The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1913-03-27

I-NlNESOTA, THURSDAY, MAI
souri, river at 6 20 p. M, doing great
damage in Council Bluffs, Iowa,
where II people were killed and
score injured. 1t is believed the
storm originated along the Platte
river, near Louisville, Neb.,. and
swept up the stream to Ashland,
then cut across country to Gretna,
striking Ralston and Omaha.
The storm was first noticed by
people Of Omaha shortly before 6
O'Clock coming toward the city with
the speed of an express train. The
Whlrling, twisting wind could be
heard long before the storm struck,
and people in the southern part of
the city could hear the angry rumble
OF the storm when it struck the vii
lage of Ralston. The vanguard of
the storm was huge fan-shaped
cloud, dark and lowering, which
gradually narrowed into funnel
shape which dipped earthward and,
wherever it struck, left in it's wake
death, injuries and wrecked homes.
buildings were blown down, or
picked up and hurled with terrific
force}many yards, trees we're .leveled
and all structures completely
wrecked. Some of the finest homes,
those recently erected by several of
Omaha S Wealthiest men, are today a
mass of ruins. Hundreds of families
saw their homes swept away or dam
aged SO badly that they were unin-
habitable, and the occupants were
forced to remain in the street during
the torrential rain that followed the
tWister. - ..<s
The worst damage was done and
the largest toll of lives exacted in
the western part of Omaha and in
the vicinity of ~Twenty-fourth and
Lake streets, and from there north
west to Sixteenth and Binney streets.
This is the residence portion and the
destruction wrought was appalling.
Whole blocks Of houses we're picked
upland dashed into shapeless mass.
Street cars were hurled from the
tracks and demolished. A moving
picture show at Twenty-fourth and
Lake streets was destroyed and many
people who were in attendance were
buried in the ruins The business
portion of the city escaped with COM
paratively light injury. a..
Every automobile and truck. was
pressed into service, physicians and
nurses hastily summoned and hospi-
ia IsaNaRf other public buildings
turned into relief stations for the in
jured and morgues for the dead.
Every undertaker's establishment in
the city, and even in South Omaha,
was taxed to the limit in caring for
the dead. AS the night wore on the
devastation wrought by the storm
became more and more evident, and
the city commissioners, headed by
Mayor Dahlman, took personal
charge of the relief work. Head
quarters were established in the
telephone exchange building at
Twenty third and Webster, and Ma
jor Hartman's offer to take charge of
tthe patrolling Of the devastated dis
trict with between 200 and 300 regu-
lars was gladly accepted. Every po-
liceman and fireman in Omaha,
South Omaha and Council Bluffs was
used in an effort to prevent footing
Of The buildings, in the rescue of the
injured and in putting out fires.
The state troops were also later
called out to assist in the relief
work.
From the press dispatches it ap-
pears that other parts of the country
were visited by tornadoes on Sunday.
Thirty we're killed at Terre Haute,
Ind, three at Boniface, Fla, and
several in Chicago and other places.