The San Francisco call., 1896-05-16
DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
Whole Families Erterninated and Struct
tares Reduced to SnIinfers

Whole Families E1tern,inated and Struct-
ares Reduced to Sptinters.
SHERMAN, TEX, May 15.-Five ele-
CANT residences were demolished in this
city. The Houston-street steel suspension
bridge was torn TO splinters and huge iron
girders twisted like straw. Houses. trees,
animals and human beings were blown
thousands of feet. Whole families were
exterminated and separated by the relent-
| less storm.
The bodies of Mrs. Otto Ballinger and
child were blown 500 feet up Grape Hill.
Many bodies are yet unrecovered-
A hundred negro cabins were blown off
| the face of the earth.
Mrs. L. Ely and two children were
miraculously saved under the ruins OF
their home. bureau fell on the family
and stairway on top of the bureau, pro-
tecting them from falling walls.
Sixth street was not very thickly set
tied, but what houses were there were car
ried upward in the mighty whirlwind.
farmer driving along in front of Cap
tain Ely's house was killed instantly. The
wagon-wheeIs were found, but no trace OF
the team. Bodies OF children beheaded
and disem mboweled are common.
Six unidentified white corpses are in
Undertaken Harrintons rooms. Some of
the victims have limbs broken in as many
as three places.
J. II. Heron, who lives five miles south
of town, brought in his only son fatally
injured. There was only the father and
son in the family. and they had been
patching together for many years. The
father is distracted with grief. He saw
the storm coming and went to the storm
house and escaped without scratch.
| The boy was away from home at his
uncles, who was killed with his wife and
baby.
Ten bodies were brought in from the
! Wakefield farm, two miles west of the city.
A. F. Person, wife, granddaughter, mar
ried daughter and three other children,
who lived on the farm, were all killed.
The atmospheric conditions have been
much disturbed for several days in Texas.
Tuesday there were hail and wind storms
in various parts of Northern Texas. To-
day there was series of cyclonic storms,
affecting mostly Grayson and Denton
counties. At Sanger. and Justin, in the
latter county, there was a cyclone that
doubtless extended into Grayson County
and caused the disaster here.
The storm passed to the northeast into
the Indian Territory. 1t is thought the
country for fourteen or fifteen miles
around has been devastated and nearly
depopulated by the storm.
The cyclone was preceded by terrible
clap of thunder and much lightning. Ac-
companyingit came furious dash of rain.
The roar OF the storm was heard all over
the city. Many fell on their knees and
prayed for life. Colored people terror
stricken sank on their knees in the mud
and cried: "Jesus have mercy on u.s."
''Save us"
A big colored woman with both legs
broken was found in the creek crying, "On
the 18th of May the Lord done kill me and
all my children"
Five minutes after the storm the sky was
bright and clear, but desolation. terror and
uncomfortable grief reigned where ten
minutes before were happy, united FAM
lilies and pleasant homes.
Many private homes have been turned
into hospitals ana physicians and sur
geons of this and adjacent towns will work
all night. Some of the wounded in the
hospitals will die before morning.
The ladies of Sherman came to the res
cue nobly and bear up oravely in the face
of the most sickening sights