Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-01-20
TERRIBLE TORNADO.
Two Score Human Lives Lost at
Fort Smith by Storm.
PROPERTY LOSS over one MILLION.
Debris OF Many Of the buildings Catches
Fire and Many Tn ,ortunates Were
Burned to Death-The
Scene Awful

score OF human lives and upward OF
$1,000, 600 worth Of property were de-
stroyed by a terrible tornado which
burst upon this city few minutes
past II o'clock Tuesday night. Men,
women and children, peacefully asleep
in their homes, we're, without mo-
ments warning, awakened to meet
horrible death in the fearful Storm
while others, momentarily more for
tunate, and who escaped the turles OF
the wind, met far worse fate few
minutes later In the flames, which
soon engulfed many Of the wrecked
buildings
The scene following the first terrific
crash OF the storm WAS one OF awful
grandeur Business blocks, handsome
mansions, hotels and humble cottages
were RACED to the ground and scattered
in shapeless masses. Several OF the
wrecks caught fire and the infam-
mable timbers burned furiously. The
city was crowded with rural visitors,
many OF whom were sleeping at board
ing houses unregistered. For this rea-
son the number of victims who per-
ished in Fort Smith Tuesday night
may never be definitely known.
The storm struck the city near the
National cemetery and swept its way
through the heart of the town. Leay-
inc Fort Smith, 1t bounded by Van
Buren, and continued down the river,
demolishing everything in Its path.
News from outside points is not at
hand, but rnmors Of much damage rs
far south as Alma has reached here, II
being reported that n number OF per-
sons were killed near that place.
Twoof the largest houses of worship
n the city, the Baptist and Central
Methodist churches, were completely
destroyed. The Brownscome church
was badly damaged and the towers
and roof OF the high school building
blown off. The scene in the neighbor-
hood OF the wreck was horrible. Men
and women, clad in their night clothes,
from the neighboring houses, were
seeking shelter and calling for aid for
bome absent member Of the family or
friend who failed to escape from the
wreckage of the buildings in which
they had been living. Men, women
and children sought refuge in O'keefe't
saloon and were afforded shelter In
the back part OF the saloon number
of injured were stretched out on thu
floor with only their night clothes t'
protect them from the chilly midnigh'
air. Miss Wood, one Of the nurses o
the 1T. John hospital, was on the scent
and did all that could be done to re
lieve the immediate wants Of the In
iured in the rear Of Mr.. UKeefe's sa
: loon. The drug stores were opened
and the clerks were kept busy fllinl
prescriptions and otherwise doing thei
i share toward relieving the sufferers.
i Owing to the fact that the tornado
J. after passing through the residenc
, district, did its worst work in that POI
Q ton OF the business district, in whic
k the older buildings were located, tn
II totals Of damage done do not amour
g up very rapidly, although many builc
v ings were partially or wholly ruined
l. The debris Of many Of the buildings
a which were in the lodging house di'
d trict, caught fire, and those unfort,
n mates who were not at once extricate
II alive, persisted miserably by bein
e burned or smothered TO death. Add
Is the fact that many Of the people in tn
It outside district were killed In tn
n crash Of the falling residences and
ID will be seen why the list Of the dea
Or rolled up so rapidly.
q All the nurses and doctors that ca
lie be pressed into service are being uti
lie lied, and there are scores Of Temporal
hospitals through the city in additio
Il, TO the regular hospitals, where the II
y jured are being taken. The morgue
u, taxed to It's utmost capacity and add
:, tional bodies are being brought
so every few minutes
~ The tornado crossed the Arkans'
!. river one.half mile south Of Van Burt
y. and tore path sOOyards wide throue
!. Crawford county and at least five we
" killed.