Nebraska Newspapers

    The Omaha Daily Bee.
:!:STAHLIS1IED JUiNIS 11), 1871,
OMAHA, MOXDAY 3UOHN12?G, DECEMBER JO, 1J)01-TEX PACES.
SING LIC COrV 1MVI3 CENTS.
CRASH ON A CURVE
Fumgir tnd rrfiht Trtlni Collidoon thi
lllintii Cj.t1 .llroa.
BIX OF THE DEAD ';i NTIFIED
Ttu Othtri liining An Snpptic ' V' !
rri:b,d Miiinbly.
ELEVEN MORE KNOWN TO BE HURT
FuiiBgtri Penntd in by Witoktgt aid
Routid U Duth.
FLAKES DRIVE DACK THE RESCUERS
.Terrible .SufTerluir of tin- Survivor In
till Intenne Colli Train ('ret. In
llliiini'il fur Dlnnlic dlcncc
f Orders.
ROCKFORD, 111., Dec. 15. rulluro on tho
part of u conductor lo obey orders la sup
col to havo been IIih catiso of a head
end collision on the Illinois Central bo
twecn lrcno nnd 1'erryvlllo early today.
The two tralnB were tho cnBtbouud pas-engi-r
train No. -t and n through freight
from Chicago, going west. Ah a result,
eight people aro dead or missing and
eleven Injured.
The known dcad aro;
RISHARD ORMSHY, Chicago, engineer of
passenger train.
JAMES HEAR DON, Freeport, Hruman of
passenger train
ROBERT THOMPSON', Dubuque. Ia.,
American Express messenger.
J. W. FUNIC, Chicago, brakeman on pas
cngor train.
DAVIO 11KIIAN, Frocport, freight engi
neer EDWARD CAREY, Frceport, freight fire
man. M If nlng ond Biipposed to be dead:
Nowaboy on passenger truln, naino un
known. Section foreman from Irene, namo un
known. Iilftitir IllK the Injured,
Injured, as far as tho names could ho
learned, aro:
II. 0. Wellman, Chicago, right arm
crushed off at elbow; taken to Itockford
city hospital, condition critical.
I). 11. Ahrendet, Chicago, cut and bruised
by broken gloss.
J. II. Qulnlni), passenger conductor, cut
nnd bruised, crushed about the chesu
taken to Itockford city honpltal; condition
Bvrlous.
W. I). Kcefe, Sioux City, la., head cut.
Frank Stadleman, Now Athens, 111., cuts
About head and arms.
ThotnuH Hendricks, New Athens, III., cut
nd bruised nnd hair scorched off
Slightly cut:
O. K. Shurllcff, Genoa.
0. F. Ucrrli. Kankakee, III.
A. Li. Hoggs, St, Louis.
John Ilusscy, Independence, la.
Critxh nt Full Speed.
The trains met In a sllcht bend of tho
track, both running at full speed. The smok
ing, express and baggage ears were piled
on the locomotives, penning In tho occu
pants of tho smoker. Only threo of tho
half dozen persons In that car escaped. The
others were penned In nnd If not Instantly
killed wero roasted to death and their
bodies, nloug with those of tho engine
crows, were entirely consumed.
All efforts of tho survivors to rcscuo tho
victims were, unavailing. The flamos drove
them back nt every polut. Tho tumporature
was 20 degrees below zero and the Icy wind
was blowing ocross tho pralrlo, the point
whero tho wreck occurred being In n shal
low cut, affording no protection, Tho In
jured wero without hats or wraps and suf
fered terribly. Hy tho united efforts of tho
Htirvtvors tho waycar was pushed back from
the wrepkago to escape the Humes and the
wounded wero placed on tho bunks Inside.
Two hours olapscd before nny relief was at
hand. Then on engine arrived from the
eaat and pulled tho waycar to Irene, three
Utiles distant.
