The record-union., 1896-05-16
Loss of Life Will Probably Reach One
Hundred,
While as rlany rIore Are Bruised
and Badly Injured-NOt Thing
Remains to Mark Spots Where
Few Hours Before Stood Magnifi-
cent ReSidenCeS-An Iron Bridge
Twisted Into Scrap Iron.

SHERMAN (IeXaS), May 10.-InlS
city was visited by the worst cyclone i'll
the history of Northern Texas about D
o'clock this evening. The loss of life
will probably reach 100, with as many
more bruised and badly injured. The
City Hall and the storeroom formerly
occupied by S. G.. Holmes have been
turned into temporary hospitals, and
eighteen bruised, mangled and multi
ated bodies are awaiting identification
al these two places. Nearly every house
in Fairview Addition was turned into
a hospital and the citiznes rendered
all assistance possible.
The path Of the destroyer was 100
yards wide. 1t struck the city at the
west end of Post Oak Creek, and swept
in a westerly direction for several
blocks, and then spread and spent its
force.
The track of the cyclone is a grue-
some sight, the devastation being COM
plete. Houses, trees, fences; in fact,
everything in it's path was destroyed.
Following is a list of the dead SO far
as known: r. L. Burns, wife and two
children; Mrs. Otto Paulsing and two
children; James Nicholson, wife and
two children; 7. H. Montgomery, wife
and two children; John Ames, wife and
two children; Rev Mr.. Sherer; eight
me mbers of the Pearce and Richardson
families at the Wakefield farm; child
of Mrs. Craighead; Mrs. Burns and two
children; Mrs. James Davis; Mrs. John
Fields; Lucinda Lake, colored; Charles
Cox, cOlored; Eliza Cox, colored; Sloane
Ballinger, colored; Katie Ballinger, col
dren, colored; Wright Clark and three
members of his family, colored; Mrs.
Athens and eighteen unidentified dead
at the City Hall. DR.. Sadler who has
not been seen since the storm, is be-
lieved to have been killed.
Seriously injured: Professor and Mrs.
Kahler, six children of j. 3. Irwin,
Edwin True.
Both Gray's Hill and Fairview were
badly t.aifsaged. The cyclone passeS
directly west of the North Texas Fe-
male College, barely missing it, For
two or three blocks everything in it's
pathway was swept aside. Then it
would rise for a block or two and lit
tie damage would be done.
B. 3. Sales, delivery man, drove
down Houston avenue directly after the
cyclone. He stated that he saw at least
seven men, women and children lying
along the avenue dead and many in
jured.
The devastation in spots where the
cyclone was the worst is complete. Cap
tain Ely's fine residence was blown to
pieces. His wife and two children were
in a closet, but fortunately escaped
without injury.
Not a thing remains to mark the spot
where only a few hours before stood the
magnificent residence of Colonel Bur-
CESS. His family were absent from the
house at the time.
Mayor Tone of Denison gives the fol-
lowing account Of the cyclone: Il was
in the Courthouse about o'clock,
when suddenly l heard roaring wind
coming from the south. The next thing
knew the air was thick with mud and
small specks resembling ashes. The
cyclone did not strike the Courthouse
or Jail, but followed up Post Oak Creek.
The roaring did not continue over two
or three minutes. During all this time
it rained hard. In about five minutes
rumors began to spread that many lives
had been lost, and the reports grew
worse and worse as time passed. By 8
o'clock fifty dead bodies had been
brought into the public buildings, and
searching parties are out hunting for
more. Dead children have been found
il trees, under leveled houses and in
Post Oak Creek. An iron bridge over
Post Oak Creek was twisted into scrap
IRON
Professor and Mrs. Khaler were both
iS faor arin ell
jured The six children of J. B. Irwin
are all badly hurt. DR.. Michael left for
the west part of town just before the
cyclone, and was caught in the storm
and badly hurt.
DR.. Sadler left the south part of the
town just before the storm, and at pres
ent writing nothing has been heard from
him. 1t is feared he was killed. Mrs
James Davis and Mrs. John Fields, who
live ten miles south of town, were both
killed. 1t is feared the destruction IN
that part of the country is serious
A mass meeting was held tonight at
the Courthouse to devise means to re-
lieve the distressed.
Five elegant residences were demol-
ished in this city. The Houston street
steel suspension bridge was torn to
Sp1ntefS, ana nuSe IRON SlrQefS twisted
like straw. Houses, trees, animals and
human beings were blown thousands of
feet. Whole families were extermi-
mated and separated by the relentless
storm.
The bodies of Mrs. Otto Ballinger and
child were blown five hundred feet up
Grape Hill. Many bodies are unre-
covered. A hundred negro cabins were
blown off the face of the earth
Mrs L. E. Ely and sister were mirac-
ulously saved under the ruins of their
home A bureau fell on the family and
a 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
carried upward in the mighty whirl-
wind A farmer driving along in front
of Captain Ely's house was killed In
stantly. The wagon wheels were found
but no trace of the team. The bodies of
children beheaded and disemboweled
are common.
Six unidentified white corpses are in
TTpdarto lyor Harrinp.on'S roamS Sprna