The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-03-24
254 DEAD, Lit INJURED,
1900 HOMELESS, AND BIG
PROPERTY LOSS IN WEST


although no arrests OF ghouls have
been made. Sightseers and victims
an tell Of robberies perpetrated while
the panic reigned after the storm sub
slded.
A soldier, who stood guard all
night At the corner OF Twenty-fourth
ana Lake-sts., said seven bodies had
boen taken from the place when he
arrived. and that 10 or 10 more were
removed after he appeared at the
scene Of the disaster.
TWO babies were blown out OF the
tui1dtng and the others piled in a
I heap on the floor when the storm
Sptruck the Child Saving institute at
Hurty-second and Jackson.sts. The
1obies were in their nursery on the
second floor of the west wing OF the
I 1efding, which was partly blown
away. One of the babies blown away
! Woe found nearly block distant,
Odd Her name was Thelma. The
&okher baby, Cynthia, had not been
10und 1t an early hour this morning.
Ado from bruises and the fright.
\ ~ rest Of the babies were not badly
injured.
Not . single telephone girl left her
~ city The exchange buildings es-
Nnped serious Injury and the girls re-
nalnod on duty az II nothing had hap
1ned- Every telegraph Official in the
't1ty reported for duty and the lines
Noro repaired and put In operation as
ut . possible. Most of the city could
- roached by telephone three hours
'oaeor the storm.
The Webster Telephone exchange, at
3Wo0ty-oocond and Lake-sts., became
KY eenter for rescue work, as soon as
~ cyclone had passed. Physicians
010 nurses were summoned to the
1oij6ing and army officers headQuar-
4ogB were established there. One hun
0fod and seventy-six young women
vogo working at the switchboard when
- cyclone struck. Every window In
- bullding was broken out and con-
S14egable damage was done TO the
U0OoinG but the switch boards re-
DA2nod Intact. All night the force OF
SperAtors continued to work at the
hard.
Within I'VE minutes after the storm |
1Uock. every girl was at her place at |
- ewitchboards and many continued |
plug In" while broken glass was
M1oWering about them. One of the |
~ rooms. the furniture soaked with |
'Noeor and stained with blood, was con-
yUttod into q temporary morgue anu |
o0es nom the surrounding afflicted |
gfT1ct were held there awaiting am
omnces. Nurses and physicians oc-
14p1ed another room. where injured
3ogoono were stretched upon the floor.
~ - Russell lay upon the floor, his
,oo0y covered with blood and his face
11o0gurod almost beyond recognition.
nooo1 had been buried under a brick
NoQ In one Of the Twenty-fourth-s
ouil6ings that we're demolished.
Dulldings were blown down or
;ncko6 up and hurled with terrific
ofco many yards away. trees were
tovo3od and smaller structures were t
oDplotoly wrecked by the wind |
Wh11A swept path for itself directly |
l1tough the most aristocratic, as well |
~ Ne most lowly parts OF the city. |
tGno Of the finest homes, those re-
nnt1y erected by Omaha's wealthIest
|nom. ore today q mass Of ruins. N
Hundreds Of families saw their
6DoD swept away or damaged so
Xu0lY e0ot they were uninhabitable |
1n0 che occupants we're forced 10
~ he tOrrsntial rain that followed
~ tW1eter.
ooloWing the tornado and the
~ 0nwe m even greater menace
~ nroo that broke out in q score
1u1n0oo. At least % houses were
Rod By names. To add 70 the
IL ~ the night. the electricity
wires went down. and not
NJ residence. but the street
II were distinguished, leaving
~ ntful nare from hundreds
togns 20 Hight up the scenes Of
willie the rescue parties wer.
Those sections Of the city
~ 9opcrtsd The hsaviest loss
~ ~ dlstricts surrounding
~ kouD1tal end the Child
~ The territory near