Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-29
Daily Tennebec Journal.
OVER rs DEAD.
Continued from page ~


struction in its wake. Buildings We're
demolished or twisted apart and seat
tered to the four winds. y conserva-
tive estimate places the aggregate
amount of damage at 100000
The wind played many FRANKS and
there were some miraculous escapes.
J. c. Cookfeld and his family were
eating supper when the tornado struck
their home. The house was picked up
and carried across slough and dump
ed against a hill. The building was
not completely wrecked and the family
escaped with only a severe shaking up.
Houses on both sides of the residence
of VIM. Hill We're blown into splinters
but the wind merely twisted his house
off its foundation, leaving it intact
The house was used as a hospital after
the storm. Z. J. Rieger, an attorney.
ran into the path of the storm to save
his family. Dashing into the house he
carried his wife and children into the
cellar, and the building was levelled
to the ground. No member of his fam
lily were injured.
Among the first Of the buildings
wrecked was the $4,000 residence IF
Mrs. Mary Hensley not a Vestige Of il
being left. The Catholic church was
unroofed The dwelling Of Judge An
drew Ellison in the same locality was
stripped of its second story. He and
his family and John Doneghy took
refuge in the cellar and We're saved.
The residence Of II. Lowell, just out
side of town, was twisted into a heap
Of ruins and three Of his children We're
buried in the debris and killed. Other
large residences We're lifted from their
foundation and demolished.
Calls for help We're sent to surround
ing towns and We're quickly responded
to. The wounded were carried to the
homes of neighbors and given atten-
ton Twenty-Five doctors from MObei
IT, Macon and other points along tbs
line of the Wabash Railroad came to
Kirksvile. last night, and co-operated
with the local physicians in caring fer
the injured.
Hundreds of persons visited the
stricken district, today. Kirksville
streets have been hub deep in mud
ever since the first spring shower and
the rain that followed the tornado has
made them impossible for wagons.
This hinders the work of gathering the
dead and makes the compilation of a
complete list of victims impossible
The only stores open for business are
those dealing in drugs.
The scenes that met the gaze Of the
rescuers were hOrrifying. An aged
man and his wife had evidently been
eating their evening meal when the
cyclone struck and carried away their
home. They had clasped each other in
their arms and were found dead on thu
grounds some distance from where
their home had been. No trace Of their
house has been seen.
Several Of the dead were found in
spots which would have been the cen
ter Of houses had the building not
blown to splinters. This Was the case
with Mrs. Pauscott. who suffered a
most terrible death. Her headless BODY
with its arms clasping her lifeless badly
was discovered on the floor Of the
house which was left as q RACED plat
form in an open field. The head isas pro
ciscly severed as if it had been done
with knife and was about 20 feet dis
lance
Two children had been lying in cot
in one of the destroyed homes. The
house was carried away, hut the floor
of the first story and the foundation
was left. the wind lifting the house
from the sills and tumblins it along
distance. The cot on which the little
ones lay was lifted up with them on it
and carried fully a block and a half
and set down on the ground Neither
of the children was hurt.
Along the railroad track distance
of half a mile wrecks of many homes
were scattered and the trees were
filled with bed clothing and household
goods.
Mayor Noonan. assisted by number
of citizens, at noon. opened an lntclll-
gcnce bureau. Messengers were sent
through the stricken district i'm search
uf persons who were known To have
resided in that section Of the town. by
o'clock it was said at headquarters
that the injured, 50 far number n,
with about 4 dozen cases which are
sure to result fatally. Tho list is not
complete. however. There are TWO IN
dortakcrs in kirksville and together
they had an they could ~ taking care
Of the dead.
A meeting Of citizens, at which tn"
mayor presided. was held this after
noon Committees We're appointed ~
systematiZe the work Of clearing away
the wreckage, providing shelter Tor thr
homeless ones ana raising funds for
their temporary care. There are at
least 1000 homeless persons in hirka-
Vile tonight.
The Webster family Of three We're
ridden in the debris Of their cottage for
several hundred yards but not badly
injured.
While John Mccall was clinginS to a
cherry sapling, a 12-year-old boy new
down toward him from the sky. lie
caught and saved the boy with only
bruises to both. The youngsters home
had been demolished two blocks away
and he says he was carried that dis
lance with the WTeckage.
At Henry Nichols farm. just out OF
town. in the path of the storm, man
was seen flying ahead of the storm
cloud more than 100 feet from the
ground. The body has not yet been
found
Mrs. Peter F. Greenwood says she
saw womans form sweep over her IN