A relief trnln was started from Itockford
at 1:30 a. m having on hoard Dr. Catlln,
Dr. II. II. Rlchlngs, Dr. W. D. Helm and
Agent E. W. Urown. It arrived at tho scene
of the wreck twenty minutes later. In tho
meantime tho Injured had been brought
back from Irene In tho wnycar ond wero
transferred to the relief trnln und brought
to Itockford, All the Injured aro doing
woll except II. O. Wcllmau of Chicago, who
Is In a critical condition.
Wrecking tralus have been nt work today
nnd will hnvu the tracks clear tonight. Six
bodies wero recovered from tho debris, but
wore chnrred beyond recognition, Corouor
F. M, Marsh will conduct tho Inquest Mon
day, I'naaruurr Co ml hi' I or' llceltnl.
Conductor Qulnlnn of tho passenger
train was a bio tonight to talk of the wreck.
Ho said: "Wo wero trying to make up lost
tlmo, when suddonly there was a crash,
throwing us all to tho front of tho enr, I
managed to clear myself from under tho
neat where I was thrown, and finding two
men closo by tried to release them. This
I was unable to do, and as they did not
respond to my calls I escaped through n
window, being scorched by tho lire us I
crawled out, so quickly did tho Homes
spread. As I remember there were eight
men In the car nnd I find that only two
of them got out. Tho rest wero doubtless
burned In tho wreck."
A peculiar circumstance of tho accident
Xvas that all tho killed were men. There
wore soveral women ond girls on tho tralu,
but all escaped,
Mrs. 13. C. Wllllamsou of Klyrln, O., with
hor llttlo 3-year-old daughter, was asleep
In tho coach. She was awakeuod by tho col
Ilslon and, grasping tho llttlo girl, plunged
through a window, and, sliding out over tho
wreckage, she was not Injured in the slight
est, nor was tho child.
Horror of (lit Fire,
In their stories of tho disaster all those
who escuped from the wreck dwell upon tho
horror of the flro and the rapidity with
which tho wreckage was eaten up by tho
flamos. Almost Instantly after tho tlrst ter
rific crash nn oil car closo to tho freight
engine exploded, tho oil adding fuel to the
flamos and causing a most terrific spectacle,
accentuated by the ground and cries of tho
dying men pinned In terrible ngony ond
meeting death In tho flames, Persons who
wero attracted to the sceno by the noises
of the collision and the flames, wero un
able to render the lctlmB nny assist
ance, an tho Are spread so rapidly that In
less than fifteen minutes tho ears had been
consumed.
Illume tilt- I'rcluht l'i-ei.
CHICAGO. Dec. IB. J, W, Hlgglns, gen
ejal superintendent of transportation of
tt.IUtata Central road, places tho Mania
for tho disastrous wreck at I'erryvlllc. III.,
on tho conductor and engineer of tho freight
train. They arc snld by Mr. Hlgglns to
havo disobeyed orders, which wero to stop
at Irene, several miles east of I'crryvllle.
Mr. Hlgglns said of the wreck:
"It wob a bad wreck and a lamentable
accident. It was duo to the fact that the
tonduetor and engineer of tho freight foiled
to obey orders. The passenger was delayed
three hours nnd forty minutes by the
weather. Coleman Is tho regular passing
point for tho two trains. Tho conductor
d engineer of tho freight train wero In
t 'ed that tho pussenger train was late,
. . t was their duty to sidetrack at Irene,
ilth they neglected to do.
"There Is no explanation of the explosion
that wo can get word of. Employes on
board both trains say both were running
nt full speed and that tho shock was terri
ble. It seems there were three distinct
blows, due to the recoils of the cars. Tho
men say they were thrown down threo times
In rapid succession. Tho cntlro passenger
trnln nnd n large part of the freight train
wero demolished with tho two locomotives."
