The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-25
Travelled Northeast.

The storm appeared to have started
at Fifty-fourth and Center streets.
From there it travelled north. veering
slightly to the east. to Leavenworth
| street. Then it took q iiortheasterly
course to Fortieth and Farnam streets
travelling little east of north. It
changed its course from Forty-sixth
street east to Thirty-fourth, a distance
Of six blocks.
Striking Bemis park, where the
homes of the well-to-do Omahans are
located, the storm turned sharply to
the east and passed along Parker and
Blonde streets. to Twenty-fourth
street, where its path was six blocks
wide. In the latter section the dam
age is complete.
Finally at Fourteenth and Spencer
streets the storm swept over the bluffs
high above the Missouri river, de.
molished the Missouri Pacific round
house, levelled the big strestle Of the
Illinois Central railroad. over Carter
lake, wrecked q number of buildings
near the Rod and Gun club. a FASH
ionable outing place and disappeared
to the northeast.
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 east Of South Omaha, first felt
the fury of the storm which there
lives and practically destroyed the
town.
In northeasterly direction and al
most in straight line it Travelled with
incredible speed. wrecking many
handsome homes in the fashionable
West Farnam and Bemis park dis
tricts. Many business buildings in the
vicinity Of Twenty-fourth and Lake
streets, were destroyed or badly dam
occurred. The Diamond motion pic
ture theater. a brick building which
was partially filled with men, women
and children. collapsed, hardly
brick remaining in the walls. The
Idlewild pool hall, patronized by ne
groes, collapsed and the debris caught
fire. 1t is believed that forty or fifty
persons pertshed there.
Passed into Iowa.
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 demolish-
cd. Residences were wrecked all
along the line. A dozen or more fires
We're started by stoves and furnaces
and it is believed many bodies were
cremated.
Telephone. light and trolley wires
were carried down by tho storm and
had to be shut off in the devastated
districts so that all work in the night
had to be done by the light of lant-
erns and only an imperfect idea of the
extent and character of damage done
could be had.
Started Rescue at Once.
The work of rescue was at once un-
dertaken but slow progress was made
on account Of the darkness and the
blockaded condition of the streets.
Emergency morgues were established
at various points and all available
physicians and nurses We're pressed
into service. DR.. H. w. Connell, city
health commissioner, issued an appeal
to surgeons to volunteer their serv-
ices for the relief Of the injured. The
responses came by scores.
The city authorities. realizing in a
measure the extent of the calamity,
Immediately asked the commander Of
the federal forces for aid in patrolling
the wrecked districts to prevent loot.
ing.
Major Hartmann. in command at
Fort Omaha, acceded to the request
without hesitation. sending all avail
able men from the fort. A similar
request made to the commanders Of
the three local militia companies also
met with prompt response and this
aided much in the work Of rescue.
Later when an appeal was sent to
Governor Moorhead. he ordered four
companies of militia from outside the
city to report here for duty and came
himself on train arriving at 3
o'clock yesterday morning.