The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-03-24

car, every seat Is torn loose. A scan.
i thing was driven through the Cal
and wedged between the seats and
the side of the car.
Caldwell did not secure the names
OF any of his passengers. Il didn't
i quite have time to make out accident
reports, as required by the rules VI
the company" said Caldwell, but
am complying with the rules about
not deserving the car" He stayed by
his car all night A horse and buggy
We're wedged under the car.
Blazing Homes.
Decatur and Franklin streets were
1 filed with debris and lined with blaz-
/ ing homes for three-quarters of a
mile, Immediately after the cyclone.
As the fires spread the destitute fam
lilies wrapped their rent and ragged
garments about them and hurried to-
ward the central part of the city. The
high hill overlooking the scene Of
desolation in the Decatur district was
early crowded with the destitute and
injured victims OF the storm, scores Of
men and women weeping silently as
they watched the wrecks OF their
homes lighting up the lowering sky.
Many of the victims, exhausted
and almost hysterical, gathered to-
gether in family groups and sat on
the sidewalks through the cold rain
that followed the cyclone.
For three hours the fires lighted up
the sky. AS the light died down the
refugees from the stricken district
wandered aimlessly on, unable to COM
mand the services OF any pehicle un-
less there were very badly injured
one in the family.
Mrs. G.. e. Medlock was about to
give birth to a baby when her home
at 29th and Decatur streets was
blown to atoms. Her husband was
badly cut about the head and two lit
tie daughters were injured. Most OF
the clothing was torn from the bodies
of all members OF the family.
Mrs. Medlock, attended only by her
husband, lay in roofless house for
four hours. drenched with rain. A mo-
tor hearse was stopped by the injur-
ed man and took Mrs. Medlock to the
home of friend. She is reported to
be in a serious condition.
Mr.. and Mrs. C. A. Planreen, 2710
Decatur street, rushed to the base
ment when they saw the storm COM
ing. With their arms locked about
each other they waited, while their
home crashed about their ears. When
they had been rescued, Mrs. Planteen,
standing amid the wreckage of her
home. wept bitterly because two dogs,
worth $500 each, were killed. Mr..
Planteen. a carpenter, was keeping
the dogs for friend.
The family OF John Gotisdinger
Jared badly in the storm, though none
were killed Three sons, John, Abe
and Joseph, were severely injured and
4 the house demolished.
The home of Walter Peterson, a
two-story brick structure standing
on a high hill at 2Sth and Decatur
streets, was completely demolished
Neighbors searched in the ruins, bu.
found no trace OF anyone living OF
dead. There were seven children In
the family and none of them have
been seen since the storm.
Mrs. Mary Eldridge. e5. was buried
In the ruins Of the home Of her grand
son, Ray Davenport, 9th and Frank
lin streets, for two hours, while mem
bers OF the Council Bluffs fire depart
ment chopped their way to her. Mrs
Eldridge suffered severe bruises. anf
j. from exposure.
j Mrs. Ray Davenport was injured b,
. the debris of the Davenport home.
Two men in an automobile who re
fused to heed the call to take dyins
man to a hospital we're cursed.
The Sacred Heart convent, one O
the finest Catholic schools in this par
OF the country. was directly in tn,
path of the storm and was totally de
molished. 1t is considered a miracl,
J that every person in the enormous
| building escaped without injury The,
are now all safe and most OF them car
) ing for the injured in st. Joseph
3 hospital.
| 200 Dead.
OMAHA, Neb., March 24.-The full
: horror of last nights storm broke ur
4 on grief-stricken Omaha at noon tc
i day, when Governor Morehead, Mayo
: Dahlman and Police Commissioner ]
g ]. Ryder authoritatively stated tina
y the death list would reach 200 Il
n Omaha alone, exclusive Of Ralstol
t and Council Bluffs.
Late reports from Council Bluff
d state that four more bodies hay
e been taken from the ruins Of home
j. in the path of the storm. 1t is nov
g believed that the twister went on ful
ther east and more fatalities are e,
d pected.
o The property loss is estimated nov
t at s1o,ooo.ooo and canvas Of ever
tornado insurance firm IN Oman
e leads to the belief tina. the loss |
;. covered by only 100000 insurance