The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-03

The StreetsAre Made impossible
by the Ruins.
MANY PEOPLE KILLED
State PenitentiaIy and Insane
Asylum Badly Damaged.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Oct IA terri
bic tornado struck this city at 7:5o
o'clock last evening and almost de-
vastated the business portion Of the
city. Several people are known to
have been killed and injured, while it
is feared scores more have met the
same horrible fate. The main portion
Of the business center, bounded on
the south by Third street, on the
north BY River Front, on the west by
Center street and on the east by Com
mcrcia1 street, is practically in ruins
and the amount of damage is meal
culab1e. The total loss viii probably
approximate $500, 600. The tornado
was accompanied by terrific storm
and the stocks OF goods in those bust
ness houses which were unrOOfed,
though not otherwise wrecked are
destroyed by water.
The storm struck the state peniten-
tiary which stands on a hill in the
western part OF the city, with fear
full force, destroy ing the dining room,
tearing down the stable and shops,
unroofng the main cell building, and
demolishing the warden's Office Sew
era1 c0nvicts were seriously injured,
one of whom died an hour afterward.
Down town, the lightning struck the
Martin block, corner of Spring and
Second streets, totally wrecl1ing the
third floor A man by the name of
Eaton was fatally injured there The
Titles building, corner of Center and
Markham streets, was unroofed and a
part of the fourth floor of Gleason's
hotel was blown away At Main and
Second streets the tops of several adj
jacent buildings lie piled up in an in
describable heap.
The worst damage, however, was
done to property on Markham and
Commercial streets Nearly every
building in that district is unroofed
and many are totally wrecked The
large three story bulldog at Mark
ham and Cum berland occupied by the
B. II. Mccarthy Co. is a 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 debris.
The streets were filed with tin roofs,
electric wires and other wreclzage and
1t will be several days before the
extent of the damage can be &C
curately known The large cotton
warehouse situated at Second and
Scott. owned by J. H Bacum, was
wrecked. It fell on the Western
Union telegraph Office next door and
wrecked it, thus cutting of all tele-
graphic communication with outside
points The city is in tho densest
arkness ana Inc streets are Verlr-
able portable stream of mud Rescu-
ing parties are busy searching for the
wounded but q list of the casualties
is unObtainab BILE.
Among those known to have be@n
seriously and probab bly, fatally injured
are G. p Monroe, member Of Arkan-
sas legislature, and Eaton Sam Smith,
a prominent cotton buyer, Is also bad
~ wounded Others are known to
have been more or less injured, but
names are not obta1nable-
All kinds Of rulnors are ahoat; one
60 the effect that the insane asylum,
in which some eco patients are con
fined, has blown down and many pa
tients injured, but the asylum is sit
uated mile from the city and the
rumor cannot be confirmed num-
Der of escaped lunatics have been
captured near the Union depot and
this fact gives color to the rumor-