The herald., 1896-05-16
A COURT HOUSE CROWDED
With the Victims of the
Cyclone
-FOUR Texas TOWNS IRE VISITED
And Rumor Reports Fatalities
at Other Points
TRANSFERS AT SHERMAN
TRANSFERS AT SHERMAN
Are All Kept Busy Hauling Bodies Of
the Dead
Every Hour the List Of Killed and Wounded
Grows Larger
Details Are Stili Meager, but Enough Il
Known to Indicate q Host Appalling
Disaster--The Reports From
Various Towns
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
FORT WORTH, May Ia special to
the Gazette from Sherman, Texas. says:
A most disastrous cyclone struck Sher-
man at 4:30 o'clock this afternoon. The
loss of life is appalling. The dead are es-
itmated at between thirty and forty.
which is IL very conservative estimate.
Many more are fatally or seriously in
jured.
AT 6 o'clock this evening twelve bodies
are lying in the court house and as many
more are scattered about across the
desolate west end of the city. No accur-
ate estimate can be made yet of the loss
of life and property. The work Of rescue
and search of the missing goes on. The
business part of the town is deserted
and the greatest excitement reignS. The
Western Union office Is overflowing with
anxious ones sending messages and in
quiring the fate of other towns. Every
available wagon, buggy and horse is in
use by Searchers and workers on the
field of death. AS time grows, later re-
ports of greater loss of life and property
are arriving. Many stories of miracu-
lous escapes are told.The Sherman court
house is insufficient to hold the dead
and wounded. The vacant Moore build
ing on the south square was utilized att
O'Clock, fifteen cOlored people, dead or
dying, being placed there. Express
drays, baggage wagons and all kinds of
bodies. Around the Moore building the
highest excitement prevails, and the
greatest difficulty is experienced in get
ting the names of the victims and accur-
ate reports. The storm struck Sher-
man 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 every
thing went before the force of the
cyclone. The negro part of the town suf-
Tered the most severely. There are prob
ably thirty negroes killed Ten bodies
nave been picked UP in Post Oak creek.
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 In
jured.
Capt. T. E. Ely's house was demol-
ished and his Wife and two children had
miraculous escapes
capt. b. Berge's residence was also
ieveled to the ground. but fortunately
tne fam1ly was away from home
FRANK r. Han. manager of the Sher-
man baseball team. had his house blown
on the foundation and completely
turned around. His wife and two chill
dren escaped serious injury.
SUDDEN AND AWFUL.
tbe DAnLaS. Aens g., IeS, Ss May ia special to
Just few minuts before o'clock this
afternoon a cyclone not exceeding two
blocks in width, but carrying widespread
destruction and death in it's wake, swept
through the western half of the city.
travelling almost directly north. The an
proach of the terrific whirlwind was an
nounced by deep rumbling noise not
unlike reverbrating thunder. A fierce
ana driving rain accompanied it, Late
tonight 1t is reported that forty people
have been killed south of town in addi-
tion to the city's death list. Wagons
are unloading the dead and injured every
moment.
The News reporter standing on the
north side of the court plaza had his at
tention called to the peculiar appear
ance of the clouds. They were parted
at the lower side, converging into q
Perfect funnel shape, while a boiling.
Seething mass of vaporous clouds were
rapidly revolving in the rift. In the
air was suddenly filled with trees and
twigs and the downpour of rain brought
with it a deluge of mud. Then the truth
dawned on all that q cyclone was pre-
vailing.
From the point where it seems to have
first descended to where it arose
from the ground just north of the city,
it. left terrific marks of its passage, not
house in Its path remaining; not a tree
or shrub left standing or not twisted
and torn out of shape. Fences are gone.
The iron bridge on Houston street il
completely wrecked and blown away,
steel and material. The number of per.
sons wounded will reach not less than
one hundred, and it will be several days
before the exact number of fatalities can
be given, as many persons and especially
children are missing and many Of the
injured are in such q critical condition
that a score may die before morning.
The list of killed, as far as reported by
the authorities at 10 o'clock tonight, is as
follows
Mrs Otto Ballinger and two children.
Mrs. /. l.. Burns and two children.
| Josephine, aged 3, aud Grover aged ~.
John Ames and wife and two children.
Rev. j. S. Shearer.
Mrs Luke Montgomery and two chil-
dren; another one is also missing.
William Hamilton. farmer.
| Mrs. George Anderson and an infant
! daughter.
| Mrs. Belle Jenkins.
| D. L. Pierce and son Tom. aged IA.
| Mrs Dave Herring and two children.
An unknown woman and two little
white children about and years old;
| not yet identified and are being held In
| the morgue for Identification.
The list of colored people killed so far
as learned up to 10 p. m. is as follows:
James Walker;
Mrs. Nora Nicholson and two chij-
dren;
Lucy Ballinger and daughter:
Charley Cox, son of Eliza Cox;
Mary Lake and three children, Lett
tia, John and Fatus.
An incomplete list of the wounded II
as follows:
Tom Jenkins. wife and five children:
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Miller and two chill
dren.
A heavy silver of wood was driven
through the thigh of Granville Jen-
kins.
Mr.. and Mrs Ed HAZEL and their little