Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-25

| with difficulty.
John Wright, railroad Waterman
probably owes his life to the fact that
he went to work a half hour ahead oil
/ time because he feared he would get wet
if he did not hurry. Incidentally, this IS
the third time that Wrights home has
been destroyed by tornado. Sixteen
years ago IN Panora, Iowa he barely
escaped with his life during a tornado
Little Gladys Crook was revived after
| a house had been blown over her and
she had been imprisoned for more than
| half an hour. 1t was necessary to chop
| a large hole in the side of the house be-
fore she was taken out uninjured
Cliff Daniels, his wife and their two
| children, met death together. When sol
diers. digging about the ruins of their
| home, found the four bodies the two lit
| tie girls were clasped in the arms OF
their mother, while the body of the faith
err was over them, as if he had tried to
shield them with is own body.
The greater part of the damage was
done west of oath street, north and
south cross-town street extending the
entire length of the city. Numerous
streets with retail stores are in this
section. with the residence portion of
the city scattered in intervening sec
tons.
Hanson Pakr. situated near where
the storm originated, was greatly dam
aged, and in Bems Park. one of the
show residence districts of the city
most of the homes We're wrecked.
That the situation is grave was in
4 to-, H. a..
man in securing the aid of govern
ment troops and the state militia.
One part of the area covered by
the storm is that located between Cut.
ting street on the south and Ames
avenue on the north and from 24tli
street on the east to 50th street on til.
west. This is the most thickIy pop
ulated residence district in the city
and contains 10 of the largest public
schools
Many of the large churches are alst
in that part of the city Omaha Uni
versity was in the path of the storm
Electric light and trolley wires wert
carried down by the storm and had I,
he shut off in the devastated distric
so that all work in the night had to b
done by the light of lanterns and onl,
an imperfect idea of the extent am
character of the damage could be form
ed.
the work of rescue was at once un-
dertaken but only slow progress was
made in the darkness and the block
AIDED streets. Emergency morgues an
hospitals We're established at variou
points and all available physicians an6
n IT
Cornell, city health commissioner ap
peaed to surgeons to volunteer thei
services for the relief of the injuref
and the response came by scores.
The city authorities realizing in
measure the extent of the calamity
Immediately asked the commander c
the federal forces at Fort Omaha 70
aid in patrolling the wrecked district
to prevent footing and aid victims.
Major Hartmann, in command
Fort Omaha, aeceded to the request
without hesitation. sending all avail
able men. A similar request TO tn
commanders of the three local militi
companies also met with prompt re
Spouse and the state troops aided mucl
in the work of rescue. Later, when a.
appeal was sent to Governor Moorhead
he ordered four companies of militi
from outside the city to report here 70
duty and came himself. arriving, at
o'clock this morning.
Among the buildings destroyed Wer
II churches and schoolhouses. No los
of life accompanied the demolition
these buildings. Sacred Heart con
vent was annihilated, but the 80 IN
mates escaped and were cared for
ST. Josephs hospital.
The Missouri Pacific roundhouse at 15t
and Emmett streets and the roundhous
of the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis
Omaha Railroad We're wrecked.
A number of persons were seriously in
iured when a street car was blown oven
The conductor, John Cooper, was seri
ously injured. The motorman, Free
Bentley, jumped just as the car started
to roll over The wind picked him up
carried him 200 feet and set him down
in field. considerably shaken. Conduc-
tor Cooper says there We're at least i
passengers in the car. All were more
less hurt.
Mary Knudsen, a servant girl, was
| blown out of the home of her employer
and badly frightened, ran all the way
down town to fall fainting in front of a
hotel. Her incoherent story was the frs
news of the disaster received in the down
| town section.
Although Dr. and Mrs. ID. c. Bryan,
| escaped without injured from their home
the aged mother of Mrs. Bryant was
! found buried in the cellar and was res
cued with difficulty. Debris had pileG
about her until only her head was expos
/ ed and she was unable to take any steps
| TO release herself.
| In the ruins of a Negro pool hall the
| body of a Negro was taken out along
with many others. In one hand of the
! dead man was clutched a roll of bills.
The body of an unidentified child was
| found in the ruins of two houses with q
little rag doll still tucked under her arm
| When C. Saber discovered the crushed
and almost unreeognizable body of his
| wife in the ruins of an apartment house
he fled down the street shrieking at the
top of his voice. He is missing.
f. II. Smith, private of the signal
corps from Fort Omaha, became in
sane after helping carry number OF
bodies and collapsed When he had