Story of it .Hurt hnr.
tlornard II. Ahrcndt of Chicago, ono of
the survivors of tho wreck who was Injured
and taken to n hospital, staggered Into his
mother's home ntoro nt fica West Ninth
uvenuo tonight and fnlnted on tho threshold
from the fatigue nnd nervous strain he had
been compelled to endure. When ho re
covered Inter ho told tho following story of
tho wreck:
"I was riding In tho ehalrcar when tho
crash came. I was knocked senseless for
a moment nnd the first I knew tho steam
from tho burst pipes was enveloping me.
I broko tho window with my list and
climbed out, cutting nnd bruising myself
badly.
"A follow pnssenger who sat In tho chair
next to mo Jumped outsldo tho window
after mo and fell on his side. Tho wreck
took tiro almost Immcdntely nnd In ten
minutes wns reduced to ashes. Tho oil
from n tank ear and tho high wind that
pruvnllcd helped tho blaze.
"Thero were n great many miraculous es
capes. A young woman with n baby Jumped
out of one of tho enrs und escaped without n
scratch. We were all obliged to stand out
In tho cold two hours waiting for tho relief
train."
Miss Maudo Stuwnrt. fiance of Hnrry 0.
Wellmnn, another Chlcngo passenger who
wns seriously Injured, Is now nt his side
In the Itockford hospital. Slio left tonight
in responso to a telegram from tbo horpltul
authorities requesting her presence. Well
man was seriously Injured, his right arm
being torn off, and It Is thought ho can
not recover.
WRECK ON GREAT NORTHERN
Slireiulluu IIiiIIm o 111111110, but Sclf
SetttiiK HrakoM Keep the
Dentil LIM Dimvii.
HELENA, Mont, Dec. 15. A special to
tho Independent from Knllspell sayu a
wreck occurred on tho Orent Northern rail
way near Essex, In the Rocky mountains,
at 2 o'clock this morning. Tho engine,
mall car and smoker remained on the
track, but all tho others wero derailed.
Home cars were overturned and nil wero
more or less wrecked. Tho accident was
duo to rails spreading.
Among the killed was:
OTTO ERRICKSON, enroute from Sweden
to California.
Several others wero klllod, but their
nameH hove not been learned. Thoy wore
threo old women, a young woman and three
men. Three others, old women, nro hurt
Internally and nro not expected to live.
Severnl others wero more or less seriously
hurt.
Among tho Injured was Advance Agent
Slclo of the Mcl'heo company.
The train wbb going nt a rate of twenty
flvo miles an hour when It broko In two
nnd tho nlr brakes set Immediately, pro
venting n more bctIoub accldont. Most of
tho Injured were In tho day coach. All
were asleep nt tho tlmo of tho accident.
The dny coach caught flro, but tho Humes
wero extinguished by the passengers.
Miii'leni Ucported Injured.
ANACONDA. Mont., Dec. 15. A special
to tho Standnrd from Kallspell says that
Otto ErlcBon wns tho only man killed In
tho Orent Northern wreck near Kssox,
Mont. He was probably smothered to
death.
Among tho Injured aro:
Joseph Klpp, Ulackfoot, Ida., badly
bruised about head and body.
Jack Miller, Dlackfoot, bruised, but not
severely.
Yulo Uleason, San Francisco, traveling
man, bruised, not eerlouH,
Tyclo, Addlstowu, badly cut and
bruised.
Others Injured aro throo old women, ono
girl and threo men, whose names cannot
be learned. Ono woman had her collarbone
broken and was Injured Internally.
Tho other two old women suffered broken
ribs and wero Injured Internally.
The young woman Is said to bo sorlously
hurt. Sho was pinned under tho wreckage
und hud to bo choppod out.
In nil nineteen passengers nro reported
Injured.
The cause of tho wreck Is believed to
havo been tha Bproodlng of tho rails.
The debris caught lire, but tho flames
wero put out by thu uninjured passengers.
