The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-05-16
FATAL TEXAS CYCLONE
1t Leaves in Its Trail a Long List
Of Killed and Injured,
PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED DEAD


List Is from Thirty to Forty, and the
Search for Bodies Progresses-A Portion
of the City Wiped out.
SHERMAN, Tex, May ga most disas-
trous cyclone struck Sherman at 1880
o'clock yesterday afternoon, wiping out
the entire western end of the town. The
loss of life is appalling. The number of
missing is large and includes great
many children, and it is quite probable
that the most of them are dead Itis very
conservative to estimate that the list of
fatalities in this city will reach sixty
while the injured will reach 100. At least
tlfty houses are totally wrecked. The
property loss will reach at least Sl5O,0 900
The number of persons wounded will
reach not less than 100 and it will be sew
eral days before the exact number of fatal
tiles can be given, as many persons, es-
pecially children, are missing and many
of the injured are in such critical condi-
tion that score may die.
1t is reported this morning that forty
people have been killed south of town, in
addition to the city's death list. Wagons
are unloading the dead and injured every
moment.
The list of killed so far reported by the
authorities is as follows: Mrs. Otto Baldin-
ger and two children; Mrs. l. l.. Burns
and two boys, aged 10 and years; John
Ames, wife and two children; Rev. j. ;.
Shearer; Mrs Luke Montgomery and
three children; William Hamilton, far
mer; Mrs. George Anderson and infant
daughter; Mary Belle jenkins; d, i.
Pierce and son Tom, aged Il; Mrs. Dave
Herring and two children; an unknown
lady and two little white children, about
and years of age, who have not been
identified
The list of colored people killed so far as
learned is as follows: James Walker,
James Brown and wife, Lucy b, Allenger
and daughter, Charlie Cox Ga child), Mary
Lake and three children, and many others
Us yet unidentified.
No accurate estimate can yet be placed
on the loss of life and property. The work
of rescue and search for the missing goes
on. The business part of the town is de-
serted and the greatest excitement pre-
walls. The Western Union Office is over
| flowing with anxious ones sending mes
sages and inquiring the fate Of other
towns Every available wagon, buggy
and horse is in use by searchers and work
ers on the field of death. As time grows
later reports of greater loss of life and
property arrive Many stories of miracu-
lous escapes are told
| As the Sherman court house is insult
| ficient to hold the dead and wounded the
vacant Moore building, on the South
square, was utilized fifteen colored people,
dead or dying being placed there at o
o'clock last evening All kinds of We
| hicles continued to come in with dead
bodies. Around the Moore building the
highest excitement prevails and the great
est difficulty is experienced in getting the
names of the victims and accurate reports
The storm struck sherman without
warning on the southwest corner of the
city and cleared a path 100 yards wide
along the west end of the town. Houses,
trees fences and everything went before
the terrible force of the cyclone. The
negro part of the town suffered the most
severely There are probably thirty
negroes killed Ten bodies have been
picked up in Post Oak creek
From the point where the cyclone seems
to have first descended to where it sud
denly arose from the ground just north
of the city, not house in it's pathway es-
capped, not a tree or shrub is left standing,
or that is not twisted and torn out of
! shape. The iron bridge on Houston street
is completely wrecked and blown away,
Notwithstanding its hundred thousands of
pounds of steel and material.
Captain II. f. Ely's house was demol-
ished and his wife and two children had
miraculous escapes. Captain B. B. Erges'
residence was also leveled to the ground,
but fortunately the family was away from
home. Frank Ryan, manager of the Sher-
man baseball team, had his house blown
off it foundation and completely turned
around. His wife and two children es-
capped serious injury.
The flood of rain which attended the
storm was severe. The town is a mass of
mud and floating debris. There is much
difficulty in finding the dead and injured.