The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-29
Rescuers Still Searching
the Ruins.
Thought Many were Burned in
Fire After Storm.

Kirksville, Mo-, April es.-As a result
of the tornado that swept through the
eastern portion of this city yesterday eve
ming, demolishing half of the residences
and other buildings, 200 families are
homeless and more than 90 dead bodies
and 20 injured persons have been recov-
cred from the ruins More than dozen
of the injured will die. Although rescu-
ers have been searching the ruins
ever since tho storm spent Its fury, many
are still missing and 1t is thought that a
were consumed In the flames that broke
out soon after the storm had ceased. The
work of rescue continues, but it may bs
many days before the total number of
victims is known.
When the tornado struck the city most
of the residents were at supper. The
tornado cut a clean path one mile long
and 600 feet wide through the residence
section, leaving death and destruction in
its wake. Buildings were demolished or
twisted apart and scattered to the
winds. A Conservative estimate places
the aggregate of damage at 100000. The
wind played many pra nks and there we're
some miraculous escapes. j. q. Confield
and his family were eating supper when
the tornado struck their home. The
house was picked up and carried across q
slough and dumped against hill. The
building was not completely wrecked and
the family escaped with only severe
shaking up. Houses on both sides of the
residence of W. NJ. Hull were blown into
splinters, but the wind merely twisted his
house of its foundation. leaving 1t in
tact. The house was used as hospital
after the storm. p. j. Rieger, au attor
ney, ran into the path Of the storm to
save his family. eDashing into the house
he carried his wife and children into the
cellar, and the building was levelled to
the ground. No member of his family
was injured. Among the first buildings
wrecked was the $40, 900 residence OF Mrs.
Mary Hensley. not vestige OF 1t being
left. rhe Catholic church was unroofed.
The dwelling of Judge Andrew Ellison,
in the same locality. was stripped OF Its
second story. He and his family and
John Doneghy took refuge In the cellar
and were saved. The residence OF d..
Lowell, just outside the town, was twist
ed into u neap o. ruins anu tnree VI hio
children were buried in the debris and
killed. Other large residences were lifted
| from their foundations and demolished.
Calls for help were sent to surrounding
towns and We're quickly responded to.
| The wounded were carried to the homes
| of neighbors and given attention.
Twenty five doctors from Moberty,
Macon, and other places along the line
| of thes abash railroad came to Kinks
VILE last night.and co-olerated. with the
local physicians In caring for the injured.
| Hundreds of persons visited the strlck-
en- district today. kirksville streets have
been hub deep in mud ever since the hrft
spring shower and the rain that followed
| the tornado has made them impassaole
for wagons. This hindersi the work oil
gathering the dead and makes the com
| pilation of complete list of victims I'm
| possible. The only stores open for Dusi'
ness are those dealing in drugs. The
scenes that met the gaze of the rescuers
were horrifying. An aged man ana ms
wife had evidently been eating their eve
ming meal when the cyclone struck and
carried their home away. They mad
olasped each other in their arms ana were
folnd dead ON the ground some distance
from where their home had been. NC
trace OF their house has been seen. sew
eral of tins dead were found In spot'
| which world have been the centre o'