The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-01

kinds from the buildings, transformed Main
street into funeral pyre
Passing on into the residence district. the
storm cloud toppled over dwelling after
dwelling. turned houses on their tops and
made the streets unrecOgnizable, piling
them high with debris
A BABY ESCAPES.
A two-day-old baby was carried four
blocks and not injured while the mother
was crushed in her bed. The trail the storm
left was one Of wreck and ruin most COM
plete.
With the first realization of their predica-
ment over, the uninjured and able-bodied
found themselves from fright and confusion
well-nigh as helpless TO render aid as Their
more unfortunate neighbors Finally. when
an effort to send for aid was made it was
found that all communication with the out
side world had been cut off. the telephone
office being among the buildings destroyed
1t was several hours before communication
with Guthrie was secured.
A brief idea of the nature of the devasta-
ton wrought, together with an appeal for
aid, had been sent TO the neighboring city.
when the wires snapped and Chandler was
again shut off. In the meantime, however
a train bearing physicians and others left
for the scene. The wire was fixed later and
further appeals Tor aid met prompt re-
sponse and additional rescuing parties were
sent out as the extent of the damage be-
came known.
The night in Chandler was one of indie
scribable terror With many OF its inhabi-
tants dead or dying and the remainder too
badly injured or unable from fright
because of the darkness to render assist
IpH Paf,,
in torrents. The injured in many cases un-
avaiingly cried for help and lay in the
wrecks of their homes until daylight, MAX
ing it impossible for them. 10 help them
selves until aid from surrounding towns
arrived. BY midnight, some show OF sys-
tematic rescue had been perfected and the
dead and dying were being released from
the ruins. Improvised hospitals were erect
ed and the unfortunates were cared for as
fast as possible. At l o'clock twenty dead
bodies had been taken from the ruins
while dozens more or less seriously injured
had been removed TO places of safety.
HE LOST AN EYE BUT AIDED OTHERS.
But one of Chambers physicians escaped
unnjured. and even after aid from Guthrie
arrived there was a scarcity of surgeons.
Only two were able TO do anything last
night, and one Of these. DR.. WaIcott. with
blood streaming from a sightless eye,
worked until he tainted.
Daylight brought hundreds of people from
surrounding towns, and men, women and
children assisted in caring for the injured
Little progress was made, however, and Ii
was not until noon that an organized ef-
fort for alleviatng the suffering of the in
jured was made. The four remaining build
ings were turned into hospitals, and df-
rected by Mayor Kinney, the work pro-
ceeded as swiftly as possible.
Queer sights greet the eye on all sides.
Ten trees have house roof hanging on
each; clothing and household goods are
scattered in the streets; dead horses, COWS
and other animals are to be seen every
where, while pile of ruins has a fine piano
perched on top of ii. Many of the citizens
wander about the streets, dazed at the
calamity and almost on the verge of in
sanity at the loss of families and homes
Two or three have gone stark mad.
BY nightfall tonight ten thousand people
had hocked into the town. Many of them
came to render aid, but the majority are
there as morbid sightseers. great guam
tity of clothing, bedding and provisions
has been sent in, and the Guthrie Club has
raised S1,50O In cash TO send tomorrow.
The city has put TO use all its cash. about
500. for immediate aid Hundreds of tents
have been sent from Fort Reno and Guth-
rie, and will provide temporary shelter for
the unfortunates. All the people are home
less, however, and more substantial aid
must quickly follow. Food Is scarce and
there not half enough cofi1ns to bury
the dead, and practically all the towns
supply of medicine has been destroyed
Iardy details of the Chandler cyclone
continue TO come in and every fresh bit of
news furnishes further evidence of the aw-
full fury of the storm. A messenger who
arrived late tonight from the country
southwest of Chandler. reports that many
farmhouses were demolished there; that
two persons were killed and a number of
others badly injured. 1t is reported that
| the little settlement known as Parkland
was destroyed, and that several persons
were injured there.