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


scenes in the STRICKEN CITY WHOM Night
Settled Down.
As night closed in It's folds on the de
yastated city Of Louisville, scores of widows
and orphans are bowed down with a weight
of the deepest grief. Wreck and ruin have
settled down IN its very midst ard the
specters of the dead whose funeral pyrcs
are heaps OF bricks and mortar seem 10 rise
up and enslroud IN the awful halo of their
presence the entire city. Bands of brave
rcscuers continue 10 work, but ms night
comes on they seem 10 work more silently,
though no less arduously. As each remnant
of the piles Of wreckage is lifted, it is with
the anticipation Of uucoyering 10 view the
lifcess form or death set features
of human victim of the aw-
ful storm. But there is no
time to consider the dead, for the living
may vet be buried beneath the mountains
of debris and they turn and delve neain
with renewed energy into the great mass i'll
search Of crushed and mnngled humanity.
As the night grows darker the work becomes
more awful. Now the advantage of light
and its fear-dispelling qualities are denied
them, for NIL the electric wires we're torn
down by the storm and left tho city TO be
enshrouded in the deepest gloom. II grows
so dark IN the shadows of the crumbling
walls that still stand as silent scntinels
over the dead, that every object with the
semblance of human form must bc
grasped to prove il in flesh or stone Still
untiring, strong hearted workers continue
10 dig in the merciless storm-made graves
of the dead
those who lie buried in their track. People
are still learning of missing members.
There are families and mothers and fathers
still wildly gazing ON the ruins and crying
ON the Almighty TO deliver at least 10 them
their dead. Hardened hearts move with
deep sympathy and idle men dive into the
dirt, and the grim streets are thronged with
multitudes of sorrowing people. They
stand upon the corners with tear-dimmed
eyes, solemnly discussing the dreadful
catastrophe or move from one point of the
wrecked di-i"cl to another, gazing at the
scenes OF r''
There ai least hundred families
homeless u ila tircets TINT were happy yes
terday in the possession of their homes.
One poor woman, between her half-stiflod
ioos, told how that very evening her hue
band hnd paid 10 the building association
the last dollar they owed upon their house,
and now all that remains is n confused mass
of brick and mortar. There are many other
cases almost n parallel 10 this. Not only
but the furniture in many in
stances was entirely destroyed. Hun
dreds of thousands dollars worth
of goods lay last night upon the business
streets at the mercy of thieves. II now
seems almost impossible TO find store houses
for the vast amount Of merchandise.
At many places towering walls Of brick
are oscllating in the air ready to descend
at any moment. These points Of danger
are guarded 10y the police and military cont
pany, who are driving the surging crowds
back at the point Of the bayonet.
At the entrance 10 the various
"dead rooms stands reckless mob
clamoring for admittance, but were in
variably refused unless 10 identify some
relative or friend. Occasionally when one
enters sound half sob aud half shrek
reaches the outer doors. The telephone
wires are all down. and IL will take ten days
TO get them up and working again. Search
for the victims Is going steadily on, aud
each hour adds largely 10 the already long
list. In many places the men lnbor in great
danger of being buried beneath tottcring
walls nj any moment, and other accidents
are looked for momentarily.
| Toni ght the streets nrc liz only here and
there by iiickering gas lamps, and present a
dismal appearance. AZ the Intersections of
streets pass 90 and fro armed militiamcn,
who keep back the crowds who otherwise
would hamper the workincn searching for
the dead. The majority of these crowds,
however. hnye been dispersed, especially
the women. who formed the larger number
of spectators all day. Here and there along
the residence streets, within the track of
the tornado, or near IL, shine gas lights
glass has been shattered, while within
may be seen blazing fires heaped
up 10 keep out the cool mir
The less fortunate ones that have no roof tO
shelter their heads have piled their funi-
ture, or rather what left Of il. Us on the curb
and arc guarding il Ca night preparatory to
seeking other homes Tomorrow. Add to
all this the frequent appearance OF 0mbu-
lancoa and wagons, carrying the dcnd or
human freight to tho hospitals or the
homes of mourning families, and you haye
u slight idea of the sad sappearanco Of
4. Il