Thero Is snld to havo becu much looting
during tho excitement.
limn l'lrciniin Killed,
FREEPORT, III.. Dec. IB. A freight
trnln, a light englno nnd a wrecking train
came Into collision on tho Chicago Croat
Western railroad nt Dolton, Ave miles from
here, today. F. M. Hliey of Dubuque, lire
man of tho wrecking truln, was killed.
Tito Killed on Luke .Shore.
TOLEDO, O., Dec. IB. Charloa A. Wilson
and August Hansen wore killed today In tho
Luko Shore yards nt Air Lino Junction by
bolng run down by n freight car. Thoy wero
part of a gang of men engaged In repairing
a section of track,
Killed I.) Illlnnln Central.
WESSON, Miss.. Dee. 15. W. A. Spence
nnd Miss Jnnte Cannon, whllo out driving,
wore killed hero todny by au llllnola Cen
tral train.
SENATOR SEWELL . RALLIES
l'h nlulniiM ov Deeliirr Him lo lie
In Xo Immediate
DuiiHer.
CAMDEN. N. J.. Dee. 15 Th xnmlltlnn
of Senator Sewell, according to his physi
cians, is oncournging. The senator during
tho day milled from his sinking spell of
last night and Is now sold to bo In no Im
mediate danger.
Kiiiimik City tinnier.
KANSAS CITY. Dee. 15. Tho tempera
ture today ranged from 2 below zero to J2
above, but the nbsetire of wind made tho
day comfortnblc. Clear uud warmer weather
h exrectcd.
FIRE THREATENS MANY LIVES
Ttints f Big Aptrtmtnt lout Drim
film Btdi by Fhmti.
DARIN6 RESCUES IN ARCTIC WEATHER
Lincoln Atcuue Cur llnrna Alo Uc-
t ro eil I'roipn ll ilrnntK Until
liur the Firemen In Their
Work.
CHICAGO, Dec. IB. The four-Btory apart
mcnt building, known as the Oltnger flats,
at the corner of Indiana avenue and Thirty
fifth street, was burned early this morning
The sixty tenants, most of whom were
asleep, were aroused by the dense smoke
mid many narrow escapes from death were
spectacular and exciting.
So far ns reported evcryono left from
tho building- by fire escapes or by ladders
I hoisted to tho upper windows by firemen,
but much suffering was caused by tho nx
; posuro to the Intense cold In scant attire,
When the first detachment of flre-flghters
arrived the majority of tho tennntn wero
panic-stricken nnd rushed wildly through
the halls nnd apartments In their efforts
to leave the building.
The nttrndant cold spell was responsible
for tho tire. Complaints from tho tennntft
that the building wns Instiflli leiitly heated
caused the Janitor, John West, to overheat
tho furnnees In tho basement, whero the
flro started.
A policeman on the beat rushed to tho
upper floors und aided In rousing the oc
cupants of tho sixteen apartments. Soon
all chance of escape by tho main stairway
wob cut off by tho Hnmes, Many persons
wero restrained only by force from leaping
from the upper windows, others wero over
come by tho dense smoke, and a scene of
Indescrlbubla contusion followed.
NlKht Clothe mill Arctic Weather.
Women In their tilght clothes nnd with
bare feet climbed nut to tho flro escapes
and descended to tho street nnd wero given
refugo In neighboring residences nnd stores.
Many daring rescues wero made by the
llrcmcn, especially from tho second floor,
whero the danger from smoke wnB In
creased by tin close proximity of tho
flames.
Mrs. Mowery, wife of Dr. A. E. Mowcry,
wns In her apartments on this floor suf
fering from a severe attack of illness. Her
husband carried her out In his arms
through tho halls and found escape by the
stairs cut off. Ho returned to his rooms,
nnd, throwing open n window, endeavored
to attract attention through tho heavy pall
of smoke, Only a chance breath of wind
cleared the air sufliclently for him to be
seon. It was duo to this fact that tho two
liven wero saved.
Tho loss to tho building, which wns
nwnod by John F. Ollnger, was nbout $15,
OOO; to tho contents $2,000, covered by In
surance. Lincoln Avenue ("nr Ilnrn Hum.
