The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-25

owners of the theater expressed belief
that no bodies remained, however.
! Hunters are mourning the passing OF
Abner Thomas, so years old, the best
known negro in Nebraska. His was
one of the bodies recovered from the
ruins of the Idlewild. For years
Thomas has been employed as the cook
for the hunting parties at the Metz
ranch in Cherry county and in that
| time he has met most of the prominent
men in the United States. He had the
reputation of being the best camp
+, cook west of the Mississippi.
An estimate by insurance companies
today placed their losses on tornado
insurance at half a million dollars.
Small property owners formed the
/ great majority of those who benefited
by this insurance. Owners of large
residences and business places did not
have policies which contained the tor
nado clause.
Entire Town Destroyed.
Additional details reaching here this
morning from Berlin, Neb, a town of
$50 people, said but two of the 100
buildings in the town remained intact
| after the storm swept through the
| place. These, church and q small
| cottage, were converted into hospitals,
where the rs injured were cared for
as best they could be. The death list
| of the injured were in serious condi-
| ton.
| Nearby towns and hamlets sent aid
| during the night in the nature of food,
| clothes and medicine.
Five thousand dollars has been sub
| scribed by Rerlin's neighboring towns
as a relief fund.
| Mayor c. M. Skinner, of Ralston, has
| issued an urgent appeal for clothing
! and food for storm sufferers in that
! ly wrecked and more than 200 persons
are homeless.
Funerals Being Held.
| Moving vans and burden-laden mo-
| tor cars were in evidence in the af-
| f1icted sections this morning. Worse
| reminders of the storms deadly de-
| struction were the hearses and black
| funeral carriages winding here and
| there in sharp contrast with the
SHOWS shining wilderness. In front of
| every undertaker's shop were gathered
| from time to time these grim vehicles
| of grief, signals that the funeral of the
victims had begun and that the ceme-
teries would be the last resting place
of all. In all the Catholic churches
| this morning masses were said for the
dead. Priests kept up an all-night
vigil ministering to the spiritual well
fare of the sufferers.
At Trinity cathedral, Eighteenth and
less women and children spent the
night, the relief committee had es-
tablished a food station. Great cups
of steaming coffee, rolls and sandwiches
were handed to the sufferers. Many
had lost their worldly possession and
were scantily clad.
A pathetic scene was enacted here.
Most of the sufferers were moving
about, eating their portions of food,
counseling together and greeting
friends and relatives. During all the
noise and hustle, a little 4-year-old
girl with golden hair. a picture of
childish beauty, lay asleep upon one
of the benches. Awakening, she rubbed
her eyes and looked about in amaze
ment.
where's your homer" asked Mrs.
Hancock, wife of Dean Hancock.
Why why" stammered the child,
81 haven't any. You know, mother
and father were blown away with our
house yesterday
Then the child looked about the
strange place. Suddenly she spied a
tall man in the crowd.
why, there's Uncle WILL" she said,
AID before onlookers could secure her
name the tall man had gathered the
child in his arms and carried her from
the building.
Figures on Destruction.
Omahas Commercial club made a
statement of the physical condition of
the storm section this morning. The
figures give some conception of the
storm and number of homes which have
been broken up. The figures follows:
Houses totally destroyed and un1n-
habitable, 642.
Houses partially destroyed, 1,02.
People homeless, 2,179.
People entirely destitute, 263.
In spite of the large number of des-
titute, the public kitchen at the Audi
no.
made to feed 1000 people a day, has
had but few calls, most of the desti-
tute going to homes of friends on the
edge of the storm section. Larger de-
mands upon the public are expected
before night.
Plans for rebuilding the wrecked por-
lions of the city are already under
way, a movement to form a corpora
ton for the purpose of aiding those
who need help having already been
preached by several of the men who
are in position to afford such assist
ance.
Commissioner Ryder. who is in
charge of the temporary relief work,
realizes that the greatest stress will
be felt within the period when reaction
from the immediate shock is noted
Speaking of this he said:
The next ten days or so will be
taken up with the work of caring for
the temporary needs of the stricken;
then will come the real strain of re-
building the ruined homes. To this |
end we must take immediate steps for |
the formation of a committee or or
ganization to control the situation that |
the work may be systematically press |
ed"
Urges Speedy Action.
Robert Cowell, a leading business
man after making a survey of the de- |
vastated district, called attention to
the fact that the time to organize for |
the rebuilding of the devastated dis |
trict is now.
Il would suggest said Mr.. Cowell, |
'sthat a CORPORATION be formed at once