The Columbus journal., 1908-05-20
NOVA HELP|MGAlAD

GREATEST NEED OF TORNADO
| VICTIMS At PRESENT.
| OMAHA AND LINCOLN m0NE|
Some Details Of the Great Storm il
the Matter Of Loss Of Life, De-
struetion Of Property, Etc.
Omaha.-Aftermath of the tornado
which devastated portions Of Cass ant
Sarpy counties, and which was par
ticularly severe at Louisville, Bellevue
and Fort Crook has developed into
aid being solicited for the sufferers
] Omaha and Lincoln have appointed
committees for the purpose and Other
towns and communities will do like
wise. The people of Louisville through
committee issued the following:
ITO the People of Nebraska-We
the committee appointed by the Louis
vile Commercial club, appeal to you
for aid in behalf of the people of Louis
vile, who suffered from the cyclone
which swept through our town on
Tuesday afternoon. leaving a number
of our people destitute and homeless
Ten thousand dollars will be needed
at once to provide these people with
provisions. clothing and furniture to
enable them to again care for them.
selves. All remittances should he
made to George Frater, treasurer of
the Commercial club of Louisville,
Neb."
The Bellevue relief committee is
sued the following:
"The Bellevue relief committee has
after q personal examination. made a
careful and conservative estimate of
the needs of the recent tornado suf-
ferers Of this community. In this esti-
mate Bellevue college and the two
churches are omitted, as well as all
are fully able to take care of them
selves. or whose friends are assisting
them sufficiently. To meet the immed-
late demands $4,000 is imperatively
needed. We believe. with your kind
assistance, the people of our two
neighboring cities would gladly CO.
operate in securing this relief Can
you aid us in this matter? Oscar
Keyser is treasurer of the committee.
to whom all funds may be sent, or to
some member of the undersigned"
Up to this time the number Of
deaths from the storm are six, though
perhaps one or two may succumb from
their severe injuries.
In Louisville eighteen dwellings
were destroyed, the storm leaving
nothing of them but kindling wood.
AS many more were damaged. some
considerably and others escaping with
minor loss. The Burlington depot,
pump house, semaphore tower. small
mill, a small elevator, the bank of
Commerce and Odd Fellows hall build
ing, livery barn and two store build
ings were badly wrecked.
Business men differ in estimates of
the damage done, some being certain
that the loss is no more than forty
thousand dollars, while others declare
it will reach sixty-five thousand dol
lars. The best estimates seems to be
fifty-five thousand dollars. In some
of the estimates buildings are counted
as total loss that can be repaired and
much salvage claimed.
That more people were not killed is
due to the warning given by its ap-
proach and the noise made by it. The
storm formed on the top of the bluffs,
the fury of the twister apparently be-
ing exerted after the residence section
had been reached. The ground move
ment of the storm was slow. its velo-
city being estimated at eight miles all
hour. In fact there is good evidence
to show that it required ten minutes
to cover one and 0nefourth miles of
its path in length.
The town of Bellevue was literally
swept by the wind and rain and only 4
very few buildings in that picturesque
old village escaped injury. Buildings
home and stOres-were unrOOfed. or
caved in and filed with water. The
college buildings were badly damaged,
Clarke hall, the main structure. being
as was also the presidents
residence.
The fact that more lives were not
lost is regarded as all but miraculous.
College campus and town streets and
lots are strewn with fragments of de-
struction.
At Fort Crook the storm was severe.
much destruction to property.
but at this point no lives were lost.
1t will take $4,000 to repair the dam
age. for which congress has already
made an appropriation.
In the country districts in the path
Of the storm buildings were unrOofed
and some of them blown down. Many
people saw what was approaching and
got into cellars and caves for safety.
While the ground movement was slow
the rotary movement of the storm was
rapid, and the air was filed with fly
ing timbers, roofs of houses, barns and
trees. One citizen said the great fun
mel shaped cloud looked like giant
cushion in which all sorts of property
had been inserted.
STORM NOTES.