Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-03-27
Dead in Omaha and
Vicinity 200.
WIRE COMMUNICATION
STILL DEM0RAuzED
Nebraska Metropolis Suffers
Brunt Of The Casualties and
Property Damage.

Omaha, March 25.-More than 200
persons were killed and 400 were in
jured in a wind storm that demol-
ished $50 homes, damaged hundreds
of other buildings and caused a none
tary loss of s., 1000. according to
reports available from the main path
of the tornado in and heal Omaha.
Most of the casualties were in Oma-
ha, which was stricken as never be-
fore. Nearby towns in Nebraska and
across the Missouri river and Iowa
suffered severely. Wires were snapped
off in all directions and it took many
hours to gather and circulate news
of the disaster.
Fire broke out in the debris of
many wrecked buildings in the Ne
braska metropolis and there were
menaces for some time, as the fire
companies were hindered by fallen
walls and blockaded streets. A heavy
rain followed the wind, however, and
drenched the hundreds OF homeless
persons, but also put out the flames.
Of the known dead 1913 were resi-
dents of Omaha. The remaining dead
are scattered over a considerable
range Of territory, with Council Bluffs
reporting II; Yutan, Neb., 16; Berlin,
Neb., Z; Glenwood, la, 5; Nola, Ia,
=. and Bartlett, Ia, 2.
Fifteen Hundred Homeless.
Perhaps fifteen hundred persons
are homeless. Three thousand build
ings were damaged to some extent.
Eight of Omaha's public schools were
wrecked.
All forms of communication were
almost interrupted by the wind. Sol
diers and state police poured into the
city and are patrolling the residential
districts in an effort to maintain or
der and relieve such cases If suffer-
ing as come to their notice.
The greatest damage was done in
and near Omaha, through part Of
which a terrific storm swept Sunday
evening, throwing down many sub
stantial buildings, ripping off roofs
and sidings of hundreds of houses and
Staying men. women and children by
the score.
The storm kept it's work a secret
from the rest Of the world for hours
by breaking down all wire communi-
cation. Messengers with news stories
had to go by train to Lincoln, the
state capital, to give out the first def
mite tidings of the disaster.
Many Fires Break Out.
Uninjured citizens worked desper-
ately to remove such persons as had
been caught beneath raZed buildings.
The debris caught fire in many places
and many persons We're painfully
burned before they could be extricat-
ed from broken timbers.
No great number was killed in any
one place. The wind swept along,
taking its toll here and there. The
tornado ever jumped over portions of
the city In it's path, swooped down
again and dashed distractions to
earth. The gale left Omaha only to
sweep on to towns in Iowa in the
same destructive manner
The rage of the elements ever eX.
tended in a somewhat abated form to
points far to the east. No sooner had
the great wind passed than a second
violent gale swept owe much of the
same territory, but with lessened fury
What seems to have been a separate
storm swept portions Of Indiana. do
ing greatest damage in and lea Terrt
Haute. There nearly a score of per
sons were slain and hundreds wer'
injured. Other places in Indiana re
port lesser damage.
Wire Concerns Hard Hit.
The sleet and wind storm of the las
few days has reduced telegraph ant
telephone companies to sore straits
as hundreds Of poles and thousands o
miles of wire We're carried down in
terrible tangle.
In many cases large regions wer
unable to use commercial TELEGRAPH
facilities and Jews associations wer
compelled to send reports in the mos
%circuitous ways in order to reach tn
newspapers.
Floods swept through several wis
consin cities, damaging many thol
sand dollars worth of goods in base
ments. Dams were washed out i
many places and the released water
swept over the fields.
In Chicago all the elements SCENE
to meet shortly after Easter Sunda
had closed. Wind blew a violent gall
snow few before it in some places
hail crashed windows under Its prt