Tho total destruction of Lincoln avenue
car barns of tbo Chicago Traction company,
with moro thnn lfiO Htrcct cari, resulted
from a flro that was discovered at on early
hour this morning, llesldea the building
nearly all thd grip cars and trailers used
on Lincoln avenue wero destroyed. The in
tense cold of the last two days contributed
much to the spread of the flames, as the
Are hydrants In tho vicinity wero found
to bo frozen. When a supply of water had
been obtained by thawing out the hydrants,
after u delay of twenty minutes, tho build
ing was doomed.
Soon after tho first Btream was directed
upon tho Humes tho entlro secoud Btory of
tho building was ablaze and fell with about
100 open summer enrs that wero stored
there. Tho Intense cold of tho early morn
ing added to the dllflcultlcH presented by
the Aro und made It necessury to work tho
men In shifts, exhausted workers being re
lieved by comrudCB, who had short rests In
neighboring stores, which woro thrown open
to tho flro fighters.
I.okm of f lHU.OOO.
President John M. Roach of tho Traction
company placed tbo loss at about $130,000,
partly covered by Insurance, but the exact
amount ho was unablo to state. It is sup
posed tho Are originated from an over
heated stove in one of tho cars that wero In
the barn. It Is reported that a watchman
was In the barn when tho Aro was discov
ered and ho has not been seen aftor It was
under control, but thero Is so for no
posltlvo evidence that ho wns burned.
The heavy east wall of tho building fell
across Sheffield avenuo nnd Hying bricks
demolished tho front of a saloon opposite
The flames alao communicated to u frame
dwelling next tho saloon, but this blaze
was quickly subdued with small loss. The
snloon wns damaged to tho extent of (2,000.
A serious danger to tho firemen was from
the broken trolley wires, which wero
charged with electricity. These wero burled
In the dcbrles or collected aloug tho htreet
and offered great danger to tho firemen un
til the current was turned off. Tho tem
perature of IB degrees below zero covered
the hoso with thick coatings of lco which
required tho utmost enro In handling it. No
case of serious injury from llvo wires or,
cold was reported.
TWO MEN BURNED TO DEATH
Gimollue KiiKlne I2xilnilfn mill Crc
iniitcN Iniiirlxoiieil
Operull vex,
HAROIIAVE. Manitoba, Dec. 15. Flro
caused by tho explosion of a gasollno englno
totally destroyed tho engine house of the
olovutor owned by E. A. Holmes. Flvo men
who were In tho englneroom when tho ex
plosion occurred wore unablo to set out
through tho door.
E. A. Knight burst open a window and
threo of tho men encaped. Two others
wero burned to death. Tho victims were
Stewart Wright of Kola district and It. D.
Slkes, a former living near here. The
three who escaped were badly burned, tho
most seriously Injured being the proprietor
of tho elevator, E. A. Holmes,
MICHIGAN WOMAN IS CREMATED
31 m. Sonthvortli, Seventy-KI vo Veiir.i
Old, Victim of Kitchen
Fire,
OVID, Mich., Dec. 15. Tho houso of
Thomas B. Southworth was destroyed by
fire early today und Mrs. Southworth was
burned to death. She had risen to build
the kitchen fire and, bolng 75 years old and
nearly blind, It Is supposed she set her
clothing ablaze.
Inn ii Ueiiirtiiic nt Store llewtroyeil,
OltANOE CITY. Ia Dee. 15. (Special
Telegram.) Fire hero at on enrly hour this
morning destroyed the department store of
John Van DeSteego & Co, The loss Is es
timated at $25,000. Tho bluze started lu tho
basement.
CAPTURE COLOMBIAN SEAPORT
IhrrtiK
Aided lij- Vrneruelnnii
port Another 'Jxotnlile
Vlclorjl
lie.
WILLEMSTAND. Island of Curacao, Dec.
