The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-29

taken from the wreck.
At I:9O p, IN. it WIS thought the deaths
would number about 10. A large force of
men has been sent ont to make thorough
canvass OF the devastated district and re-
port the losses of life and property as fully
as possible. They will try TO make state
ment tonight. Tho property loss AZ pres
ent is estimated at nearly million dollars.
The work of rescuing the mangled dead
goes brayely on. Hundreds of anxious men
are working as they never worked before
for the bodies OF friends and relatives TINT
lie buried in the mass OF bricks and mortar
that covers the site Nnore yes
terday stood the Falls City hal rhe cries
of men, women and children are heard
on every side. ana a surging crowd OF 10000
people blocked the streets for squares. IL
is a sight to strike anguish 10 the soul. The
pen is powerless TO express the scenes that
each succeeding minute roll through the
ghastly panorama. The bodies OF the dead
and wounded are being dragged from be-
meath the ruins all around the district, and
men, women and children lingcr about,
filed with dread anxiety lest they recognize
in the shapeless remains some relative OF
friend.
From Seventh and the river as far down
as can ne seen one continu ous scene of de-
ISOLATION meets the eye and bowildcrs the
spectatres who never drea amed Of any
thing so terrible, Everywhere ia wreck
and ruin.
The storm seemed only TO have swept
Broadway from Fifteenth 20 Ninth, but
nearly all the houses between these streets
and in the intersecting streets were demol-
ished. From Fifteenth and Sixteenth there
were mostly small franc houses, occupied
by colored families. The roofs were torn
of but not n large amount of damage was
done and none of the occupants were hurt.
From Sixteenth down TO Nineteenth the
destruction was terrible. In these three
blocks the houses were large and of much
better quality. Nearly every one of them was
demolished, but in most cases the occupants
escaped with slight injuries. The Catholic
buildings at Seventeenth and Broadway,
five in number. were all blown down and
Sister Pious killed. All the other sisters
escaped without injury.
Mai. Gait, of the Louisville & Nashville,
and family who lived in two-story bricl.
house, were sitting in AN upstairs room
when suddenly the walls fell upon them.
Maj. Gait succeeded in getting out without
injury, but his wife was buried in the ruins.
She was not badly hurt, but the shock to
her nervous system was so great she is now
lying dangerously i'll.
Three lives were lost az the corner of
EighteeNih and Maple streets. The killed
were: john Merrick, aged 40; his daugh-
ter, aged years, and James Fitzgerald.
Werrick kept agrocery. and at the time of
the accident there were in the store the pro-
prietor, his wife, daughter and Fitzgerald.
AT the first gust of wind the walls doubled
up and the roof dropped in. Werrick was
crushed by falling timbers, and was taken
out dead. His wife WAS extricated in an
unconscious condition. Later ON in the
night a rescuing party saw a tiny hand pro-
truding from the ris. and the mangled
form OF baby girl soon lay beside its dead
fatfHr.
Eleven men were crowded into the little
barber shop of John Berther. 1893 Broad
way. when the storm burst. The roof was
torn OFF, the second story carried away, and
the side tumbling in, when the men broke
street. Not one of them was hurt, but the
building was totally destroyed.
At the corner Of Sixteenth and Magazine
streets one of the most horrible incidents
occurred. Three men were caught in the
| falling timbers of n two-story building and
burned TO backencd and charred mass,
in full view of the people in the street.
They were Bud Sullivan. WIN. Deemer and
Ben Schildt. Nick Phintman, the owner of
the building. escaped, but was badly burned
and bruised. II was three hours before the
fire was stopped and the wreck cleared AWAY
enough 20 get at the men. and 40 chnrred
were they that their friends were unable 10
identify one from the other. Az Thirteenth
and Walnut streets the Odd Fellows Hall
colored lodge was in session. About eight
colored men were badly injured.
thrilling experience was that of Mrs
lipmele, who kept n dry goods store nj
Colgan and Seventeenth streets. At the
time of the storm her nephew, Willie Kill
Tnier, was with her. When the walls began
90 shake both Of them rushed to the front
door just as the whirlwind was passing. II
gathered in both Of them and carried then
into the air distance OF forty feet. Al
Maple street they were both hurled against
a fence and remained there unconsciou,
until they were fonnd by the neighbors .
| few minutes later. The lady was bndl,
bruised and perhaps hurt internally. Kill
mieT's right arm WIS broken, his an kl,
sprained aud there was deep cash in hi
throat.
All the entire western portion of Park
land which lies Just beyond the south
western limits of the city, was wrecked
The storm struck that place before reaching
the city, and its course was most peculiar
one. IL did not move in n direct line, NOW.
| - "A l...A e.
dreadful work in zigzag fashion. On tn,
outskirts of the town the two-story briol
residence of Mayor Keepers was struck b,
the wind and entirely demol shed. but th'
occupants escaped. A great number ol
hOlses were blown down, but the inmate.
were all up, and every one mraculousll
escaped, only few being injured. and they
not seriously. The track of the storm in
| Parkland WIS about three blocks wide "a
the west Of the town. From the direction
IN which the wind came path several hun
dred yards wide is moved, trees being cut
of like stalks OF grain before the reaper's
scvthc.
Jacksonville was struck by the cyclone
at O'Clock. II was very distinctly heard
two miles in the country, where people won
dered what il meant. Fortunately not n
person WAS killed in Jefersonyillo. though
some were badly hurt. Scores of business
houses and residences were more or less
damaged. some stores being nearly demol-
ishcd. Dozens al people had marvellous es-
capes from instant death. The damage 10
steamers on the river front WAS considers
BILE. II is believed to-night that the loss aud
damage to property IN JeticrsOnyille will
aggregate fully 10000. Among the many
incidents reported from there il the singu-
lar story of W. A. Dorncy, whose residence
is half block from the river. When the
tornado struck the river front IL picked mp
skih moOrcd there and, carrying 1t along,
dashed it through the seoond-story window
of Dorney's residence.
The devastation through the streets sur
rounding Baxter square WAS complete and
al the same time peculiar. st. Johns
church was completely wrecked, trees in the
park uprooted. fountains were laid fiat and
the very mud from the streets rnkcd up and