The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-05
FATAL Wreck.
Louisville, Kentucky Swept by a
Death Dealing Cyclone
March eth.
Nothing Was Too Massive or
Strongly Built to Withstand
the WiRtl's Fury.
Many Of the Citizens in Attempt
ing to Escape Were Crushed
to Death.
Fire Adds to the TerrOrs of the
Awful Scene Driving the
Living Wild.

The following graphic account Of the
tornado that struck Louisville, KY.
on the evening OF the 9th inst, was
furnished by the associated Press on
the morning of the 2sth inst.
The tornado entered the southeast
eru portion OF the city at Eighteenth
street and swept a path five blocks
wide diagonally, reaching in a ragged
line to Seventh street, leveling every
building in its path, probably $500
houses. The city is filled with q
crazed mass OF people, wffdly seeking
friends. A large force OF men are at
work on the ruins and about 100
bodies were recovered this morning.
Buildings on Main street from Eighth
to Fourteenth streets are in ruins,
none OF the handsome wholesale
houses being left, and all the tobacco
warehouses were swept away. On
Market street Falls city hall, q four
story building was blown down while
several Masonic and Knights OF Honor
lodges were in session and two hun.
dred men and women were buried in
the ruins. Every other house on
Market, Jefferson and Walnut streets
from Tenth to Sixteenth streets Is in
ruins.
Parkland, q suburb, is swept away.
At the union depot, at the foot OF
Seventh street, q Chesapeake & Ohio
train for Washington wasjust starting
out, filled with passengers. The build
ing was prostrated, crushing in the
train. All passengers, however, were
rescued, except the newsboy.
sUCH DEsoLATIoN NO CITY HAS KNOWN
IN this century. Every building, tree,
and telegraph pole, in the districts
struck was leveIed. The cyclone WAS
predicted by the signal service bulletin
the afternoon before, but no heed was
paid its warning. The area devastat.
ed 10 q half mile wide and three miles
long. Outside OF the clearly defined
limits citizens knew only OF heavy
rains, accompanied by high winds.
Soon came the alarm OF fire from a
dozen different stations, and the hor-
rors OF the calamity began to dawn
on the people. Great stone ware
houses, halls OF amusement, railroad
stations aud dwelling houses ali went
down before the mighty powers OF air.
The storm passed on, the clouds scat
tered and the moon cast it's light over
the sorely stricken city. Relief par
A. Nd fD
work on the ruins.
Within ten minutes q posse appear
ed at Falls city hall wreck. The
walls of the adjoining house were first
propped and then began the work OF
cutting through the heavy slate root
that covered all. Mrs. Sarah Kelly
was first uneartned, lady injured.
The excavation was then moved from
the rear OF the building to the front,
where it was supposed the greater
crowd was gathered. AS soon as the
roofing was removed and the mass OF
bricks beneath, the first that met the
eyes was anything but hopeful. Ten
women, locked in each others arms,
was drawn out of the debris. James
Hasson, who had been at q lodge
meeting, was formost in the work and
the first person whom he drew out OF
the ruined building was his wlie, who
DIED IN HIS ARMS.
He laid her by the side OF others
who were dead and concluded to work
tor the living. Inside OF the next hour
go men and women were drawn out,
dead, but with no wounds on their
bodies, and it is thought all met death
by suffocation.
The Louisville hotel, between Sixth
and seventh streets, was unroofed
and otherwise wrecked, while the build.
ing west occupied as a store on the
first floor and sleeping rooms on the
second and third, was razed entirely
to the ground, not single brick re-
manning ia place. in the destruction
of this house many lives were lost,
principally of persons VINO occupied
sleeping rooms there. Many OF them
were young gIrls employed at the ho.
tel next door.
Saloons aud other available places
were turned into hastily improvised
rs fast as recovered and left awaiting
Identification.
At IL o'clock the opening up of
portion ot the debrIs Of Falls city hall
caused a draught to penetrate through
whereupon the
sNoULDRRIEG FIRE BROKE our
through the windows fercely. IL
spread rapidly and forced workers to
desert the place. As soon "a the fire
gained headway the eroans OF the i'm.
prisoned psople became shrieks, and
80 great was the horror OF the mo.
menS that the watchers grew frantic
and screamed and ran about ~ II
wild, the terrible sufferings which
they were unable to alleviate driving
them to despair. Sever al lines OF hose
were soon throwing water on the
, flames, but IL was more than an hour
before the work could be proceeded
with and then II was carried on with
much difficulty on account OF the
heat.
The deaths now number one hun.
dred and fifty. Forty men have been
sent out by the board OF trade to
make o thorough canvas Of the dis.
tIict and report the loss oil life and
property fully. They will try to fur
nish the associated press astatement.
The work OF rescuing the mangled
dead, goes bravely on. A hundred
anxious men worked
as THEY NEVER WORKED BEFORE
for the bodies OF their wives, mothers,
brothers, fathers, and sisters, that lie
buried IN the shapeless mass oi brick
and mortar that covers the site where
yesterday stood Falls city hall.
Cries OF men, women and children
rend the air on every aida. Khe ark
ing oi 40 600 iI<