The Forrest City times., 1909-03-12
BRINklEY'S DISA SEER.


 of sorrow and sympathy for our ca lamity-strieken sister city, from all our citizens-younga and old, white and black-as we'll as many generous, un- selfish acts, deeds and donations, that spoke louder than words, and tending to show that the hearts Of our people as a whole are in the right spot, and that they are ever ready to give or do, according to their ability, when help is needed in a worthy cause, as was so nobly shown when the first tidings of the dire disaster that had oyerta- ken our neighboring city of Brinkley reached here Monday night.
 Within few minutes after Fire Chief Mcdaniel sounded the call for the volunteer tiremen, every member of the company had reported and were under orders and awaiting trans portation to the stricken city Be- sides the tiremen of whom there were twenty or more, Drs. Merritt Bogart. Longest, McDougal, Shields and War 'Nhf &ANs -AnIoilal ffaf lSf diiAA thirty and forty other citizens were on hand and went as a relief force to the scene, all ready and willing to do all in their power-to fight fire, help search for dead or injured, and. in fact do anything they could to aid the stricken Brinkleyites. With this re- lief party was also MT. S. E. Conrad. lineman for the Western Union Tele- graph Company, and MT Troutman, lineman for the \. D. T. X T. Go, and these two gentlemen did line work in restoring Brinkleys wire communication with the outside world. At Wheatley, the only stop made by the train between Forrest City and Brinkley the relief party was augmented by several citizen among whom was Dr. Beauchamp.
 In addition to those named above, nearly every physician in town went the tscene Tuesday and gave all the aid they could in caring for the injured.
 When the first news of the disaster reached here, it was feared that the fire fiend would add it's horrors to the already fearful wreck and ruin. However, torrent of rain which fell shortly after the storm, while it added to the diScomforts of the situation, prevented terrible conflagration from a66fnn ttc yN l. of the tornado.
 On account of the entire fire appa- ratus at Brinkley being destroyed or buried underneath the debris, the au- thorities there requested Chief Mc- Daniel to leave the hose and reels that were carried over Monday night, which was done.
 The relief party began returning to Forrest City Tuesday morning on the o'clock train, bringing the first news of the disaster. After that every train on the Rock Island has been crowded with capacity load of pas sengers to and from the scene of the disaster. And the supply of adjec- tiveS is all inadequate for the return ing visitors to describe the narrowing scenes they have witnessed.
 Tuesday mornings l0:30 train brought in the first six bodies taken from the wreckage they being brought here to be embalmed and prepared for burial in the undertaking parlors of A. l.. Stevens X Co. Among these bodies was one Of an unidentified white woman. Some of the bodies were horribly disfgured, so as to be almost unrecognizable, and in one case the body was so badly crushed and mangled, as to render embalming impossible. Beautiful baskets of flowers were sent from Marianna, and a profusien of lovely bouquets were brought or sent by the ladies of For rest City to adorn the caskets of the dead.
 Tuesday mornings train carried a supply of bread and other food stuffs to the stricken town and that after noon Cashier Eugene Williams. of the Bank of Forrest City circulated a subscription list, and in couple of hours had raised something over $500 or the relief fund. Wednesday morn- fng a mass meeting was held at the court house, presided over by Hon. R. J. Izard, and enough subscribed to raise the fund to $500, with assur- ances that the amount would be doubled if it was needed A com- mittee was appointed and left at once for Brinkley to notify the relief con- mittee of this action, and authorize them to draw on us for the funds whenever they should require it.
 Forrest City Lodge I. O. O. F. No. 329 held called meeting "Wednesday morning, and passed the following resolution unanimously, the money forwarded and committee of ten ap-
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