The sun., 1898-01-13
TORNADVS PATH OF DEATH
PROBABLY FIFTY PERSONS KILLED
At FORT SMITH, ARK.

Property Loss Estimated at Nearly N1iiiion
Dollars-Traok or the STERN Through the
Town was. TIVE Hundred Wards wide
some or the Residents vyhe We're KILLED.
FORT SMITH, Ark. Jan. ia tornado that
was far moro disastrous than any ever ex
perienced in this State passed over this city at
11:15 o'clock last night, leaving In Its wake
about fifty dead, with G property loss aggrcRat-
ing nearly one million dollars. The list OF the
injured 10 too long for accurate enumeration to-
night
No less than twenty-five persons are un.
accounted for Homes have been wrecked by
the ecore. and hundreds of people tonight were
without food and shelter. Many of the bodies
brought to the Morgue are not recognizable.
Many Of Fort Smiths best residences were
fattened. The debris of many buildings in the
downtown district took fire. burning the bodies
Of the unfortnnntes who were caught under
them. Men and women only partly dressed ran
about the streets calling for aid.
The death.dealing wind crossed Poteau River.
sweeping past the National Cemetery. The
path Of the storm was about 900 yards wide
striking Garrison avenue at Ninth street.
The house occupied by George Carter. for
merly engineer of the Grand Opera House, was
turned completely upside down and stands that
way as an evidence Of the terrific power of the
hurricane. Mr.. Carter killed outright, n
pane Of glass nearly severing his head from the
body. The electric park, used as cotton y ard
was wiped out completely.
Two of the largest churches in the city, the
Central Methodist and Baptist were completely
swept away. The towers and roof Of the High
School building were blown away. Mrs. Kings
home on Twelfth street was wrecked.
The home OF Mrs. Hendrick. Thirteenth street,
was destroyed and the family nearly killed.
William Winners home and the home Of John
Harrington were destroyed. Scores of shanties
along Garrison avenue west Of Texas avenue
were blown away like chaff.
The roof of Judge Parker's home, occupied by
United States Marshal Stahl and family, was
lifted off, Mrs. Lily Stahl was slightly in
jured. Andrew Dowd's home was wreck
cd. Mrs. Clayland's home was blown
down. catching the family Of Mr.. Stott
of tho United States marshal's Office in a trap.
They made their escape through chimney.
The home of Mr.. Cheniworth, also Of the mar
shal's Office. was blown away. injuring several
members Of the family. Among the residence
buildings blown down are George Martin 8
home. Thirteenth street. and the home of F. N.
Brown. DR.. Cates's home was completely fiat
toned.
Both of DIR. Cates's arms we're broken and his
wife crushed fatally. Their housemaid was
killed. The Breen building. large brick
structure. was unroofed, and the wife Of Luther
Hunter. one of its occupants. badly injured.
On the south side of Garrison avenue Mrs.
Birds house was blown away. Krones two.
| story building was wrecked. The wing Of Mr..
| Crows house on Eleventh street was torn off
| The family were caught in the wreck. but Mrs.
Crow crawled in under the debris and got the
| children out.
Guy Hartridge. wife and child crawled from
the wreck of their home and escaped. Will
Lawson and young man named Lane. Ed
Yaden, and a butcher named Wolsey were
among the injured at the o Keefe saloon. Mrs.
Hugh Rogers was dug out of the ruins of the
rock house badly injured. X. L. Hirschberg was
! another who had q narrow escape from death.
He was on his way homo when the tornado
struck the city and lifted him off his feet and
| carried him rod His clothes were torn from
| him, his shoulder dislocated, and he sustained
| injuries about the head.
Whole buildings were picked up and carried
| through the air for distance OF several hun.
dred yards before they were finally crashed into
kindling wood. The scene at the morgue all
| day beggars description. 1t will be several
! days before the full extent of the damage done
| is known.
Among the dead are Sias Miner, Mary Tim.
norman, John Griswold, John Martin, George
Carter, j. NJ. Toutz, two Lefure boys. Mrs
Malt Knopton, Ed Ferrell. Irene Ferrell. Ray
Ferrell. - Ritter. Louie Sengel, John
Badd, L. Woehle, Mrs. Jones. Harvey Rutledge
(colored) two unidentified men from Burgers
Hotel. J. J. Riley, Mrs Milt Burgess. Joe Kyle
Malt Knopton. Jr., Joe Lucas (colored). Frank
Richardson. John Adams Mrs. G. Maurer, Mrs
| VIII Lawson. Miss Holden. Mrs. shebans infant
lam Inn tn ha Mrs