Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-07-03
DEATH TOLL 1903
IN Ohio TORNADO
Greatest Havoc at Loroirls
Sandusky and Other Cities
Along Lake Erie.

Cleveland, O., June 30.-A tornado
wrecked large portion of Lorain and
parts of Sandusky and other Ohio
cities on Saturday, causing loss Of
more than 100 lives.
The storm was born in western
Iowa, swept across that state, Illinois
and Indiana, missing Chicago by a
narrow margin. The storm struck Hill
nois near Peoria, causing considerable.
damage there, but nothing like the.
havoc created along the southern
coast of Lake Erie, where the fury
of the tornado and cloudburst reached
its height.
The greatest loss of life was at Lo-
rain, where the latest count showed
fifty-nine dead and 11S injured, score
of them suffering severe hurts. The
property loss there was upwards of
$30,OOO,O0O, 125 city blocks having
been demolished.
AT Sandusky it was found that only
six persons were killed although
hundred were injured and property
valued at $2,00O,000 was destroyed.
There were seven fatalities in Cleve-
land although the property damage
was small. Pittsburgh reported five
persons killed while Mantua, o., re-
ported three dead, French Greek three,
Weymouth two and Akron one. The
death total in Iowa and Illinois was
twelve, making a death list of 100.
The total property damage when re-
ports from the rural regions are COM
plete will probably aggregate $5O,OOO,-
900.
Troops Keep Order
Despite the devastation at Lorain
where the tornado tore down quar-
ter of the city, organized rescue work
went forward smoothly and state
troops kept order among the inhabi-
tants, hundreds of whom were thrown
out of their homes and had to be-
sheltered in tents and with friends.
The greatest loss of life at Lopain
took place in the State theater, four
story building which partly collapsed
and crushed many of the spectators
at matinee movie show. AS soon as
rescue work was organized last night.
a survey of the situation led to the
deduction that many scores had been
killed. for buildings had been whipped
down over the heads of several fairlye
large assemblages. AT bathing beach
house the structure was torn to pieces
and it was announced that dozens
had lost their lives at this place.
Holiday Saves Thousands
Investigation today when light per-
mitted a search of the ruins, showed
that probably everyone at the beach
had escaped with his life. The fact
that the tornado struck both Sandusky
and Lorain while factories were emp
tied on account of the Saturday after
noon holiday probably reduced the
death toll by hundreds, for number
of manufacturing plants were torn
down only a few hours after several
thousand employees had left their work.
Jumps" Large Areas
The rural damage probably Wa
so great as at first feared because the
storm jumped over large areas with
out doing much damage. The tornado
struck Sandusky, about fifty miles
west of Cleveland and demolished
many buildings, bridges and telegraph
lines, and then jumped almost the en-
tire distance of twenty-five miles east
ward to Lorain without much serious
injury.
But at Lorain, thriving manufac-
turing city of some 10000 persons, the
black funnel shaped wind dropped
down with renewed fury. 1t blew at a
speed of eighty-fve miles an hour in
spots and possibly much faster at its
vortex. The devastating whirlwind
swept through the city, twisting and
tumbling whatever came in its way
and then lifted to descend again at
various spots but with much less fury.
Street Cars Lifted from Trucks
The eighty-five mile an hour wind
blew street cars from their trucks.
turned over and hurled automobiles to
the curb, bent and twisted telegraph
poles at the ground and hurled them
poles at the groun dand hurled them
across the streets and on to building
roofs.
One hundred and twenty-five city
blocks, or about 25 per cent of the
citys residences, were damaged, most
OF them beyond repair. Of all the
business buildings that line Lorain's
mile long main street, Broadway, only
two, the postoffice and a four story
Eagles club building, escaped with
out damage.
Gradually blowing itself out the tor
nado continued its work of destruc-
ton over score of western Pennsyl-
vania counties, causing the death Of
at least sixteen persons and injury to
scores of others and property damage
that will run into millions.