Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-03-24
BETWEEN 100 AND 200 DEAD,
HUNDREDS ARE INJURED
Solid Blocks of Homes in Residence Section of Omaha
in Ruins and 1000 People are Made Homeless
FIRES ADD TO HORRORS OF STORMS
Homeless Walk Streets.

Homeless Walk Streets.
After a night Of terror in which
women and children frantic with grief
walked the streets, cold and homeless
Omaha awoke this morning to q scene
Of almost unbelievable devastation.
Entering the city from the southwest
after wiping Ralston entirely or the
map, the tornado swept past the coun-
ty hospital to the west and swept in a
northeasterly direction, taking every
thing in its path. It Travelled eastward
to the river and lost itself some place
in the Iowa bluffs.
Aristocratic Portions Hit.
Buildings were blown over. picked UP
and hurled with terrific force many
yards, trees were leveled and smaller
stuctures were completely wrecked by
the wind which swept a path for itself
directly thru the most aristocratic al
well as the most lowly parts of the city.
Some Of the finest homes. those recent
ly erected by several Of OEaha's veal
thiest men, are today mass Of ruins.
swept away or damaged so badly that
they were uninhabitable and the occu-
pants were forced to the street during
the torrential rain that followed the
twister.
Fires Grsat Msnscs.
Following the tornado ana the rair
came an even greater menace in the
fires that broke out in a score Of places
At least twenty five houses were de-
stroyed by flames. To add to the
horror Of the night, the electric lights
failed, wires went down and not only
the house lights but the street lights
were extinguished leaving only the fit
full glare from hundreds Of lanterns to
light up the scenes of horror while the
rescue parties were at work.
Where loss Was Hsavisst.
The sections of the city which have
reported the heaviest loss of life are
the districts surrounding the county
hospital and the child saving institute
and the territory near Twenty-fourth
and Lake and from there east.
But from every point in the path OF
the storm reports were received all
night Of people killed, injured or buried
in the ruins of their homes.
Storm at 6 O'clock.
Shortly before 6 o'clock the storm
was first noticed southwest Of Omaha
coming toward the city with the speed
of an express train. The roar of the
whirling, twisting wind could be heard
long before the storm struck and
people of the southern portion Of the
city asserted they could hear the angry
rumble Of the storm when it struck the
village of Ralston.
Fan Shaped Cloud.
The vanguard of the storm was q
huge fan shaped cloud, dark and lower
ing, which gradually narrowed into a
funnel-shaped cloud that dipped earth
ward and wherever it struck left
wake of death and injuries and
wrecked homes. Almost all over the
city people stood and watched the
storm approach even when in its very
, path, some seemingly without the pow
er to move or not knowing which way
to go. The streets in the storms path
were filled with debris.
Work Of Rescue Begins.
Altho dazed for time by the sud-
denness of the storm and the damage
done the people living in the wrecked
portions Of the city who We're unhurt
and those residing near by hastenedito
the task of rescuing the injured. Every
available motor car and wagon was
nh tpio q q nd
nurses hastily summoned and hospitals
and other public buildings turned into
relief stations for the injured and
morgues for the dead.
AS the night wore on the devastation
wrought by the storm became more
and more evident and the city commits
sioners. headed by Mayor Dahlman,
took personal charge Of the relief work.
Headquarters were established In the
telephone exchange building at Twen-
ty-third and Webster and Major Hart
mans offer to take charge OF the pa
trolling Of the devastated district with
between 200 and 800 regulars was glad
ly accepted. Every policeman and fire-
man in Omaha, South Omaha and
Council Bluffs was used in an EFFORT to
prevent footing of the buildings and IN
the rescue Of injured and in putting out
fires.
The Commercial Club of Sioux City
has sent a relief delegation. Desoto,
Craig, Oakland. and other Nebraska
towns were hit. =
path Eight Miles LenS.
The tornado cut an almost stra!snt
path more than six blocks wide aao
eight miles ,onS. L was Ahy far the
most appalling catastrophe. TIA. ever
visited the city. Thruout the stricken
district the streets are filed with
moases OF debris Of wrecked hou6es and