The herald., 1898-01-13

much damage as far south as Alma have
reached here, it being reported that u
| number of persons were killed near that
place.
AT FIT. SMITH
Fort Smith lies at the confluence of
| the Pitou and Arkansas rivers, which
! wash it's 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 south
ern section, right at a point where the
two rivers come together, and near the
old fort. From there 1t spread out over
the whole city, dipping down and scat
tering 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 loss Of life
was through that section. After leaving
Fort Smith the tornado veered over and
touched at Alma, bout nine miles north
east of here, causing considerable dam
age, but whether there is any loss of
life is not known yet.
Mrs. Kings home on Eleventh street
was wrecked, the home of Mr.. Hendrix
on Twelfth street was ruined; VIM.
Werners home was wrecked, but the in
juries to his family, if any, are not
known. The home of John Harrington
also suffered destruction. A shanty
which stood on the triangle Of Thir-
teenth street, north of Brechts, was
swept away, and 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 Dowds home was wrecked. Mrs
Claylands house was blown down.
catching the family of Mr.. Stetts, of the
Marshaps office, In trap. They made
their escape through a chimney. The
home of Mr.. Cheniworth, of the Mar
shal's office. was blown away, but wheth-
er any Of the family were injured is not
| known. Among the other residences
| blown down are Geo. Martins home on
Thirteenth street, the home of F. H.
| Brown and DR.. Gates home. Both of
DR.. Gates arms are broken and his wife
was probably fatally crushed. She Is
still alive at the home of neighbor.
The Gates servant girl is supposed to
| be dead in the ruins of their home and
a search is being made for the body.
The Breens building, large brick
structure, was unroofed, and the wife of
Luther Hunter, one Of it's occupants.
was badly injured. Shortly after the
storm passed over the city, the home OF
| Joseph Matthews, east of the city, was
seen to be burning, but no report has
been received from there yet.
| On the south side of Garrison avenue
| nd 20 hnr n 3,
| Krone's two-story building was
wrecked. VIII O'Shea, who was sleeping
in the OShea and Hinch warehouse
had narrow escape from death, the
roof of the building being torn off and
| thrown on top of him.
Guy Partridge and 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 quartered in O'Keefe's saloon.
Mrs. Captain Hugh L. Rogers was dug
out Of the ruins of the Rock House, on
South Ninth street. badly injured. but
hopes are entertained for her recovery.
r. L. Hielsborg was on his way home
when the cyclone struck the city, and
was lifted off his feet and carried quite
a distance. His clothes were torn off his
body his shoulder was dislocated and he
sustained injuries about the head.
The debris of many of the buildings of
the lodging house district caught fire
and those unfortunates who were not at
once extricated alive perished miserably
by being burned or smothered to death.
Many people in the outside districts were
killed in the crash of falling buildings.
All nurses and physicians that can be
pressed into service are being utilized
and scores are finding employment in
the hospitals of the city, where the in
jured are being taken. The morgue Is
being taxed to it's utmost capacity and
additional bodies are being brought in
every few minutes. Altogether the scene
is sickening and horrible one.
A heavy rain followed the terrible tor
nado, and it was probably twenty min
utes before the city awoke to the fact
| that it had been visited by calamity.
in less than thirty minutes from the ar
rival of the tornado the streets were
crowded with people and willing hands
| were ready to render all the aid that
the emergency required. Men and
WOIueu CldQ III lIlelT night ClOlHtS wei {
seeking shelter and calling for absent
members of their families, or friends
| who failed to escape from the wreck
of the buildings in which they had been
| living. Men, women and children sought
refuge in O'Keefe's saloon and were af-
forded shelter. In the back part of the
saloon a number of injured were stretch
ed on the floor with only their night
clothes to protect them from the chilly
| midnight air.
Miss Wood, one of the nurses of the
st. John Hospital, did all that could be
done to relieve the immediate wants
of the injured in the rear of O'Keefe' S
saloon. The drug stores were crowded
and the clerks were kept busy filling
prescriptions and otherwise doing their
share towards relieving the sufferers.
The telephone wires were nearly all
down and it was impossible to commu-
nicate with any distant point in the out
skirts of the city. The streets were so
filled with the debris blown from the
| wrecked buildings that 1t was with diff
ficulty that carriages could get around.
The scene is one of the most appalling
and destructive ever witnessed. and is
without a parallel in this section Of the
| Southwest.
The upper floor of the block on the
corner of Garrison and Towsow ave-
nues is used as fiat. The ruins caught
fire from a night lamp. Several bodies