The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-03-12
FIRE FINISHES DESTRUCTION OF
BRINkLEY, ARK, RENDER
ING 5000 HOMELESS.
Loss WILL EXCEED MILLION
Six Residences Left Habitable After
Storm Hits Without Moments
Warning-Relief Begins
to Arrive.

Helena, MISREPRESENTATION white
and 20 negroes are dead at
Brinkley, Ark. Forty persons seri-
ously hurt. Six residences standing
in the midst of the tornado-torn, fire.
swept ruins are all that remain of the
town where 1900 grief-stricken per-
sons are homeless. Property valued
at more than a million dollars has
been destroyed.
The full story of the disaster has
begun to be known since the relief
trains, sent out when the news of the
catastrophe first reached neighboring
cities, arrived at Brinkley. Help from
all quarters has poured in and the
work of removing the dead and caring
for the wounded are under way. Bodies
that have been recovered have been
put on a special train and will be
brought here for burial. The injured
are being taken to nearby cities to
be cared for.
Strikes Without Moments Warning.
The tornado struck the city with
out a moments warning. Its path was
the width of the town. Every build
ing was damaged and most of them
were demolished.
Two trains reached Brinkley shortly
after daylight. One was from Helena,
the other from Little Rock. The re-
lief parties found the inhabitants al
most helpless. The shock of the dis
aster had rendered them almost apa-
thetic, and little had been done to-
wards relieving the suffering of the
injured or caring for the dead. The
work was at once organized by the
relief parties and a thorough search
of the ruins undertaken. At noon it
was reported is dead bodies had been
found.
Negro Section Devastated.
In the negro section the destruction
was most complete, and, it is said, at
least 20 negroes were killed. Some es-
Inmates place the death list even
higher.
In the business section the scene is
desolate. The buildings have been
twisted about and tumbled over into
the street. 1t Is reported almost every
business house in the town is now a
total loss.
The residence sections suffered Sc
verely. Houses are torn down, a few
are standing with roofs and part of
the walls torn away, and only six are
sufficiently untouched to be habitable.
Work Of Aiding Injured H%an,pered.
The work of caring for the Injured
is greatly hampered because of the
lack of facilities. Those who are not
injured seem helpless to go on with
the work Of relief, and they, too, are
being cared for by the relief parties.
One of the biggest tasks is shelter
ing them for the night. Many will be
taken to nearby towns, and some will
be sheltered in temporary quarters.
Work of removing the debris from
the streets will begin at once. Shortly
after daylight a meeting Of the Bust
hess Mems Club of Helena was called
here and arrangements were made to
care for the homeless.
Trains Lost In Tornado.
A Cotton Belt passenger train due
In Little Rock at $50 Sunday night,
was lost near Barcume, where a tornado
struck, and is reported to have been
swept off the track. Another report
is to the effect that the train was
struck by lightning.
The tornado crossed the Arkansas
river at Fourche dam and raised .
spout Of water about 200 feet high.
The same tornado passed into Bar
cume, where the extent Of the damage
is also unknown, and from there to
Kerr, in Lonoke county.
All the windows in a Grain between
Gurdon and Roster were blown out.
Brinkley is the junction point of sew
eral important railroad systems.
Little Rock is reported to be almost