The Van Buren press., 1894-10-06
DEATH DEALING !!
A Terrible Cyclone Deyastates a
Large Portion Of Little Rock.

Large Portion Of Little Rock.
Portions Of the Insane Asylum and
Penitentiary Carried Away.
From The Little Rock Democrat
The most destructive cyclone that ever visited
the city did untold damage Tuesday evening
about 7:3O o'clock. The day had been hot and
sultry, and this eliminated In . storm that
wrecked business houses, filled the streets with
debris and wreckage killed number of people
aud seriously injured may others. Dark, omi-
nous clouds gathered from the West and South.
west. but the city was all unprepared for the
dire visitation that followed in their wake The
first inimation Of the impending catastrophe
was when the cyclone struck the houses, all
elect ric lights were extinguished. and the dark
ened streets were filled with flying roofs. walls,
and debris Of all kinds
1t swept up from the Southwest, striking the
city near the insane asylum. the male ward OF
which was demolished. DR.. Ingate was killed
and several inmates seriously injured.
1t then passed on to the penitentiary, doing
but slight damage at intermediate points, The
second and third stories Of the shop building
were blown off, the cell building unrOOfed. the
office destroyed, and the old building scattered
broadcast convict was killed and several
guards injured. Its terrible work continued
toward the main part Of the city. and Its path
was strcwn with debris OF wrecked buildings,
tangled telegraph and telephone wires. and
fallen trees that had withstood the tempests of
many decades. Many residences were more or
less damaged, roofs blown away, and walls part
ly demolished.
The next marked damage was when the storm
struck the Martin building at the corner Of
Spring and Second Streets This was large
three story brick Office and apartment house.
occupied by the Arkansas Methodist
The storm proper did not last more than three
minutes. The wires operating the fire alarm
system were all down, and there was constant
fear of fire. but fortunately none occurred.
Thousands of people were on the streets this
morning, viewing the ruins. Such q disaster
has not been visited upon Little Rock in its
history. The ''oldest inhabitant" was omnipres-
ent with his stories OF other storms, but this
beat 'em all"
Never in the history of Little Rock was there
such scene of wrecked and ruined buildings as
was presented on Main and Markham streets
The streets were almost impossible, and great
yawning chasms in brick fronts told of the fury
of the storm
The damage will aggregate almost million
dollars. SO far as known not dollar of the
damage was covered by insurance. No one
thought 1t necessary to insure against cyclones.
and consequently the loss will fall entirely on
the property owners.
Almost every building between Main and
Markham and Third and Main streets was un-
rooted, and in numerous instances entire fronts
were levelled to the ground. On East Markham
street the destruction OF property was greater
than elsewhere. Several large buildings were
levelled. aud not one escaped injury Windows
and doors were blown out tin roofs carried
away, telephone aid electric light wires blown
to the ground and poles twisted off at the curb
Ing
jackson Boyd, colored, and his three year -old
child, living in small cottage on East Second
street. Just In the rear of Wehrfritz's machine
shop, were eating supper when the storm came.
Boyd rushed to the front of his house to close
the door. The child began screaming aud he
ran back to the table aud took 1t In his arms. 1t
was the last act of his life, for at that moment
the East wall of Wehrfritz shop fell on the cot
tage and Boyd and his son were instantly killed.
The storm did great damage at The state peni-
tentiary, estimated to aggregate $40 Oo0 The
South half OF the roof Of the cell house was COM
pletely torn away and carried outside the walls.
The windows were all broken out. But very
little damage was done to the interior. Many
of the cOnvicts were In their cells ut the time and
were not hurt.
The new work house. chapel and kitchen were
badly wrecked. ltis three story brick. The
third story and the East wall of the second story
were blown down, and arc lying between 1t and
the house, q vast mass Of brick and mortar. The
West wall was cracked at the floor and inclined
to the East about forty five degrees. 1t was in
this building where the only death occurred
J. r. Griffith, white man. sent up from Clay
county for incest was descending the stairway
from the third story, when the wall caved In
and buried him under the debris His remains
badly mangled, were removed from the ruini
this morning He was received at the peniten
tiary August 10. 1893; age so; native Of Montgom
cry county, Kentucky; carpenter by trade; lesvei
q wife and child. address unknown.
1t was 1t the insane asylum where the mos
complete wreck was to be seen. The splendid
buildings, built by the State at cost Of $500 Oco
| lOChttu Ou PAOshHcuoVp uUOus - nAAC VSo
Of the business portion Of the city, offered
splendid target for the fury Of the storm. Th'
damage is variously estimated at from &75. 600 u
$4,000.
There was one death here. DR.. Jacob T. In
gate, second assistant physician. He and DIR
Robertson were standing in the hall talking jus
before the storm struck and as they separated
to 60 to their rooms, the two great towers crown
ing the main Office portion crashed through th'
three stories. burying Dr. Ingatc under thu
debris of one of them. DIR. Robertson had yer,
narrow escape, but by pressing up against thu
wall, while bricks and heavy timbcrs were fyins
about his head In the dark, the lights having
been at once extinguished he succeeded in get
ting out without injury. heavy force of mel
worked all night aud forenoon in removing thu
debris to find the body of the unfortunate ply
sician, but his remains were not uncovered
until IL o'clock. He was found under mass o
brick and timbers In the vestibule Of the mail
building. lying on his face and mangled beyont
recognition.
Dr. Ingate was man of unusually bright in
telect, about 25 years Of age. He was born ant
raised at Mobile, Ala and afterward removed t
Lonoke. this State, where he was practicint
medicine when appointed as assistant physician
by DIR. Robertson.
Besides the destruction wrough In the mail
building the East wall OF the male ward wa
completely torn away. Wards l, 3, and are
total wreck. The roof is blown off, and debri
has been found half d mile East
Pandemonium reigncd after the fury Of tn,
storm had been spent. The cells in the Souti
wing now open to the East. most Of the furui
ture uninjured, were occupied by inmates a