The Washington times., 1894-10-03
STRUCK BY THE CYCLONE
Business Portion of Little Rock Al
most Completely Ruined.
SOME LIVES KNOWN TO BE LOST
Added to the Terror of the situation-In-
sane Asylum Blown Down and It's Unfor-
tunate Inmates Found Wandering About.

LITTLE Rock, Ark, Oct. "A terrible cy-
clone struck this city at 1880 o'clockthis even
ing, and almost devasted the business portion
Of the city. Several people are known to
have been killed and injured, while 1t is
feared scores OF others have met the same
horrible fate
The main portion of the business center,
north by the river front, on the west by Center
street, and on the east by Commerce street, is
practically in the ruins, aud the amount of
damage is incalculable. The total property
loss will probably approximate half million
dollars.
The cyclone was accompanied by a terrific
rainstorm, and the stocks of goods in the
business houses which were unroofed,
though not otherwise wrecked, were de-
stroyed by water.
The Storm struck the State penitentiary
which stands on a hill in the western part of
the city. with fearful force, destroying the
dining-r3om. tearing down the stable and
shops uhroofng the main cell building, and
idemolishing the warden s office. Several OF
the conSicts were seriously injured, one OF
whom died an hour afterwards.
Down town the lightning struck the Mar
streets, totally wrecking the third floor. A
man by the name OF Eaton was fatally in
jured there. The Titles building, corner Cen
ire and Markham streets, was unroofed. and
part oStls4 fourth floor OF Gleason's Hotel
was blown away. At Main and Center streets
the tops of several adjacent buildings lie piled
UP in an indescribable heap.
Thesworst damage however. was done 10
property on Markham and Commerce streets.
Nearly every building in this district was un-
Foofed and many are totally wrecked. The
large. ttree-story building at Market and
Cumberland, occupied by tho 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 stories under il
&Vere flooded by water and filed with debris.
The streets flied with tin roofs, electri c
wires and other wreckage. and 1t will be
several DAYS before the extent of the damage
is known accurately. the large cotton
warehouse. situated al Second and
Scott streets. owned by J. II. Bacum.
was, wrecked. 1t fell on the west
ern Union Telegraph Office next door and
wrecked it, thus cutting off all telegraphic
communication with outside points. The city
is in the densest darkness and the streets are
veritable streams of mud. Rescuing parties
are busy searching for the wounded, but a
list of the casualties is utterly unobtainable.
Among those known to have been seriously
and probably fatally wounded are: c. P. Mon
rod, member of the Arkansas legislature, and
- Epton Samuel Smith. prominent cot
ton buyer. is also badly injured. Others are
known TO have been more or less injured, but
the names are not obtainable.
All kinds of rumors are aioat. one to the
effect that the insane asylum. in which some
600 patients are confined, has been blown
down and many patients injured but the
asylum is situated mile from the city, and
the rumor cannot be confirmed. A number
OF escaped lunatics have been captured neal
the Union Depot, and this fact gives color tc
the rumor