The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1913-03-28
Omaha Suffers Worst
Of AlI--MiIIions Loss.
Four Hundred and Fifty Homes Dc.
nolished and Hundreds of Other
Buildings Damaged in Ne
braska City-1,500 Per-
sons Homeless.

of their work, scores of men and
women and children today struggled
in the snow to rescue dead or injured
relatives and friends who lay beneath
the wreckage of buildings that were
crumbled like eggshells by the tornado
which late Sunday swept over Nebras-
ka and Iowa, killing more than one
hundred and fifty persons in Omaha
alone. Estimates of the dead vary
from 232 to 800.
The snow storm which seriously
hampered the work of rescue began
shortly after midnight and continued
with gathering force. More than three
inches of snow covered the debris in
the section of the city which was
struck by the tornado.
Privations of the storm sufferers
were greatly increased by the snow
following so closely in the wake of the
tornado Women, Juggling at heavy
beams, hoping against hope to find the
living dear ones beneath the tons of
wreckage; men, gruffly cheering their
sorowful mates; weeping children
wrapped with shawls and blankets-all
these figured in the scene which feder-
al soldiers watched while patrolling
the afflicted district and keeping the
wrecked buildings from constituencies
hooters.
City officials gathered within the
lines drawn around the tornado district
and hepled the soldiers and distrib-
uted clothing and other necessities
among the sufferers. %
Omaha, March 26.-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 $5,000,000, according to
reports available from the main path
of the tornado in and near Omaha.
Most of the casualties were in Oma-
ha, which was stricken as never be-
fore. Nearby towns in Nebraska and
across the Missouri rived in Iowa al
so suffered severely. Wires were
snapped off in all directions and it
took many hours to gather and circu-
late news of the disaster.
OF the known dead 152 were resi-
dents of Omaha. The remaining dead
are scattered over considerable
range of territory, with Council Bluffs
reporting II; Yutan, Neb., IS; Berlin,
Neb., Z Glenwood, Ia, 5; Nicola, Ia,
and Bartlett, Ia, 8.
Perhaps 1900 persons are homeless.
Thousand hlIil
aged to some extent. Eight of Oma-
has public schools were wrecked.
All forms of communication were
interrupted by the wind and only two
or three wires were in working condi-
ton when daylight relieved night
of high tension, which at times al
most became panic. Soldiers, state
and national troops, poured into the
city Monday and patrolled the
residence districts, aiding the police
to maintain order and relieve such
cases of suffering as come to their
notice
Loss Occurs SectionaIIy.
The greatest loss of life occurred
sectionally. Three points in the path
of the storm offered the greatest sac
rifices. These were at Fortieth and
Farnam streets, where a crowd had
sought refuge in a garage, at Twenty
fourth and Lake streets, where NOV
ing picture theater was demolished,
and at Twenty-fourth and Willis ave-
nue., where pool room was wrecked.
In each of these places the fatalities
were large.
No such catastrophe ever had
visited the city and it was overwhelm-
ed by it. The citizens quickly rosa to
the situation, however, and measures
of relief were organized promptly.
Trinity cathedral was Temporarily
turned into coffee house; priests
visited homes that had been destroy
ed, in many cases administering the
last rites of the church and public
bodies began the organization of re-
lief committees. In one night over
100000 was subscribed for relief Of
the destitute.
Telegraph Communications Again.
Telegraph and telephone communi-
cation, which were at a standstill for
IT uOuIo, NSiC llhPlONCu. lhIl d-oI6iIC
as well as interstate communication,
is far from normal and it is believed
that the full effects of the storm may
not be known for several days.
Reconstruction was begun at once
when at meeting of the real estate
exchange committee was appointed
to take up this work.
Insurance companies experienced
heavy losses, most of their fire policies
carrying tornado clause.
Came Without Warning.
The storm came almost without
warning, the day which opened with
overcast skies, having cleared in the
| afternoon.
The little town of Ralston, three
miles west of South Omaha, first felt
| the fury of the storm which there took
| a toll of a half dozen or more lives
and practically destroyed the town.
In northeasterly direction and al
most in a straight line it Travelled with
| incredible speed, wrecking many hand
some houses in the fashionable West
Farnam and Bemis park districts
Many business buildings in the vicin-