The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-04-01

work Of carnage began before the III.
habitants realized what was upon
them, and hardly any means of escape
was left open. Tearing through the
business district, stores were hurled
right and left and lifted high in the air
and tossed in every direction The
court house, in which Chief Justice
Dale was holding court, was taken off
its foundation aud the building nearly
crushed. Passing on into the residence
district, the wind demon wreaked its
vengeance there, and rushing into the
open country, finally spent itself.
Soon fire followed the cyclones wake
and here and there bright flames
fared up into the sky. Overturned
stoves had caught, and, unhampered.
the fire began its part in the work of de.
struction. In very short time heavy
rain storm came up. AS night wore on
it developed into a deluge, and, while
it cceeded in completing the dismal
scene, roved the savior Of the town.
for in many spots it quenched the
fires and stemmed confiagration that
Chandlers citizens could never have
hoped to stay.
With the first realization of their pre-.
dicament over, the uninjured and able
bodied found themselves from fright
and confusion we'll nigh as helpless to
render aid as their more unfortunate
neighbors. Finally, when an effort
to send for outside aid was made, it was
found all communication with the out
side world had been cut off
Secured Outside Help.
The telephone Office was among the
buildings destroyed. 1t was several
hours before communication with
Guthrie was secured, a mile and half
out of Chandler. But a brief idea of
| the nature of the devastation wrought,
together with an appeal for aid, had
been sent the neighboring cities, when
the wire snapped and Chandler was
again shut Off In the meaHtime, how.
ever, train bearing physicians and
others, left for the scene. The wire
came up later and further appeals TO,
aid met prompt response and addi.
tional rescuing parties were sent out as
the extent Of the damage became
known.
BY midnight, some show of system
attic rescue had been perfected, and the
dead and dying were being released
from the grimy prisons into which theil
own homes had been transformed. Al
! l o'clock 81 dead bodies had been takel
from the ruins, while dozens more ol
less badly injured had been removed
to nlaces Of safety. In addition. it wa.
known that others whom it had been
impossible to reach, or who, perhaps
had been incinerated before the delug,
of rain had quenched the fire in thei
homes, would add to the list of fatal
tiles. The list of the dead and injured
as far as ascertained at daylight, is a
follows:
The dead are: John Dawson O
Lincoln, Neb.. a lawyer, burned t
death /; James Woody ard and wife o
Eldorado, Kan, visiting in Chandler
instantly killed; Mrs. Henry Mitchell
Mrs. Tom Smith, +. Demoff, Emm
Dressinger, D. G.. Johnson and wife
Mr. Phillip Johnson and child, Mrs
DR.. Lee, A. w. Kellar and wife, un
known woman and baby, five unknow
children.
RThose fatally injured are: Arthu
Jewett, Peggy Johnson, Mrs. Fran
Mccall. d. G. Gooding, Maggie Reavel
q Andrew Asher and wife, Mrs. Gull un
: Jennie Woodwork, young daughte
) OF Mr.. and Mrs. James Wordsworth
: boy named woodward. badly hurt