Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-04-03
STRICKEN LOUISVILLE.
The Tornado's Terrible Work In
the Falls City.
Warehouses, Public Buildings and Resi-
dences Wrecked and scores Of People
Buried Beneath the RuIns--Ifun-
dredA Killed aud Injured.

LOUISVILLE, Ky, March 29 between
eight and nine o'clock Thursday nighta
tornado struck this city from the south
west. extending northeastward, leaving
death and destruction everywhere. Out
side OF the clearly defined limits Of the
destruction the people knew only Of a
heavy rain accompanied by high wind.
Soon came the alarm Of fire from a
dozen different stations and the horrors
OF the calamity began TO dawn on the
people.
Great stone warehouses, halls OF
amusement railroad stations and dwell
ing houses all went down before the
mighty powers Of the air. The storm
soon passed on, the clouds scattered and
the moon cast its light over soroly
stricken city Relief parties we're soon
organized and the whole force of the
fire department was put to work.
The wrecked part Of the city lies be-
tween Eighteenth, Broadway, Seventh
and Main streets, the storm passing di-
agonally across that section, which is
probably mile square.
At least 200 houses are in ruins.
The buildings on Main street, from
Eighth to Fourteenth, are in ruins not
one OF the handsome wholesale houses
being left and all the tobacco waro-
houses being swept away
On Market street Falls City Hall, Ia
four-story building, was blown down
while several Masonic and Knights OF
I Honor lodges were in session.
One hundred men and women were
buried in the ruins.
Every other house on Market, Jeffer-
son and Walnut streets, from Eleventh
/ TO Sixteenth, is in ruins. Parkland, a
suburb, was swept away
/ At the Union Depot, at the foot OF
/ Seventh street. the Chesapeake e. Ohio
train for Washington was just starting
| filled with passengers. The building
was prostrated, crashing in on the train.
/ All the passengers however, were
rescued except one newsboy.
/ Every building, tree and telegraph
/ pole in the district struck was leyeled.
Probably the greatest loss Of life oc-
cured at the Falls City Hall, which was
4 the center Of the tornado In the lower
ro~nSeot the hall were 80 or Is children.
with their mothers and other relatives,
taking dancing lessons. There were at
least 1875 persons on the lower floor, and
IS more attending a lodge meeting on
upper floors when the terrible wind
swept down upon tho building. The
entire structure, in less than five
minutes, was shapeless mass OF brick
and mortar, burying 200 helpless victims,
OF which number few escaped uninjured.
Conservative estimates place the loss
OF life at this point at 100, while other
reports indicate the number 10 be nearer
200.
At three o'clock a. m. IS dead
bodies had been taken from this ruin
and o wounded and dying. Only those
on the third floor had been reached, the
room containing the dancing school
pupils and visitors not yet being opened.
Immediately upon the burst OF the
cyclone the fire bells sounded and the
police went to work. In ten minutes q
posse appeared at the Falls City Hall
The walls Of the adjoining house we're
first propped up, and then began the
work of cutting through the heavy slate
roof that covered all. AT first the work
was difficult and laborious on account
OF the anxious multitude that thronged
the wreck to view the ruin. Women
were found digging at the slate with
their fingers. crazed at the groans be-
meath. each Of which they thought
ascended from their dying ones
The work Of excavating was then
moved from the rear OF the building TO
the 'front.' where il was supposed the
greater crowd was gathered. As soon
as the roofing was removed and the
mass OF brick beneath, the first sight
that met the eyes was any thing but
hopeful. Ten women locked in each
others arms were drawn out of the de-
bris, all dead but one. James Hassen,
whose wife had been at the lodge meet
ing, was foremost in the work and the
first person whom he drew out OF the
building was his wife, who died in his
arms He laid her by the side Of the /
others who were dead and continued TO /
work for the living
Within the next hour thirty men and /
women were drawn out dead. but with /
no wounds on their bodies, and it is 1
thought that all met their death from /
suffocation.
At twelve o'clock the opening up Of 4
portion Of the debris of the Falls City 4
Hall caused draught TO penetrate the /
ruins, whereupon the smoldering fire 1
broke out with tremendous ferceness. I
IL spread rapidly and forced the workers 4
70 desert the pile. As soon as the fire.
men had been driven away groans from I
the imprisoned people became /
shrieks, and so great was the l
horror OF the moment that the /
watchers grew frantic and screamed I
and ran about like wild, the terrible
sufferings which they were unable to
alleviate driving them to despair. Sew
eral lines Of men had been throwing
water on the flames. but il was more
than an hour before work could be pro-
ceeded with, and then it was carried on
with much difficulty on account Of the
heat
The cyclone was predicted by a signal
service bulletin in the afternoon, but no
heed was paid 10 its warning.
TORNADO INCIDENTS.
At midnight a press correspondent ]
called as the city hospital at the corner
Of Chestnut and Floyd streets There
were found six Of the injured victims Of
the dreadful catastrophe They lay
stretched upon their white couches in
the dim light. while an occasional groan
Of pent up agony burst from the lips Of
the sufferers
J. G. Sterne, taken from his home on
Market street between Ninth and
Tenth, suffering from wounds about the
head and two broken ribs. Little ap-
prehension is entertained as 70 the re-
suit Of his injuries and al present he is
in a fair way 10 recover
At $50 the rescuinE party heard cries
at the rear Of the fallen building
Twenty anxious men rushed 10 this SPOT
Beneath a mass OF timbers and iron
roofing smothered rroans we're heard
The crowd went b work with a will
In an incredibly short time the strong
arms had dragged the heavy timbers
from the place and rolled hack the
debris on every side. About seven feet =
beneath the level Of the surrounding
pile the form Of woman vas seen A
heavy timber lying across her stomach !