15. Tho Venezuelan (leucral Vlnccnto San
chez, who Is now hero on his way from
Maracatbo to Caracas, reports that a thou
sand Colombian liberals distantly supported
by 4,000 Venezuelan troops, captured the
Colombian seaport town of Itlo Hacha, on
tho northenst coast of tho Ouajlva nenln
sula, December 10, after Generals dodo-
mlro Castillo and Cirlo Pupo, both Venc
zuclans, had defeated 2,000 Colombian con
sorvatlvo troops neiir Trclnta, Trelnta Is
thirty miles southwest of the lllo Hacha, lu
Colombian territory.
Chilli Mlttiiitlnn Improve.
IIUF.NOS AYItES, Dec. 15. (Via Halves
ton.) -Although the situation between Ar-
gentlno and Chill has Improved It has not
yet bem clearly defined. Tho council of
Argcntlno ministers has upent much tlmo
In studying the two paragraphs of tho
Chilian note, which form the basis of that
country's proposition, ntf agreement on
which would menu tho solution of tho pend
ing diflicultlcfl.
Tho council has decided to accept tho
first paragraph concerning tho construction
of roads. This paragraph Is satisfactory to
the Argcntlno Republic. Tho compilation
of thn st-cond paragraph relating to the pre
tended occupation by Argcntlno of Chilian
territory at Ultra Espana Is not acceptable
to the minister.
The assurance Is given that the Argcntlno
government replying to this paragraph will
nuswer that It Is Impossible for It to recog-
nlzo nn act which, nftcr Investigation, has
been disproved. Tho hope prevails hero
that everything will be arranged on a
friendly basis within n few days,
It a bolloved that Chill will Insist upon
presenting nn Insignificant claim for tho In
vasion of Chilian territory by threo Argen
tine policemen. Argcntlno still continued
taking military measures. Men of wealth
aro offering tho government money with
which to buy horseo nnd othorwlso equip n
regiment of cavalry should occasion do
tnand. Public opinion throughout the entlro
country Ib expressing Its patriotic approval
of tho government's conduct. Tho people
remain quiet. The government has decided
to divide the government Into six military
zones, with 20,000 men In each. The urmi
and equipment for these men are already
In hand In tho respective zones.
Over nnd above the resorves called out
last week 15,000 volunteers liave presented
thomf clves for service. In case of neces
sity tho government has resources which
would enable It to mobilize au army of -00,-000
men. ',,
11UENOS AYRES, Dec. 15.-r(VIa Gotvcs-
ton.) LATER Tho situation'1 hero Is un
changed. Everything Is qulol Tbo Argen
tine government will tomorrow forward Its
reply to the Chilian note.
United Stnten VlKtlttiicc.
PARIS, Dec. 15. Tho Temps, reviewing
the dlsputo bctweou tho Argiyttlno Ropub
lie and Chill, says that" wl r.t compllcatea
the nuestlon is tho vlgllanc not to say
Jealousy, with which tho UnUpd States re
mains faithful to thn tf;cd Monroe
doctrine, which exclude? all other Inter
vention, while Justifying their own, and
watchoa for the, interference of (,reat
Drltaln or other powers In tho affairs of
South America.
La Llbcrto declares that an Argentine -
Chlllau war would Just suit tho American
Imperialism and It would entirely milt tho
designs of thoso working perseverlngly lo
pervert the Monroe doctrine
CONFIRMS REPORT OF SIGNALS
London .Mnnnger of .Mnreoul An-
iioiiiiccn Siiccchm of T rn ll nit tilt ll It:
AVlreleH Tele Krnpliy.
LONDON, Dec. 15. Major Flood-Pago of
tho Marconi Telegraph company, In an In
terview with a representative of tho As
sociated Proes confirms tho report that Mr.
Marconi, nt St. Johns, N. F., had received
signals from tho experimental station at
I'oldhu, Penzance. Mnjor Flood-Pago said
that tho Bovero weather mado continuous
tests very dlfilcult, but thero was no doubt
that the wireless signals had been success-
fully transmitted across tho Atlantic.
