The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-03-30
The Loss fife Was overestimated

LOUISVILLE, Marcn 2J.-I0-night 1t is
believed that the estimate of the dead and
injured at Falls City hall has been over.
marked and that the total number in the
building when it crashed in was not half
as great as first guesses placed it. Mrs.
Mary Holsher, who was in attendance at
the meeting of the knights and Ladies of
Honor on the top floor, says that
instead of 200 being up there there were
about seventy-fve people in the room.
The number in the dancing school
floor below was also smaller than at first
reported. She says the first intimation
they had OF what was coming was blind
ing flash of lightning and a violent gush of
wind which shook the building. The peo-
pie became frightened and were preparing
to leave the building, but before they could
get their wraps the windows We're blown
IN, the gas went out and a moment later
the floor caved under their feet. Mrs
Holsher became unconscious and knew no
more until the reScuers took her out from
the debris.
The executive committee of the relief
fund has secured large number of addi-
tional subscriptions and all cases of desti-
tuition where immediate action is necessary
have been cared for. Tomorrow a thor
ough system will be put in operation by
which everybody who needs aid will be
given relief. Whenever houses are not too
badly damaged repairs will be made at
once. The amount of the fund now in the
hands of the treasurer is about thirtytwo
thousand dollars and this is being added to
Tonight offers of aid have been received
from a number of outside cities INIT
the board of trade committee declined
offers of assistance for the present Mayor
Jacobs said, however, that while he was
opposed to calling for outside help, if vol
untary contributions were offered he
would advise their acceptance. He has
replied in this spirit to several kilograms
from outside points. The money, he saws.
can be used to good advantage, but as re.
CARDS offers of food, clothing, medical at
tenuon, ETC., the mayor feels that Louis
vile can house and feed all the wounded
and distressed and bury the dead. SO
all offers of this kind are respectfully de-
clined. Two or three large mercantile firms
IN the east have telegraphed Mayor Jacobs
to draw on them for 81 200, and a telegram
to the same effect came from President
Tanner, of the Indianapolis board of trade,
These offers have been accepted
The following dispatch was received from
G. w; Ferguson, proprietor of the Spccta-
tor; "San Francisco Can send you 81 900
if you need it." Mayor Jacobs has not re.
piled to this telegram, as he did not clearly
understand it.
The relief committee of the knights and
Ladies of Honor tonight report there were
present at the time of the disaster hun
dred people in their hall They have made
careful canvass, showing twenty-three
dead, thirtyone wounded, and five are
known to have escaped unhurt The re
mainder are still unaccounted for. Some
of these latter may be dead or injured but
it will not be definitely known before to-
morrow or perhaps Monday
The undertakers have more than thew
can attend TO tomorrow. In all there will
be at least thirty funerals
Up to midnight ninety-four bodies had
been recovered, and it is supposed five or
six more may be found in out of the way
places. Of those injured to noticeable
extent the closest estimate to night is l25.
OF this number at least twenty-five are in
very critical condition.
A good many of the estimates of the
damage to property have been too high:
the actual loss, from a financial standpoint
will not be so great as supposed at first.
The tobacco warehouses are not hurt to
the extent stated. Nearly all those de-
molished were old buildings and compare
lively small. Some will put the new ones
in repair again.
The river is strewn with floating debris
from the storm from Tenth street to the
waterworks add hundreds of skiffs are
plying, collecting the splintered woodwork.
All day yesterday foam crested waves
rolled eight feet high and vessels were in
great danger, but through the alertness of
the masters none suffered much. Several
coal barges were sunk at different points.
A thrilling scene occurred at the ST.
Louis Evangelical church in JeffersonviIle.
where Rev. III. M Gersman was holding
services. The building a handsome brick
one, swayed and rocked, and the west wall
began to bulge inwardly under the terrific
pressure of the wind. The roof blew off
with loud report. Women screamed, and
one lady, Miss Caroline Ruepl, tainted.
But Rev. Gersman remained cool and led
his flock safely to the parsonage where all
remained until the danger was over.