Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-03-28
ZOO DEAD, THRICE
AS MANY INJURED
Omaha PROSTATE After Spent
Force of Tornado.
1900 HOUSES WRECKED
Storm Cuts Path Seven Blocks Wide
and Twenty-four Blocks Long
Through the Heart of the
Residential District.


Omaha, Neb.-Omaha, chief city of
Nebraska, lies PROSTATE under the
spent force of the worst tornado in
the history of the middle west.
Roaring down suddenly upon the
city shortly after o'clock Sunday
night the storm cut path seven
blocks wide and "a blocks long
through the heart of the residential
district
A total of 200 dead were left in the
wreck strewn path. Thrice as many
were injured, many of them it is
feared fatally. One hundred bodies
have already been recovered and
search of the ruins is still going on.
The property loss is estimated at
from $4,000, 900 to s12,000,0O0.
Twelve Hundred Houses Wrecked.
Twelve hundred houses were
wrecked in addition to five public
schools and seven churches.
At the moment that the storm
struck every light in the city was ex-
tinguished. Fires started all over the
destroyed section. Torrential rains
came shortly, however, and reduced
this added danger to minimum.
Panic at once ensued. Mayor Dahl
man took personal command of the
situation and called out all the avail
able state troops, appealing at the
same time to Gov. Morehead for re-
Inducements. Before the roar of the
tornado had died out in the distance,
the work of rescue had begun. 1t
continued uninterrupted by lantern all
through the night and, with the ar
rival of the governor with additional
state troops, supplemented by the fed
eral troops from Fort Thomas, order
is rapidly being restored and accurate
accounting made of the extent of the
damage.
The hotels in the downtown Sec
ton of the city which escaped with
little damage have been turned into
hospitals for the treatment of the hun
dreds of injured.
Path of Tornado.
Residence sections alone suffered
The greatest loss was in section of
moderate priced homes. The busi-
ness heart of the city escaped entire
ly. The tornado travelled in a north
easterly direction and first swept down
on Ralston, manufacturing suburb
three miles west of South Omaha. 1t
struck the city limits of Omaha at
the Field club, in the southwest Sec
tion and ploughed path six blocks
wide straight through the city three
and one-half miles in length. The
tornado area was from the southwest |
limits, across the west side of the
city, which included the West Farnum
residence section, the most fashion
able residence district, which was al
most completely destroyed and thence
to the north section, where the death
toll was greatest. After twisting it's
way to the northeastern part of the
city the tornado freakishly doubled |
back across he Missouri river, wreck
ing the Illinois Central bridge and |
leaping through Council Bluffs, where |
at least six persons were killed and |
great property loss was caused The
wonder in the mind of every person
who has seen the blocks and blocks
of ruins, the shapeless heaps of wreck
authenticated instances by which the
houses were blown from their founda-
tons and dashed, four stories high, |
against sturdier structures and of the |
tumbling about of locomotives in the |
Missouri Pacific railroad yards like |
shuttlecocks is that the death list not |
greater.
Relief From All Quarters.
Train bearing physicians, nurses
and supplies have been arriving all |
through the day. Money, too, is pour
ing into the city from all quarters and
offers of aid are being received from
all sides. The situation is appalling,
but it Is believed that the authorities
now have 1t well in hand and there
remains but the work of locating all
of the dead, caring for the injured
and clearing away the wreckage pre-
paratory to rebuilding.
1t was a night of unimaginable ter
ror in Omaha following the sudden |
bursting of the storm. A thousand in |
cidents were related Monday of it's |
fury and the effects which followed |
in its wake. While it still ragged the |
streets in the stricken section were
a bedlam of panic stricken people fee
ing from the torrent of flying bricks
and timber, while building after build
ing crashed into the streets.
The Child Saving Institute at 619
s. Amidst was veritable death house
within half an hour after the storm
struck. Every available room there
was pressed into service as one after