ST. JOHNS, N. F., Dec. 15. Congrotu-
lotions from Newfoundnlnd and abroad are
today pouring In on Mr. Marconi.
Local telegraphers, whllo admitting the
theoretical valuo of tho proposition, think
a number of years must elapse before It can
bo put Into practical use.
IOWA'S COLD WAVE BROKEN
Much Vnrmer lu Den .VIoIih-d nnd
Lluht Snow In Driven hy
SoiitliMfxt Wind,
DES MOINES, Dec. IB. (Special Tele-
gram.) Tho backbono of tho cold snap
gavo nway this afternoon, when tho wind
veered around to the southwest, und tho
tcmpcraturo began to riee rapidly. The
minimum early this morning was IS below
zero, the lowest for December since 1880,
nnd 1 degree below tho Saturday mark. At
7 o'clock this evening It was C above and
rising, nnd n light snow began to fall.
HURLINGTON, la., Dec. IB. Tho thor-
momoter hero marked 13 below zero nt t
a. ni. Tho tempernturo moderated during
tho day, being 2 rtbovo at 4 p. m.
COOPERAGE FACTORY BURNS
I'liint Hint FiirnlNhril All SiiKitr
TriiNt'M Iliirrels In lie
Htrn ed.
NEW YORK, Dec. 15.-Flro tonight de
stroyed tho largo factory of tho Brooklyn
Cooperngo company In Wlllnmsburg. Sev
enteen firemen were burned, some of them
seriously. Tho plum Is the most extensive
of Its kind In the country nnd furnlsheR
the American Sugar Refining company
with Its barrels. Tho loss Is estimated from
$150,000 to $250,000. One of the Injured lire
men may lose tho sight of both eyes.
FIFTY-SIX BUILDINGS BURN
I'lre DrxtmyN IIiihIiich I'nrt of
Salem lit n Lour of Tuo Hun
dred Thniiftiiuil,
PARKERSnt'RO, W. Va., Dec. 15, The
fire which started lost night at Salem, sov
enty mllca east of here on the Baltimore
& Ohio railroad, destroyed practically the
business part of that city. Fifty. six houses
and stores wero destroyed. Tho loss Is
estimated nt over $200,000, with llttlo In
surance. The flro originated In a news
paper otfico, but tho cause. Is unknown.
Drotvnit I ndcr lee,
PADUCAH. Ky.. Dec. 15. Third Clerk
Mark Amerberg of the stenmor Spread
Eagle, one of the Leyhe fleet of St. Louis, In
winter quarters hero, was drowned today
by breaking through the Ice, The body was
shipped to bU homo at Grafton, 111,
THERMOMETERS LOOKING CP
Bis f TwMtj-TwoDgrM Reotrdtd Since
Early liadij Ja"rnit?t.
CONDITION GENERAL THROUGHOUT WEST
Oninhn tleU About nn .Much Siiimv hi
Any Other Point, nnd thnt lliirdly
HiioiikIi to Menatirc on
the tintiKC.
'oreenut for XehrniUn I'nlr nnd
Wnrnier .Mnmliiyl Tuemtny Fnlr,
Toliter lu Northern nnd Weitern
Portion) Vnrliihle Wliiilx.
Temiif mtiire nt Oninhn Veteriliyt
Hour. lieu, Hour, llt'H.
r, u, ni to i p. in ii
tl II. Ill S Hi K
7 n, in. 7 !t i. ill 10
N n. ill N I p. m ...... 1 1
II n. ill (1 ft l. ill IV!
10 n. Ill 1 tl p I lit
I I n. Ml '2 7 i. Ill ...... I I
11! Ill ft S i, III lit
II , III 1-
InillenteH llelmv 7.ero,
Nobrnskans may turn down their coat col
lars and tako off their ear tabs! today. Tho
cold wave Is flapping Itself out of the state
and when tho winds thus created aro quieted
the wnvo Itself will be found to be n thing
of the past.
