The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-05-23
SWEPT BY A CYCLONE.

Great Destruction of Life and Property
at Sherman, Tex.-About One Hundred
Lives Destroyed, while as Many Others
are Suffering from Severe and In Many
Cases Probably Fatal Injuries-Great De-
struction Of Property.
DENIsOS, Tex, May 16.-The city of
Sherman was visited by the worst cy-
clone in the history of north Texas
about five o'clock last evening. The
path of the destroyed was $50 yards
wide. 1t struck the city at the
west end of Post Oak creek and
swept in a westerly direction for sew
eral blocks, and then spread and spent
its force. The track of the cyclone is
a gruesome sight. the devastation be-
ing complete, houses, trees, fences, in
fact, everything in its pathway de-
stroyed. The loss of life will probably
reach 100 with as many more bruised
and wounded. The city hall and n va
cant store Doh have been turned into
temporary hospitals and Is bruised,
maugled and mutilated bodies are
awaiting identification at these two
places, at this writing. Nearly every
house in Fairview has been turned
into a hospital.
The unidentified dead are being
taken to the courthouse.
Gray's Hill and Fairview were badly
damaged, and the cyclone passed di-
rectly west of the North Texas Fe-
male college, barely missing it. For
two or three blocks everything in it's
pathway was swept aside.
b. b. Sales, a deliveryman. drove
down Houston avenue directly after
the cyclone. He stated that he saw
at least w men, women and chill
dren lying along the avenue dead.
Many were wounded. The devaSta-
tation where the cyclone was worst is
complete. Trees were stripped of
their foliage, while many others
We're uprooted. Residences, the pride
OF the city, are in some instances en-
tirely gone, and in others only a pile
OF rubbish marks the place where they
stood.
Capt. Ellis residence was blown to
pieces. His wife and two children
were in the house, but fortunately es-
capped without injury.
Not a thing remains to mark the
spot where, only a few hours before,
stood the magnificent residence of
Capt. Burgess. His family was absent
from the house at the time.
Mayor Tone of Denison gives the
following account of the cyclone:
Il WAS on the courthouse square
about five o'clock and heard a roar
ing wind coming from the south. The
next thing l knew the air was
thick with mud and small specks re-
sembliag ashes. The cyclone did not
strike the courthouse square, but fol-
lowed Post Oak road. The roaring
did not continue owe two or three
minutes. During all this time it
rained hard. In about five minutes
rumors began to spread that many
lives We're lost and the reports grew
worse and worse as time passed. By
nine o'clock so dead bodies had been
brought into the pubic buildings and
searching parties We're put after more.
Dead children have been found in
trees, under levelled houses and in
Post Oak creek. An iron bridge over
Post Oak creek was twisted into scrap
iron"
Prof. and Mrs. KOpler were both
badly and, it is feared, fatally injured.
The children of J. Il. Irwin are all
badly hurt. Dr.. Michaels is badly
hurt. DR.. Slider left for the south
part of town just before the storm,
and nothing has been heard from him
since. 1t is feared that he has been
Mrs. James Davis and Mrs. John
who lived ten miles south of
town, are both killed. 1t is feared that
the devastation in that part of the
country is serious.
Amass meeting was heldlast night at
the courthouse to devise means to re-
the distressed hundreds whose
homes are blown away.