The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-03-24

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troops in going through the ruins in
the grewsome search for bodies.
Reports from outlying towns tell OF
horrible deaths taken by the twister
/ Fears are entertained that Gretna,
Ashland and Louisville we're in the
path of the storm. 1t Is believed the
storm originated along tho Platte
river near Louisville and swept up
the stream to Ashland. then out
across country to Gretna, striking
Ralston before Omaha. Lines of com
munication are rapidly being restored
and the path OF the storm can then
be definitely determined.
/ George l.. Hammer, one of the best
known merchants In the middle west
and proprietor OF the Byrne-Hammer
/ Dry Goods company here, was taken
out Of the wreckage of his home las
night and died in st. Joseph's hospit-
al at III o'clock this morning. Mrs.
Hammer was seriously injured while
Mrs. Arthur Lavidge and her baby
son. who were visiting at the Hammer
home, are not expected to live.
| The Union Pacific railroad has do
mated $1,000 for the relief work and
several business men have made up
a purse Of $4,000. Civic and social or
ganizations are calling on their mem
bers for clothing, bed clothes, tents
and practically anything that can be
| used to aid the stricken.
| Governor Morehead has issued a
statement declaring that the state is
willing to do anything to aid this
city in It's hour Of sorrow, either
with money or with state supplies. 1t
| is probable that the legislature will
appropriate money.
Awful Havoc.
| Daylight only emphasized the awful
havoc wrought by the storm. The
cloudy morning and piercing north
wind seemed fitting accompaniment
to the scene OF ruin that spread for
miles through the best residence sec.
ton OF the city, where householders
who had escaped with their lives were
trying to save what few personal eff
fects they could salvage from the de.
bris of what had been their homes.
At meeting held by Mayor Dahl.
man and city commissioners this
morning, the city OF Omaha appro-
priated an emergency fund Of $4,000
for the relief of the victims.
Responding to urgent pleas OF pa
rents and relatives Of students In
Brownell Hall seminary here, officers
of that institution declared the storm
did not pass near that school and
that none of the students was In any
way affected.
The reports Of property damage
were more than confirmed by the In
spection this morning. The path OF
the storm was six blocks wide and
along the way houses were smashed
to bits, torn to shreds, heaped In queer
piles as IL the demon of the air had
spitefully tossed them with all his
might and main.
Bodies that were picked up hun
dreds of yards from the point where
the wind had first caught them were
found horribly mangled, some Of them
entirely beyond recognition. Cries
Iof the Injured drew rescuing parties
of hundreds to different points ant
the victims were drawn out from un
der the walls OF their homes, Offering
thanks to God that their lives hae
been spared. Many are the freaks re
corded in the path of the cyclone
Houses we're left unscathed while the
neighbors were literally torn tt
pieces, splinters were driven through
trees and in one place the lower stor,
of house was torn out while the up
per story settled In its place. Shade
trees were uprooted and driven entire
lily through brick buildings. Wire.
We're torn down and wrapped abou
telegraph poles, as if wound by the
hand of. an artisan.
, In portions CT the wreck strewr
, path. vast throngs of people stood
: with uncovered heads, tears stream
ing down their cheeks as firemen ane
soldiers came out OF the debris, carry
ing In their arms the bodies OF chill
dren, their mothers and fathers.
Over score of fires broke out IL
/, the cyclone-swept section immediate
ly after the storm had passed. Call.
were received from dozen places a
once.
Wrecked and partially wrecked
) houses at ,42nd and Farnam streets
22nd and Cunning, 2Sth and Indiana
, avenue. Both and Hamilton, 33rd anc
Cunning, seth and Cunning, 47th ant
4sth and Leavenworth, 22nd ant
Pierce, 14th and Emmett, oath ant
Lake and other places caught fire
from stoves, electric wiring and fur
naces and we're soon in flames. Some
of the burning wrecked houses contain
ed people who we're buried In the
wreckage. These were all rescued By
firemen.
At 30th and Hamilton streets, foul
. members OF one family were buriec
in the burning wreckage when engin,
;. cOmDQnu nnrnhar arrival rh, De-