This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1917 edition. Excerpt: ... chapter xlviii. destructive cyclone, 1913. The most appalling catastrophe in all Omaha's history befell the city just before sunset on a beautiful Easter day, March 24, 1913. About six o'clock on that Sunday evening a tornado swooped down on the city, coming from the southwest, and tearing a path through to the northeast from two to three blocks wide and four miles long. Starting in the best residence part of the city, hundreds of homes were smashed to pieces or broken to bits. Following the wind as swiftly as thought fire broke out and in the twinkling of an eye homes of happy, prosperous people were turned into piles of blazing debris, from which dazed and crippled victims of the storm god's wrath were dragged by rescuers. Others were taken out dead. It came like a thunderbolt from a clear sky and passed so quickly that people couldn't realize what had happened. Street cars were blown from tracks and demolished while loaded on their way from town. The storm completely stopped all street car traffic, telephone and telegraph service and shut the city completely off from the rest of the world. Lighting service was also cut off, leaving the city in utter darkness. Mercury fell so rapidly that it was freezing cold before mornings The property destruction ran into the millions. From the southwest corner of the city to the northeast, the horror of wreck and ruin, death and devastation swept through the palatial homes of the rich and the tiny frame cottages of the needy with equal, complete destruction. It resulted in 185 deaths, to which should be added 7 in Ralston and 11 in Council Bluffs; injured 350; totally demolished 550 homes; partially wrecked 1,250 others; 11 churches, 8 schools, a number of small stores; rendered 2,500 persons...