The copper country evening news., 1898-01-13
FIFTY REPORTED DEAD
FrightfuI Tornado Sweeps Over
Fort Smith, Ark.
STORM STRIKES AFTER MIDNIGHT.

The Baptist and Central Methodist
Churches Completely Destroyed and
Large Number of Other Buildings
Wreeked-one Family Escapes from
Their Demolished Dwelling by Crawling
Through the Chimney.
Fort Smith, Ark. Jan. 13--One Of the
most terrible storms that ever struck
this section CT the country tore through
this city shortly after midnight. Ev-
erything is confusion as a result Of the
great destruction Of life and property,
and at this time it is impossible to give
anything Ike an accurate estimate of
the number Of killed or injured. Fifty
| persons are reported dead and as many
more are missing, homes have been
wrecked by the score. and hundreds Of
people are without food or shelter.
The dead. as far as found and idenu-
| fed are as follows Ed Farrell, Bob
Farrell. Irene Farrell, John Ball. j. XII
| ley, John Martin. two Lefevre boys, Joe
| Kiles, Faux, Mrs. Will Lawson.
Frank Richardson. George Lover
George Carter, Louis Sengal, and John
Martin. Jr. The bodies of four unknown
persons have also been taken from the
/ ruins.
| Two Churches Demolished.
Two of the largest houses Of worship
In the city, the Baptist and the. Central
| Methodist churches, were completely
| destroyed, the Brownstone church was
| badly damaged. and the towers and
roof Of the high school building blown
| off Mrs. Kings home on Twelfth
| street was wrecked. The home of Mrs.
I Hendrix on Thirteenth street was de-
| stroyed and the family nearly killed.
| William Werners home was wrecked,
but the injuries of his family, If any,
are not known. The home of John Har-
rington also suffered destruction. A
shanty which stood on the triangle OF
Thirteenth street, north of Brechts. was
swept away, and a woman from there
is reported dying from her injuries. Her
two children were also injured. The
roof Of Judge Porter's house, occupied
by Marshal Stahl and family. was lifted
off. Miss Lily Stahl was slightly in
jured but none OF the others were hurt
Andrew Dowd's home was wrecked
Caught In a Trap.
Mrs. Clayland's house was blown
4 III,
of the United States marshars office
in a trap. They made their escape
through the chimney. The home of Mr.
Cheniworth. also of the marshars office
was blown away, but whether any OF
the family were injured is not known
Among the ether residences and build.
ings blown down are the following
George Martins home on Thirtee nth
! Hor c4r
home OF F. II. Brown. the towers of the
high school building blown away. and
DR.. Gates home completely flattened
Both of DR.. Gates arms are broken an6
his wife was probably fatally crushed
! She Is still alive at the home Of @
neighbor. The Gates house girl is sup
posed to be dead in the ruins Of the
home and a search is being made fol
her body.
| Fire Adds It's Terrors.
The Breen building. a large brici
structure, was unroofed and the wife
of Luther Hunter. one Of its occupants
was badly injured. Shortly after the
storm passed over the city the home o.
/ Joseph p. Matthews was seen to bt
burning but no report has been re-
ceived from there yet. On the soutf
! side OF Garrison avenue Mr.. Baird:
| home was blown away and Krones
J two-story building was wrecked. viii
I O'Shea who was sleeping in the O'Shes
& Hinch warehouse, had a narrow es
cape from death, the roof OF the build
ing being torn off and thrown onto him
A wing of Mr.. Crows house, on Elev
! enth street, was torn off. The famil,
\ was caught in the wreck, but Mrs
I Crow crawled under the debris and go
the children out without injury. Gu,
| Partridge and wife and children
[ crawled from the wreck of their hom'
and escaped.
Dug Out of the Ruins.
Will Lawson and young man namet
Lane, Ed Yaden. and a butcher named
Wolzy are among the injured quar-
tered in O'Keefe's saloon. Mrs. Captail
Hugh l.. Rogers was dug out OF tn,
ruins Of the Rock House on Soutl
Ninth steet badly injured, but hope
are entertained for her recovery. Mr.
II. l.. Hirschberg was another who ha'
q narrow escape from death. He wa
\ on his way home when the cyclon
struck the city and was lifted off hi
feet and carried quite distance. Hi
clothes were torn off his body. hi
shoulder was dislocated, and he sus
tanned injuries about the head. At thi
hour IL is next to impossible TO Civ
anything like a complete or accurat
account OF the number OF dead or in
jured.
Coast Has "A Cold Storm.
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