Phoenix weekly herald. [volume] (Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz. Territory) 1896-1899, 1898-01-13
DESTRUCTIVE STORM.
Fort Smith, Arkansas, Visited
By a
TERRIFIC TORNADO.
Impossible to Estimate the Number
of Persons Killed or Amount
of Destroyed Property.

Fort Smith, Ark, Jan. 12.-One OF
! the most terrible stOms that ever struck
this section of the country tore through
| this city shortly before midnight last
night. Everything is in confusion as
a result of the great destruction of
life and property, and as yet it is i'm
possible TO give anything like an ac-
curate estimate of the number killed
or injured. Fifty persons are report
ed dead and as many more missing,
homes have been wrecked by the
score and hundreds of people are with
out food and shelter.
Two of the largest houses of wor-
ship in the city, the Baptist and Cen
trail Methodist churches, were COM
pletely destroyed, the brownstone
church was badly damaged, and the
tower and roof of the high school was
blown off. Fort Smith lies at the con-
fiuence of the Pitou and Arkansas
rivers which wash its south and west
sides. and to the north and east are
hills which form a barrier about that
section of the town. The storm struck
the city in the southern section, right
at Il point where the two rivers come
together. and near the old fort. From
there it spread over the whole city dip
ping down and scattering destruction
here and there. There is a rise in the
city toward the east. to meet the hills
ON that side and most of the damage
to property and losses of life was
through that section. After leaving
Fort Smith the tornado veered over
and touched at Alma, about nine miles
northeast of here. causing considera-
bic damage. but whether there is any
loss beyond loss of life is not yet
known.
4 hi n iS. To Sil hi
to give anything like a complete or ac-
curate account of the number of dead
or injured.
AT noon it looks as though fifty per-
sons have been killed and the death
list is growing hourly Hundreds of
persons have been injured. some fot-
ally and others not so badly. Many
fine residences We're RACED to the
ground The tornado. after passing
through the residence district, did its
worst work in that portion of the bus
mess district in which the older build
ings are located and the total of the
damage done amount up very rapidly
although many buildings were partly
or wholly ruined. For this reason il
is possible that S500.0OO will cover the
loss of buildings and contents, includ-
ing the new $4,000 high school build
ing, which was directly in the path of
the storm and was badly wrecked.
The debris of many of the buildings
of the lodging house district caught
fire and those unfortunateS who were
not at once eNtricated alive, persisted
miserably by being burned or smoth
cred to death. Many people in the
outside districts were killed in the
crash of falling buildings. All nurses
and physicians that can be pressed in
to service are being utilized and scores
are finding employment in the hOspi-
tails if the city. where the injured are
being taken. The morgue is being tax
ed to its utmost capacity and addition
al bodies are being brought in every
few minutes. Altogether the scene is
Sickening and horrible.