The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-16


Victims Recovered Hourly
Many VIII Die Before Morning.
Fort Worth, Texas, May ia spe-
cial to the Gazette from Sherman.
Texas, says: A most disastrous cy-
clone struck Sherman at 4:30 o'clock
this afternoon, wiping out the western
end of the town entirely. The loss of
life is appalling. The dead are esti-
mated at between 80 and 40. This is
very conservative estimate. Many
more are seriously injured. At 6 o'clock
this evening, IL bodies are lying in the
court house and as many more are
scattered about the desolate west end
of the city.
No accurate 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 overfiowed with anxious ones
sending messages and inquiring 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 reports of
greater loss of life and property are
arriving. Many stories of miraculous
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
at O'Clock, Is colored people, dead and
dying. being placed there. Express
drays, baggage wagons and all kinds
of vehicles continue to come in with
dead bodies. Around the Moore build
ing the highest excitement prevails and
the greatest 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 80 negroes killed. Ten bodies
have been picked up in Post Oak
creek. The flood of rain that 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.
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 leveled to
the ground, but fortunately the family
was away from nome.
An Awful torn.
Dallas, Texas, May ia special to
the News from Sherman, Texas, says:
Just few minutes before o'clock
this afternoon a cyclone not exceeding
two blocks in width. but carrying wide
spread destruction and death in its
wake, swept through the western half
of the city. The approach of the ter
rife whirlwind was announced by a
deep rumbling noise not unlike rever-
berating thunder. A fierce and driving
rain accompanied it. Late tonight Ut
Is reported that 40 people have been
killed south of town in addition to the
city's death list. Wagons are unloading
the dead and injured every moment.
Attention was called to the peculiar
appearance of the clouds. They were
parted at the lower side and converging
into a perfect funnel shape, while a
boiling, Seething mass of vaporous
clouds were revolving in the right. The
air was suddenly filled with trees and
twigs and the downpour of rain
brought with II deluge of mud. Then
the truth dawned on all that a cyclone
was prevailing. From the point where
il seems ITO have first descended to
where 1t suddenly arose from the
ground, just north OF the city. II left
terrific marks of it's passage, not a
house In its path escaping; not tree
or shrub left standing. Fences are
gone. The iron bridge on Houston
street is completely wrecked and blown
away, Notwithstanding its hundreds of
thousands Of pounds of steel and ma
terial.
The number of persons wounded win
not reach less than 100. and IL 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 critical shape 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:
A. Ballinger and two children.
Mrs. /. L. Burns and two children
Josephine, aged 3. and Grover, aged 10
John Ames and wife and two child
ren.
Rev. ]. s. Shearer.
Mrs. Luke Montgomery and two
children; another one is also missing.
William Hamilton. farmer.
Mrs. George Anderson and an infant
daughter.
Mrs. Belle jenkins.
A. Pierce and son Tom, aged 4.
Mrs Dave Herring and two children