Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-10-03
CYCLONE SWEPT.
Little Rock Devastated by a
Sudden Storm.
MANY KILLED AND INJURED.
The Penitentiary and Insane Asylum
We're Wrecked.


the Stores with Rain-severnl Persons
Picked Up Dead In the streets-Prisoners
and Lunatics Escaped, While o hers Were
InJured-Loss VIII Exceed Half n Million
Dollars.
LITTLE Rock, Oct "A terrible cy-
clone struck this city and almost devas-
tated the business portion of the city.
Several people arc known to have been
killed and injured, while it is feared Sow
sral others have met the same fate.
The main portion of the business CEN
ter, bounded on the south by Third street,
on the north by the river front, on tho west
by Center street and on tho east by Com
mercial, is practically ruined. The total
property loss will probably approximate
$500, 900.
The cyclone was accompanied by tor
life rainstorm, and the stocks of goods in
;he business houses which were unroofod,
though not otherwise wrecked, were de-
gtroyed by water.
The storm struck the state peniten-
iiary, which stands on n hill in the west
,rn part of the city, with fearful force, dc
stroying the dining room, tearing down
The stable and shops, unroofing the main
,ell 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 tho lightning struck tho
Martin block, totally wrecking tho third
door. 4 man named Eaton was fatally
In jurcd there. The TITLES building was
unroOfed, and part of tho fourth floor
Of Gleason's hotel was blown away. At
Main and @agnpI straatS tho TONS Of SOW
sral adjacent buildings lie piled up in an
Indescribable heap.
The worst damage, however, was done
20 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 tho b. II. Mccarthy
company, is n total wreck, as is also tho
two story building on the opposite corner,
occupied by Max Elkans as n saloon. The
third story of the old Deming House was
blown off, and the several stores under it
were flooded by water and filled with
debris
The streets are filled with tin roofs cleo
trio wires and other wreckaGe, and 1t will
be several days before tho extent of the
damage is known accurately. Tho largo
cotton warehouse situated ut Second and
Scott streets, owned by J. II. Bacum, was
wrecked. 1t fell ON the Western Union
telegraph Office next door and wrecked it,
thus cutting off all Geographic communi-
cation with outside points
Insane Asylum Reported Blown Down.
The city is in the denscst darkness, and
the streets are veriIable streams of mud
Rescuing parties are busy searching for
the wounded, but a list OF casualties is
utterly unobtainable.
Among those known to have been seri-
ously and probably fatally wounded is
c. =. Monroe, member of the Arkansas
legislature, and Sam Smith, a prominent
cotton buyer, is also badly injured.
Others are known to have been moro OF
less injured, but the names arc not obtain
able. All kinds of rumors are afloat. One
Is to the effect that tho insane asylum, in
which some 600 patients are confined, has
been blown down and many patients In.
iurcd, but the asylum Is situated n mile
from the city, and the rumor cannot be
confirmed. A number of escaped lunatic:
have been captured near the 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 oil
thunder. The skies suddenly cleared, anG
the storm was thought TO be over, when
| suddenly a heavy gale from the southwest
| appeared, and for three minutes the city
was in the throes of death and dcstruc
ton. The wind was terrific in the ex
treme. Trees, telephone. telegraph nnt
electric light poles were uprooted and car
! ried a distance of 200 yards
The roofs of about 30 of the largcs
buildings in the city were torn from tn,
houses and hurled against buildings OF
the opposite sides Of the streets. leaving
the occupants and property within al tn,
mercy of the drenching rain which bCgat
to fall in torrents shortly aftcrwGrd.
| Messages were received from the insan,
| asylum, situated two miles from the city
and the state penitenitary. just west u
the Union depot, calling for a corps o
physicians and other assistants.
1t Is reliably stated that n number O
patients at the asylum are fatally njured
and great damage was done to tho build
ing.
Reports from tho penitcntiary say ST
convicts were badly injured by fallin
timbers, two of whom will die. Mayo
Hall as soon as possible called out the on
tire fire and police departments and sen
10 hackloads of physicians and citizens {
the insane asylum and penitentiary. In
tense excitement prevails, and 1t is utter
ly impossible to learn the names Of tn
killed and injured. All kinds of exaggel
ated reports are in circulation. Throug
tho services of Mayor Hall and Chief {
Police Frank Mahon the injured an
helpless are receiving tho best attention.
Almost every building situated in til
district was more or less damaged by tt
wind and water. Tho damage to the II
sane asylum will reach 500, 900, that
the penitentiary $50. 00O and the Capt.,
and Richelieu hotels were badly damaged
Every window in both buildings wa
sithcr broken to pieces or cracked.
The Dead and Injured.
The dead and injured thus far reports
arc:
Representative-electC C. T. Monroe, ba,
ly cut on the head and body by fallir
timbers; probably fatally.
John Eaton, an employee at the MART
block, tho home of Governor Fishbacl
internal injuries, from which he will d
before morning.
Captain Sam o. Smith, agent of Il
firm of K. Allgeyer Sc Co. cotton dealer
struck on the head and back, four finge
bon his right hand broken: will recover
John Edwards, with his infant baby
his arms was found dead on the street
the police.
An aged negro couple were found de
in a room OF a roofless cabin in the saI
locality.
The streets arc covered with telephor
electric and telegraph wires and deb
= from the wrecked buildings. Six elect
street car motors are pinioned on the ira
: on Main street with heavy rafters n
poles These motors arc n total loss
Governor Fishback's quarters in /
Martin block are mass of ruins.