building. The entire structure IN less
than fy minutes was shapcless mass OF
lr.A and mortar. buryiug 200 helpless We
iu-. ~ which number few escaped unih-
il.d Conservative estimates place the
& life 80 this place al 100, whle re
pore. Indicate the number nearer 200. AZ
l.rlock this morning thirty-hve bodies
l1I h.ru taken from this rum, aud htteen
,.-. wounded aud dying. Only those on
t-r tU.rl door had been reached.
VERY EVIDENT.
r. is yorv evident that il was not cy
',uc a- 'ts effect was too widespread.
l.ru.l.- ia either direction of the city oc-
r....rai roofs were torn OF and trees lhted
tlt d the Ground hY The WIND. As the
tram -ued toward the fafcd city bearing
A.-l.atcd-Press representatives from In
c.ilpOis evidences were first notable
.-Hv tny miles ont. The first that came
g. View was an occasional dead tree broken
.le.es. and then larger and more sub
taa.4l trees, and finally monarchs OF the
forest Many OF the little towns along the
road were fairly stripped OF tner signs
iaf rir.cr-i,read work. 4 few miles south
D Hrurysyille, about twenty-one miles
from Louisville lay an engine with lts
Er 70 iron nose plunged into bed on SOFT,
Glow mud. On the opposite SIDE lay
massive tender. and beyond 1.-two coaches
tipped Over on their sides. II wa, the
W. of Train No. q. combination which
flr- between indianapolis and LOUISVILLE.
ItetrAiu vas making the best possible
tine iu the heavy wind. when IT strnck "a
irol-trce that had been torn up by It's
i- aud flung across the track. No one
Wa- injured.
AN APPALLING SIGHT.
When the scene Of the disaster was
fart,d an appalling sight was presented
tYWds II people thrOnged fOurteenth-
Street station. a0d from there up Nam
t.ea.t o. the heart Of the city was mass
oi humanity lodging houses; Street1cars
sii al sorts of vehicles IN the m'nqle OF
ltc street and on either side was wreck ana
nus brick having Temperance OF having
amply crumbled ~ earth. Gangs OF res
cgsFs worked like beavers on the great
!ra-, of GbJts in search for human VIC
Rms. Here and there lay dead mules WIN
c'1', ~ blood al their nOstriis that hal
been dragged from the ruins OF the great
-. acco-h0uscs. Of which they are most
common adjunct in this southern city.
Women and men dartcd before mad morse
whose AO0fs II seemed would crush them
O. death. Burly policemen We're stationed
D. The street-cfOssings 10 prevent people
from attempting 10 pass through the
ruined tnorOughtare where pafuhiy
wrecked walls stood as menace 10 human
lt", but their Efforts were futile. and men.
women. and children made tneir way down
tAe dangerous streets with astounding
feckleslness
The morbid crowd was not TO be held
back IN It's Wild desire 20 satisfy curiosity,
md Il was a sight worth their efforts TO
'ee The wreck was so great that IT beg
IaEs attempt at detail.
IHE FIkK-BELLs.
Immediately upon the burst OF the
fJclone the fre-bells sounded and the po-
lice were at work. Within ten minutes
iosse appeared at Falls-City Hall. The
walls Of the adjoining house were frst
propped and then began the work OF cut
tug through tho heavy slate roof that