Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-03-12
TWlSTER STRIKES
Continued from page one

Continued from page One.)
through except on passes from the may
or or militia officers.
Several reports of looting were re-
ceived but no one was held by the po-
lice or militia.
Women and children in the hundred
homeless families were taken care OF
by those more fortunate, while the men
gathered around little campfires on
street corners watching what was left
of their property and waiting for the
break of day to renew their hunt for
the dead.
Some Pitiful Scenes
At the hospitals relatives aided the
nurses and doctors in caring for the
injured. Ruth Day, age lS, who lost her
three little sisters and a brother and
was injured herself, sat beside the
bedside of her mother during the long
night hoping to save the one other
member of the family still alive The
mother has little chance for recovery.
Greatest suffering was reported dur
ing the night. 1t was cold and no fires
were allowed in the houses on account
of danger of starting conflagration.
| Lights were out and no water was pro-
curable as the water mains had burst
Relief poured into the city from ev-
cry quarter today. Many cities offered
aid. A relief committee was formed,
consisting of John W. Rodgers, New
Castle; William Goodrich, Winchester,
brother of Governor Goodrich; H. S.
Maddy of Muncie, Walter Chambers
! and George Elliott, both of New Castle.
The committee today sent out an ap-
peal for cash donations. Hundreds of
families who lost practically evhlS-
thing will need money to get back on
their feet again, they stated.
J. Lebb Watkins, mayor, lost every
thing but his clothes. His home was de-
stroyed and his pocketbook containing
$205 was blown away.
Some Freaks of Storm
The loss will be exceptionally heavy
i because few places carried cyclone IN
surance. The storm broke without warn
ing and was over like flash, lasting
from twenty seconds to a minute, ac-
cording to various estimates. 1t was a
typical Kansas twister with a long
funnel shaped cloud which swept down
from the northeast. 1t struck the In
diana Rolling Mills first, leveling the
large plant as if it had been raked
with a dozen forty two centimeter
guns. The better residence district Of
the city was hit next. Houses costing
as high as $4,000 were a mass of
ruins in an instant. Miraculous escap.
es from death were reported when fam
lilies, huddled in Easements, had their
houses swept off over their heads
Houses were jammed one against an
other and in one case a garage and au'
tomobile were set down in the middle
of a home.
K The storm continued through the
city, striking the homes of the work
ingmen, where most of the deaths were
caused Here a district half mile wide
and a mile long was swept clean. Not
a house was left standing. That there
were not more deaths was attributed
to the fact that up until the time the
storm broke, the day had been pleas
ant and many families were downtown
or out walking.
After leaving the city the storm de
stroyed many farms for twelve mile
stretch Two farm hands lost thell
Lives when barn was blown down
Two small sons of Ernest Gray, far
mer, were killed.
Ora Smith was painting barn dool
when it was blown off. He was earned
along with the door about 200 yards
and landed in a pond. He cannot reeoN
Terrific Rainfall
Following the sweep of the storm
terrific rain poured down for half al
hour. Several fires started, but the ram
aided volunteer workers in extinguish
inc them. Rescue work started immedl
alely. Many were saved after they ha'
been buried under the debris for hal
an hour or more. Searchers were attrac
ed bv their screams, wild scenes follow
led in the wake of the disaster. On
man with an ear torn off and wit
only a sheet wrapped around him, ra
: through the city for an hour, fightln
off anyone who attempted to hold him
: At last he was caught and taken t
the hospital.
William Lowry was bruned to deaf
! when he was caught in the wreck
his home and was unable to eseap
when the ruins caught fire.
The rescuing party had nothin
with which to fight the flames an(
! not knowing a man was buried in tn
! wreekage watched it burn. They 500
: smelled the burning flesh and tn
! eharred body was found.
When the storm broke, sister o
. Mrs. Elwood Lawson saw she would b
! unable to reach house, so she grail
bed tree and hung on while tn