The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-03-12
Puff of Wind Creates eeso!sticn

7 run or Wlhd Creates Ee5o!5tcr.
A tragedy was to be witnessed at
| nearly ever demolished home. Dis
couraged men, crying children ard
hesrt-broken wornen were to be see,
about these residences. Ore 1iasrtic
puff of wind h:1 transformed thess
homes which. in res: icetarces. ~ep-
reeented lifetime savings into spirit
cred ruins. There "2s practically 10
salvage Of household eocds. The 71a-
| iority of the storm victims ars work
ing people.
IN the heart @. the d,stri-. visited
by the cyclone stood the modest horne
e Mayor Leb Watkins lt locked TO
day aa though this residence rad been
destroyed ~ bomb dropped frcr7 IN
acrop'ane.
Il arr as pcor tcdaJ a. | was tffsen
years ago. the n-aYcr renesrked. my
! home end its equipment represerted
my worldly goods The cyctore eve,
/ carried off purse Of nine conts;rir5
1900 ard my wife's diamond rina is
lost All saved are the clothes oa
my back"
Curious cro.s5 crina Shortage.
l. a shortage Of feed supp.ies. prin-
, cipally caused bv the inrasicn CT thou
sands Of curiosity seekers living vishin
radius Of 100 miles cf l4ev Castle,
represented very serious problem 70
New Castle people today
These visitors monopolized restau-
rams and hotels New Castle does not
welcome the horde which has descend
ed upon it but he city IS porerless
to prevent people coming to the toNn.
unless martial law is proclaimed and
( enforced b. the National Guard trcons
now on duty policing the --recIed
district
Il will not proclaim marital law
! unless the civic authorities SO r.
quest" said Major Davis. uho corr
mands the Guard troops. 'T will see
to it. however. that only people Who
have legitimate business in that part
of the city visited b. the storm are
permitted TO enter the district"
Passes Were Hard 20 Get.
Passes through the guard lines we're
not easily obtained 10 the disgust Of
manv a curiosity-seeker.
There vas little lcoting IN the
ruined district last night but the sci.
diers soon had the situation under
complete control Major Davis has IT,
structed his men to shoot down any
person caught in the act Of looting.
Guard officers are fearful that some
trouble will be experienced unless a
means is found for preventing people
coming into the city who have no busi-
ness there.
Chaos is the word which best de-
flot nj rfvs,, -f
wrecked property which extends
through the south end from Sixth
street to the southeastern corporation
limits. What few trees remain stand
ing in this desclsted district are deco
rated with bedticks, hats. parts Of
wagon bodies pieces of furniture and
other c6ds and ends. Here one sees
house with the top story removed rs
though severed by an immense razor.
Next to it stands house untouched by
the storm: then row of houses COM
pletely demolished.
Houses Stacked on Heaps
Here stands house completely
turned on its foundations, its kitchen
facing the debris-strewn front lawn.
One glances in another direction ard
perceives partially collapsed resi-
dence. bending under the burden Of
part Of another house.
The streets Of the demolished dis
trict arc strewn with pulverized plss-
ter. broken bricks. splintered wood.
badly wrecked pianos. birdcages. =
len wires and roles ard so on down a
long and varied list.
AS the visitor stares astoInded at
tho ruins of the handsome South End
school he shudders when he thinks
what would have resulted had tbs
tornado occurred today while school
IVES in session. It is reasonable to
believe that very few children would
have escaped with their lives.
Tangled Hes!, Of Wires
That that part of the town which
escaped the fury of the storm was not
destroyed by FIRE Is regarded remark.
able. Tangled power wires were
strewn In all directions and 1t was
some time before the power was shut
down.
II would be expected that these
wires would have started numerous
bIszes but only two serious flree re-
suited. They were checked before q
general conhagration was started. Tho
two fires destroyed three buildinga,
There also was the danger Of escap,
ing gas and II was necessary TO shut
OF the gas supply. In consequences.
(contInued On Page rWo.1