Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-28
masses of ruins which the flames lighted up,
came shrieks and sobs and means.

came Snrleks ana SoDS ana mOdnS.
The confusion caused by the tornado was
soon succeeded by that of people running to
and fro, wagons and fire engines rumbling
over the debris with which the streets were
strewn. For time everybody seemed paral-
yzed with fear and apparently in doubt
whether to fee or wait for whatever the fates
had in store for them. The work Of rescue
was at once begun and along that part of the
town in which Mr.. Robertson was the side
walks were soon piled high with crushed and
mangled, wounded and dead victims Of the
storms wrath. Wagons of all kinds were
pressed into service and the dead and wounded
were hauled as rapidly as the darkness and the
confused condition of the streets would permit
to the houses outside the path Of the tornado.
FIRE ADDS To THE TERROR
While Mr.. Robertson remained in the town
but an hour after the storm struck it, and con-
sequently had but a very limited opportunity
for observation, what he saw is sufficient to
show that when the full extent of the catastro-
phe is known it will be one of the worst in the
nations history. The storm came from the
southwest and seems to have been a veritable
tornado. The force of the wind was hardly
felt above the Gait House, but below that, so
far as could be seen by the light of the blazing
ruins, everything was laid fat on the earth.
The fires that were known to be burning when
Mr.. Robertson left were as follows: On 14th
street at sth and Main streets, on jefferson
above 18th, on Walnut between 7th and Sth, a
big foundry on 14th street and the Kentucky
Touring mills. The Falls City Hall. in which
two or three secret societies were holding
meetings, was laid fat on the ground. In the
main hall a dance was in progress at the time,
and it is believed that fully three hundred lost
their lives in this building alone. The sheds
at the 7th street depot were blown down, cov-
ering the Louisville and Southern trains which
were made up and iniuring large numbers of
people. Street cars were blown from their
tracks in many cases and crushed against the
walls of buildings, and before Mr.. Robertson
left large number of wounded who had re-
ceived their injuries in this way were already
reported.
PITIFUL SCENE.
When the fire broke out in the ruins on 7th
street a man, his wife and little girl were seen
wedged under the debris, and although they
shrieked and moaned and the spectators made
herculean efforts TO release them from their
position, it was impossible, and they slowly
burned to death in the presence of helpless
hundreds
None of those who came through on the JEFF
fersonville, Madison and indianapolis train
could estimate the extent of the disaster in the
time given them for observation, but every.
where that a fire served as a beacon ligh,
everything seemed to be swept clean. In the
streets through which the passengers went to
! reach the depot there were dead and dying
and from known facts and floating rumors
there was reason to believe that the number OF
dead would reach fully 1000.
The gas works and electric light plants were
wrecked and the city is in absolute darkness.
From the conduct of the fire department it is
thought that the water works have also been
wrecked and that there was difficulty in get
ting water to play on the fires, which, as the
train pulled out, were springing up in all.direc-
tions.
The rain soon ceased and the full horror of
the situation became apparent. On every side
could be heard the groans Of the dying. and all
around lay the mangled bodies of the dead
Scores of bodies were removed from the ruins
and the wounded men were taken to the homes
of those who had escaped the calamity and
given every possible attention, but many
have doubtless dieG through lack of proper
medical attendance.
In the business district the havoc was terri
BILE. Stores that had been considered substan-
tial were demolished in an instant The cy-
clone entered the town from the south and
west, sweeping everything before it. Small
barns and out buildings were caught up by the
wind and carried with crushing force against
larger structures. Trees were twisted off short
and hurled long distances. Fences were leveled
in the country for miles before the cyclone
reached Metropolis and for miles beyond Every
church and other prominent buildings in the
place is either destroyed or badly damaged, in
cluding two school houses. the court house and
Jail and many smaller structures.
THE DEATH LIST.
Following is the list of killed as far as iden-
tilted:
Mrs. Mary Hasson, 18th and Lyle streets.
Miss Annie Niles, Portland avenue between
10th and 18th.
Mrs. Mclaughlin, 18th and Baird.
Mrs. Belle Pelloff, 11th and Lytle.
Mrs. Peterson, Walnut.
Tom Puff, Mrs. Nutall, Jefferson between llth
and 18th.
Sister Mary Plus, 18th and Broadway.
Two unknown colored men at Tobe Henry's
stable, 18th between Grayson and Walnut.
Nicholas j. Sullivan, 1906 Magazine street,
burned to a crisp.
William damon, 10th street, charred to a
crisp.
Ben. Chelt baker, 11th and Magazine,
charred to a crisp.
John Emerich, saloon keeper. 18th and Mail.
j. +. Moody, colored boy, 18th and Walnut
streets, buried under debris:
Unknown colored woman, alley near 18th.
Thaddeus Mason.
G. Hathaway, Chicago.
Charles Hessenbruch, Philadelphia.
Mary Ryan, laundry girl, Louisville Hotel.
Katie McCune, laundry girl, Louisville Hotel.
Mary McGinty, laundry girl, Louisville Hotel.
Bridget Crow, laundry girl, Louisville Hotel
Francis Parker.
j. o. Scildt, undertaken, Market street.
A small child of Geo. w. Cuscaden.
Park Cornell, l104 West Green street.