The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-14
TWISTERS HIT
SOUTH DAKOTA
AND NEBRASKA
50-Mile Strip Devastated, In.
dian Town Leveled, Damage
Is $l,0oo,ooo
INJURED FILL HOSPITALS
Teacher Plays Piano a School.
house Crushes to Match.
wood Over Pupils !,


Rescue work was pushed today in-
to the devastated storm area Of
northeastern Nebraska and eastern
So0tn Dakota, where two tornadoes
late yesterday killed IL persons, in
jured scores, and caused property
damage estimated at $1,000,OOO.
One twister started about seven
miles southeast Of Pender, Neb., and
left destruction and death for so
miles in its path north to Dakota
City. The South Dakota twister
swept through Walshtown township,
Is miles northeast of Yankton, and
continued northeast, nearly wiping
out the town Uf Davis, 5. u.
All available men in the region
searched ruins, buried dead livestock
and arranged to care for the desti-
tute. Late last night the Burlington
railroad dispatched special train to
Walthill, with doctors and nurses
aboard.
Indian Town Hit
The community, Z little Indian
town, was one Of the hardest hit by
the tornado. The hospital was filled
to overflowing and the Fuller Hotel
and two nearby residences were
pressed into service - emergency
hospitals.
So terrific was the wind that . Is
acre tract Of huge cottonwood trees
adjacent to the Lamere school was
completely leveled. Twenty-six chill
dren were in this school, five miles
from Walthill, when the twister
struck, and crushed it like 30 much
matchwood.
None Of them escaped without in.
juries. Mary lrma Belt, 8, daughter
Of Mr.. and Mrs. F. E. Belt, Walthill.
was killed outright. Several others
may die.
Had it not been for the heroic e..
forts Of the teacher, Miss Phyllis
Stewart, and Eugene @. Keyser. 81,
q farmer whose sons attend the
school, the number of dead, it is be-
lieved would have been larger.
Warns School Room
keyser was coming to the school
to get his son, Alvin, 9, when he saw
the twister approach from the south
west. Hurrying into the school he
shouted q warning to Miss Stewart.
What can we do :" she screamed.
Nothing except stick right here
now," he replied.
Together they organized the rs
children into compact group. Miss
Stewart instructed the children to
join hands and drop, to the floor.
This they did and she sat down to
the piano and played . popular tune.
As she struck the first note the
double tailed twister descended on
the frame structure. The walls
collapsed and the roof fell ia. Some
Of the children were pinned in the
wreckage; others were hurled before
the wind as far as 800 feet. Not .
board Of the school remained stand
ing. All that remains is . single
row Of bricks around the foundation.
Miss Stewart herself was 20 badly
injured that her recovery is doubt
full.
Despite the fact that he, too, suf-
fered injuries, Keyser remained to
direct the rescue work. After the
last child was taken to the Walthill
hospital, he himself became . pa.
tient there, delirious and in semi.
conscious condition.
Both storms Travelled northeast
erly, crippling communications 80
that only meager reports had come
from many outlying sections early
today.
Four country schools filled with
pupils crumbled in the path Of the
Nebraska storm, which began near
Bancroft and continued into Iowa,
taking five lives. A special train Of
doctors from Sioux City, L., left to
care for more than 80 injured.
The baby daughter Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Edward Kunzie was carried
half Z mile from their farm near
Winnebago, Neb., and was found
dead in 3 haystack.
Six were killed in the storm which
began near Yankton, S. D., and con-
tinued beyond Davis, 10 miles north
East Of Yankton. Many farm build
ings and hundreds Of head Of live.
stock were destroyed IN the mile.
wide swath Of the storm, which ended
> prolonged heat wave.
South Dok0t9 Dead
The dead IN South Dakota:
James Foley, IS, Yankton; Oscar
Haugen, SO, farmer near Yankton;
Mildred Sylliaasen, II, Of near Yank-
ton; Mrs. Jake Cramer, 81, and her
6-year-old daughter, Of Davis: and
Elmer Birtslson. 81, Of Davis.
Ia Nebraska the dead includ>d:
Helen Rooney, South Sioux City,
Neb., 20, killed instantly whom the
school in which she taught wss
smashed against hillside.
Frank Rehunek, 0maha, caEpen-
ter, killed when blown o&f ! build
lng ct pender, Nob.
Unidentified, 1arnner, of noar Dan-
croft, killed after warnine school
children Of approaching 1te9na.
Ihree-months-oM dnnglIhDr - -.
ward Kun7ie, 6 Winnok 40.
\ Kenneth Morris, WinnG iGo, Nj.
died IN hospital hsre to6ay, q
n COOLIDGE rnUo DAlfIl II
Wa6hineton, sopk. ~
idoQt CoolioGo comxnnto4 eoat y
ef0hctivn insSn 3fnfo ol1.s Il