Evening journal., 1894-10-03
GYCLONE SWEPT.
Little Rock Devastated by a
Sudden Storm.
MANY KILLED AND INJURED.
The Penitentiaiy and Insane Asylum
We're Wrecked.

FN' ~ NtsAhNRs
In the business Portion Of tho Town the
wind Unroofed buildings ana Flooded
the stores with Rain Several Persons
Picked Up Dead In the streets-Prisoners
and Lunatics Escaped while Others We're
1njurea-Loss WIN Exceed Half a nInlion
Dollars.
LITTLE Rock, Oct. IA terrible cy
clone struck this city and almost devas-
tntod the business portion Of tho city.
Several people arc known to have been
Killed and injured while it is feared sey-
eral others have met the Same fate.
The main portion Of the business con
ter, bounded on the south By Third street
on tho north by the river front, on the west
by Center street and on the east by Com
mercial, is practically ruined Tho total
property loss will probably approximate
100000
The cyclone was accompanied by tor
rifle rainstorm, and the stocks Of goods in
the business houses which were unroofod,
though not otherwise wrecked, were de-
stroyed by water.
4 At eADIin inbfuGis NHb Htab9 peUiNon-
tiary, which stands on hill in the wost-
ern part Of the city, with fearful force, de-
stroying the dining room, tearing down
tho stable and shops, unrooang the main
cell building and demolishing the ward
ems office Several Of the convicts were
seriously injured, one Of whom died an
hour afterward.
Many Buildings Wrecked.
Down town the lightning struck the.
Martin block, totally wreeking tho third
floor "A man named Eaton was fatally
injured there. The TITLES building was
unroofed, and q part Of the fourth floor
of Gleason's hotel was blown away At
Main and Second streets the tops Of sew
eral adjacent buildings lie piled up In an
indesoribable heap.
Tho worst damage, however was done
to property on Markham and Commerce
streets Nearly every building in that
district was unroofed, and many are to-
tally wrecked. The large three story
building at Market and Cumberland
streets, occupied by the b. II. Mccarthy
company, is total wreck, as is also the
two story building on the opposite corner
occupied by Max Elkans as a saloon The
third story Of the old Deming House was
blown off, and the several stores under it
were flooded by water and filed with
debris
The streets are filled with tin roofs, cleo
trio wires and other wreokaee, and it will
DO several days before the extent Of the
damage is known accurately. Tho large
cotton warehouse situated at Second and
Scott streets, owned by yJ II. Baculn, was
wrecked. It fell on the Western Onion
telegraph office next door and wrecked it,
thus cutting Off all telograrhio communi-
cation with outside points
Insane Asylum Reported blown Down.
The city Is in the densest darkness, and
the streets are veritabie streams of mud.
Rescuing parties are busy searching for
the wounded, but list of casualties is
utterly unobtainable
Among those known to have been seri
ously and probably fatally wounded is
@. r. Monroe, member of the Arkansas
Legislature, and Sam Smith, a prominent
cotton buyer is also badly injured
Others arc known to have been moro or
less injured, but the names are not obtain
able. All kinds of rumors are afoat One
Is to tho effect that tho insane asylum, in
| which somo 600 patients arc confined, has
been blown down and many patients in
| jurod, but the asylum Is situated a mile
from the city and the rumor cannot be
| confirmed A number Of escaped lunatics
have been captured near tho Union depot
and this fact gives color to the rumor,
Description Of the storm.
Shortly after dark heavy storm came
! from the west, accompanied by vivid
flashes Of lightning and heavy crashes of
thunder. The skies suddenly cleared, and
the storm was thought to be over, whom
/
appeared, and for three minutes the city
was in the throes Of death and destruo-
| tion. The wind was terrific in the ex-
teme. Trees, telephone, telegraph and
electric light poles were uprooted and car
ried a distance Of 200 yards.
The roofs Of about SO Of the largest
buildings in the city were torn from the
houses and hurled against buildings on
the opposite sides Of the streets, leaving
the occupants and property within at the
mercy Of the drenchng rain which began
to fall IN torrents shortly afterward
Messages were received from tho insane
asylum, situated two miles from the city
and the state penitenitary, just west Of
the Union depot, calling for corps Of
physicians and othor assistants.
1t is reliably stated that q number OF
patients at tho asylum are fatally injured
and great damage was done 20 the build
ing.
Reports from tho ponitcntiary say six
conyiots were badly injured by falling
timbers, two Of whom win die. Mayor
Hall as soon as possible called out the en-
tire fire and police departments and sent
10 hacBloads Of physicians and citizens to
tho insane asylum and pententiary. In
tense excitement prevails, and it is utter.
" impossible to learn the names Of the
killed and injured. All kinds Of exagger-
atod reports arc in circulation. Through
the services Of Mayor Hall and Chief OF
Police Frank Mahon tho injured and
helpless arc receiving tho best attention.
Almost every building situated in the
district was moro or less damaged by the
wind aud water The damage to the in.
sane asylum will reach 500, 600 that at
the penitentiary $50, 00o and the Capitol
and Richelieu hotels were badly damaged
Every window I'm both buildings was
either broken TO pieces or cracked
Tho Dead and injured.
The dead and injured thus GAR reported
! arc;
RnprpsentatiVe-elcot C r. Monroe bad