Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-07-06
TORNADO SWEEPS
REGINA, CANADA
PRINCIPLE PART OF CITYsIS
DESTROYED BY TERRIBLE
STORM, SUNDAY.
City Was Gaily Decorated for Dominion
Day Celebration Converted Into
Mass of Debris-North Side is Wiped
Out-Property Loss Estimated at Ten
Million Dollars-Other Towns Hit


Winnipeg, Man.-Dead and injured
to number estimated between 400 and
500 persons, and property loss of
$10,000,O00 is the toll taken Sunday by
windstorm that converted into mass
of debris the greater part of Regina,
Sask., and then swept on through the
province, leaving destruction in its
pathway.
Great destruction of building has
been reported from Gu 'Appelle, and
also from Melville.
The magnitude of the calamity which
Regina had suffered cannot be estimat-
ed. 1t seemed certain, however, that
the casualties would roll up to a total
of between 400 to 500.
Crowds of volunteers all over the
city were assisting in the work of
searching the wreckage, and for hours
hardly minute went by that human
body or the mangled form of some liv-
ing victim was not uncovered.
City in Gala Attire.
The sweep of the storm, the worst in
the history of the Canadian northwest,
was over a city which only short time
before had completed the work of
decking itself in gala attire for the
celebration of Dominion day.
Bunting and flags covered buildings
everywhere and networks of electric
lights were strung and ready for illu-
mination Through these gaily decor
ated streets the tornado swept, and
within a half hour Regina had been
turned into city of mourning. The
tornado swooped down just a few
blocks to the north of the southern
limits of the city, cutting a swath sew
eral blocks wide, right into the center
of the town, leveling the buildings in
its wake.
In twinkling three of the handsom-
est churches il Regina were laid in
ruins.
One of the most serious losses to the
city was that of the warehouses and
the row of grain elevators in the Ca
madam Pacific yards. Upon these the
farmers of the district were depending
for the storage of their crops this sea
son. Only one grain elevator remains
and that is much damaged.
North Side of City Wiped Out.
The whole north side of the city vir
tually was wiped out by the storm
Six hundred families are homeless. The
mayor and city council have started 8
fund and are providing for the desti
tute.
The tornado came from the south anc
first struck the new parliament build
ing just completed at a cost of $4,000,
600. The building is of steel and con
crete, and while it still stands, it il
badly shaken.
1t then swept northward, moving {
swath six blocks wide through tn,
most fashionable residence district
Transforming it into a mass of wreck
age.
Along Victoria street from Six
teenth to Eleventh street, 200 house
were destroyed, and many persons kill
ed. Automobiles filed with person
were hurled high in tho air and de
posted blocks away.
At Eleventh street, the business dis
trict, composed of wholesale ware
houses, banking institutions and retail
stores, were made a heap of ruins
while the air was filled with flynn
wreckages. Past Eleventh street, a.
bert, Smith, Cromwell, Searth, Hami
ton and Rose streets the storm reache
the retail section, which received tn
|, severest force
Across the railway tracks several 0
the largest wholesale houses in the cit
: were unroofed, their heavily laden floor
} falling as their supports were looseneC
Fires Start, But Are Subdued.
Two fires started, but as most of til
} fire halls escaped the storm and tn
water pressure was not impaired, tn
: flames were confined to the ruins whel
= they started.
All electric lights and power wire
are useless and the city is in darkness
3 The storm continued northwest fro
5 Regina through central Saskatchewan
t doing great damage, but no loss of lii
is reported outside of Regina.
A special train left Winnipeg wit
r doctors, nurses and telegraph and tel
phone repair men.
An $11,Oo0,coO Loss.
Regina, Sash.-Forty are known