The Van Buren press., 1898-01-15
The Number Of Dead at Last Report
Amount to Forty -four and the
Injured are Scores.

gave no indication of what was i'm
pending, and from all appearances the
cyclone, or whatever it was must have
formed about the southwestern city
limits of Fort Smith. Awful is the
only word that will even slightly de-
scribe the destruction wrought in the
few brief moments that the storm lasted
and the scene that presented itself next
morning cannot be described in words,
while the anguish and pain and suffering
1t left in its wake will never be known
in its entirety.
Van Buren, had u narrow escape. the
cyclone passing less than two miles
heavy gusts of wind caused by the air
rushing in to supply the vacuum in the
rear of the cyclone.
The list of dead, so far. is given be-
low. but there are others whose lives
are hanging in the balance:
Ed Farrell.
Roy Farrell,
Irene Farrell,
John Baldt,
Mrs, Burgess,
J. J. Riley,
John Martin.
Lefevre boys (2)
10 Kiles,
Faux,
Mrs. Will Lawson.
Frank, Richardson,
Geo. Lover.
Geo. Carter.
Louis Sengel.
John Martin.
Silas Mincer,
Mary Zimmerman.
Harvey Rutledge.
James Griswold,
j. M. Foutz,
Malt Knapton, Jr.
Buster Lucas (col.)
John Adams,
Mrs. Chas. Maurer,
Mr.. Ritter.
Mrs. Holden.
Baby of Mrs. Sheehan.
Louis Woehle,
James Smith, Jr..
Mrs. Malt Knapton.
G.. II. Hunter.
Mrs. Jones.
Mr.. Greb son.
Mr.. Hoover,
Unknown (8).
The following graphic description
from the Fort Smith Sun, given few
hours after the visitation and extracts
from other papers covers it to the ex-
tent of our space:
its wake visited this city last night and at this
writing there is no estimating the loss OF lie or
the damage resulting to property interests of
The first indication OF the approaching cyclone
became apparent shortly after 10 p m. when the
atmosphere, laden with depressed and sultry
heated condition, showed that at least heavy
rain storm was brewing. No one who observed
the continual flashes of lightning in the west
thought for moment that 4 cyclonic condi ton
would follow the atmospheric depression, but
such proved to be the fact lamentable in its
every feature. The lightning's flashes increased
in brightness and by II O'Clock the wind was
blowinga decidedly threatening gale. 1t was
but few minutes later when the rumbling
sounds of what proved to be cyclone were
heart in the southwest and in the twinkling OF
an eye 1t was upon the sleeping city.
The cyclone appears to have formed near the
National cemetery and travelling IN northeast
direction began its most terrible work of de-
structiOn as IL reache0 south Ninth street. cross
ing Garrison Avenue at the Texas corner IL laid
waste block after block of the residence portion.
full description of the terrible havoc
wrought Il would be impossible to present in the
space of this paper. The high school building
only recently completed at an expense OF 35O.0jJ
Is almost a total wreck.
The Elevator says:
The course of the cyclone through the city
was not exactly straight II seemed 10 jump
I'll ghtly or deyiate, though IL kept pretty well on
a direct line The width OF the track of the
storm varies more or less. In some places IL is
500 yards wide. in others not more than 10. The
cyclone was accompanied by hail Not much
eggs. The wind was followed by heavy fall
rain something like a cloud burst. his fort
unately did not last long
Some time elapsed before the people of the
city realized the Tact that they had been the re-
cipents OF visit of the cyclone monster. In
OF the ruins aud notified neighbers of heir mis-
haps.
In some places the cries Of the injured gave
notice OF distress. Telephone wires were down
and everything WAS confusion. But willing
hands were soon at work extricating the vict-
inns. To add additional horror 10 the scene hire
broke out In various parts OF the city. One was
the wreck of the two-story Davis building on the
avenue opposite the Texas corner. In IL were
kuown To be a large number OF people engulfed
and the nre department devoted Its entire at
lcntion 10 II. For two days after the sesrchers
here unearthed bodies-sOme OF tho bodies we're
burEed beyOud recognition.
Othcr places that proved dCAth traps to pun
bcrs were the thrcc-story building in which WAS
the Burgiss hotel aud tie building IN which was
HArtsbclds RESTAURANT
II would be almost impossible 10 give a com
plcte hst OF the casualties and damage.