The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-03-28
All Least Two Hundred Persons
Lost Their Lives
ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED HURT
Extent OF Disaster More Appalling Than
Those Who Studied the Result
Were Willing to Admit

Omaha, March 26.-For the first
time since the disastrous tornado OF
Easter Sunday the people of Omaha
began to count the cost, both in lives
and dollars. When a resume was
made it was apparently more appalling
than those who had studied the re-
suit were willing to admit.
Not less than 200 lives were snuffed
out within the vicinity of the city
proper and at least fifty persons in
surrounding towns lost their lives.
Nearly 500 were injured.
The deettution was augmented
when nearly three inches of snow fell
over the stricken district, making en-.
tirely uninhabitable the houses of
many who had prepared to retain tenn
porary homes in partially destroyed
structures. But the snow lessened the
danger of fires starting in the ruins
So far as money might relieve, con.
ditions were perfect Tenders of sums
aggregating $1,00OOOO are i'm the hands
of city commissioners. These offers
came from nearly every section Of the
country and were made unconditional.
ly.
Burial of Victims Begins.
Hearse after hearse wound its way
through the wreckage srewn streets
bearing victims of the tornado to their
iasf raSfipp nlaca
In all the Catholic churches masses
were said for the dead.
Burial of the dead probably will &C.
cupy three or four days.
Every funeral director in the city
was. busy preparing the bodies for
burial, and the coroner still retains in
his rooms eighteen bodies, awaiting
either Identification or the care of
relatives.
The greatest work was that of or
ganizing a systematic relief bureau
with seven branch stations in the ter
ritory covered by the tornado. These
stretched over strip seven miles
long. Those in charge of relief sta.
tons handed out material assistance
to all Corners who were able to snow
they We're in need of aid.
The city and state either have made
or prepared to make appropriations
to meet all emergency cases and re-
lief corps are being organized to care
for every case resulting in restitution.
In addition to this newspapers and
numerous other institutions have
started subscription lists which al.
ready bring the total Immediately
available relief to nearly 100000.
Outside Aid Unnecessary.
City Commissioner Ryder stated
that despite offers aggregating nearly
$1,O00,OOO Omaha and Nebraska would
be able to care for their own.
He, however, expressed his CRATE
full appreciation for these offers,
which, he declared, indicate the great
interest the outside world is taking in
the city in it's distress.
While the destruction of homes in
the city was great there was not
single large business institution which
suffered great loss. The storm took
it's toll. entirely from the residential
portions of the city and with the ex-
ception of small stores, groceries,
meat markets and similar shops the
loss to business was immaterial.
Sanitary conditions were among the
first considered by the city authori-
ties. City Physician Connell under
took the enforcement Of regulations
which will prevent the possibility OF
an epidemic. Several hundred anil
mails were among the victims Of the
storm and orders were given that
their carcasses should be removed at
once and incinerated. Twenty-Five
horses were killed in one barn and
scores of bodies of other animals
were found strewn throughout the
storm stricken district