The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-03-27
ALMOST WITHOUT WARNING TOR
NADO BURST ON CITY OF OMAHA


the overcast skies of the morning haV
ing cleared in the afternoon.
The little town Of Ralston three
miles west of Omaha, first felt the
fury of the storm, which there took
a toll of half dozen or more lives
and practically destroyed the town.
In q northeasterly direction and IN
almost a straight line 1t Travelled with
incredible speed wrecking many
handsome homes in the fashionable
West Farnum and Bemis park dis
trict.
Many business buildings in the VI
cinity of Twenty-fourth and Lake
streets were totally wrecked or
badly damaged. The 1dlewild pool
hall, patronized by colored men, col
lapsed and the debris caught fire. 1t
is believed that forty or fifty persons
persisted there.
From Twenty-fourth and Lake the
storm seemed to veer little TO the
east and finally passed over the state
line into Iowa at Carter lake where
many summer cottages were demol-
ished. Residences were wrecked all
along the line.
Bodies Perhaps Cremated
A dozen or more fires were start
ed by stoves and furnaces and 1t is
believed many bodies were cremated.
Among the buildings destroyed
were eleven churches and eight school
houses. To the day and hour OF the
catastrophe was due the fact that no
loss of life accompanied the demoli-
ton Of these buildings. Sacred Hart
convent was entirely destroyed but
the fifty inmates escaped safely an
being cared for at St. Josephs hos
pital.
The Missouri Pacific roundhouse at
Fifteenth and Emmett streets and
the roundhouse of the Chicago, st.
Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha railway
were wrecked.
Twenty Fires In Track
Twenty fires were reported in the
track of the storm and every piece
of fire fighting material OF the city
as well as companies from South
Omaha and Council Bluffs were kept
at work all night preventing a gener-
al conflagration. In this they were
aided by torrential rain that fol-
lowed the blow.
The city commissioners passed an
ordinance appropriating $4,000 for
relief work; citizens present at the
meeting organized and $4,000 more
was donated. A citizens relief COM
mittee was organized, composed Of
fifty citizens and an executive com.
mittee Of four to work with the seven
city councilmen.
Governor Morehead announced that
he would send special message to
the legislature asking for the appro-
priation of sufficient funds to care
for the homeless throughout the state
Police Commissioner Ryder issued
orders for all saloons in the vicinity
of the wrecked district to remain
closed until further notice,
Auditorium For Homeless
Cots were placed in the Auditori
UNI and those without shelter will be
housed there. The city purchasing
agent has arranged for enough beds
to care for all those who cannot get
into the Auditorium. The Elk's home
has been thrown open to the home
less and the Union Gospel Mission
will provide seventy-fve men with
beds.
The citizens committee has asked
the newspapers to accept donations
and turn the money over to the com
mittee for distribution.
A number OF people were seriously
injured when a street car was blown
over at Forty.seventh and Leaven.
worth streets. Conductor John Coop
or was seriously injured. The motor
man. Fred Bentley. jumped just as
the car started to roll over. The WIND
picked him up, carried him 200 feet
and set him down in a field uninjur
ed, but considerably shaken
Conductor Cooper says there were
at least fifteen people in the car a
the time, All We're injured
Pathway Of Storm
II was late today before all the de
tails of the storm with accompanying
wreckage were known, even within
this city ITSELF The pathway OF tn
storm, from three to seven blocks II
width, cut swath twenty fou
blocks long, first through an exclul
i've residence section OF the city thel
through graduation OF dwellings ur
til It expended it's final energy In tn
Nrecking Of a noal hall and movin