At least that Is tho prospect as based
on the decided fall In temperature that
began Sunday with tho first rrudlng nt H
a. m., when tho mercury stood nt ten below,
nnd continued until T p. m., when It readied
Its day's maximum of II degrees above.
Omaha's slight snow Hurries wero us
heavy as any town experienced, for thero
was not a real snowfall nnywhero In tho
territory from which tho local ofllco re
ceived reports, the heaviest being .2 of nn
Inch nt Havre, Mont.
Omaha's experience of tho last few days
may have some precedents, but not many.
Tho deluge of frigidity was heralded from
tho local bureau at 2 o'clock Thursday aft
ernoon nnd became apparent at .1 o'clock
the following morning, At thnt tlmo the
mercury stood at 20 degrees above. Ily 7
o'clock Saturday morning It reached IS bo-
low, which lacked but ono degreo of equal
ling the December record hero, so far ob
tho local bureau can testify.
Colder IMneuhere lu .VehriiNkn.
Yet It wns not the extreme of tho stuto,
for at Valentino nt 8 o'clock of tho same
morning (Saturday) the government's ob
server found 31 degrees below. This was
tho lowest tempernturo of which tho bureau
received nny Information during the pres
ent stago and will probably stand ns the
record for tho wave of December, 1901.
North Platto wnB but 4 degrees warmer.
rreelpltatc and extreme ns wero the
changes In Nebraska temperatures, there
wero even grenter ones elsewhere. At St.
.ouls tho cxtremo drop In tho course of tho
wnve was from B4 degrees abovo to zero.
At Chicago It was from 18 abovo to 6 below.
Tho most ncuto suffering Incident to tho
change has probably been In the south, but
men of tho westoni ranges feel thai they.
too, havo fared rather severely nt tho bands
of tho weather dispenser.
After the 7 o'clock readings last night
Valentino reported 12 abovo nnd North
Platto 1C abovo. From nil over the north
and west came reports of n similar nature,
Indicating that the cold wave Is practically
a thing of tho past, except possibly In tho
east, and thero It Is rephrtcd to bo dwind
ling rapidly.
Local conditions were such last night
that people will find It hard to believe that
tho lato afternoon hours wero really n
period of moderation. Tho wlild blew with
almost blizzard fury and ears grow whito
whenever long neglected. Fow pcoplo ven
tured out and the city had a sepulchral
nppeoronco that will make most welcome
tho bustlo of business when It Ib resumed
today under conditions espected to become
less rigorous from this time on.
STOCKMAN FROZEN TO DEATH
T. T. Hnrnett of Trumbull, Cloy
County, 1'rrlnlieit l.nnUlnff
After IIIh Cnttle.
HARVARD, Neb.. Dec. IB. (Special.)
Word comes from Trumbull, In tho north
west corner of this county, that as T. T.
Oarnett, about CO years of ago, living soma
threo miles northwest of Trumbull, was
returning from a sale held by his son a
short distance from hlx home, ho left tho
team nnd party with whom ho was riding,
saying ho would go nnd look after his cat
tle and get them homo. This wns tho last
fccen of him until yesterday, when he was
found frozen t,o death.
BISHOP OF CHEYENNE DEAD
lltKht Ilev, 'I'll o in ii .MnthlfiN Lcnlhcn,
II. I)., Mctllll or IIIk"
Altitude.
MARSHALLTOWN, In., Dec. 15. Right
Rev. Thomas Mnthlas Lenlhen, D. D., bishop
of Cheyenne, Wyo., nnd one of tho best
known men In tho Catholic church of tho
west, died tonight at tho homo of his
brother, Father Lenlhen, M. C, whero ho
had been for tho last six weeks. Ho hud
been HI for a year nnd a half with heart
disease, which hud been greatly aggra
vated by tho high altitude of thn west. Ho
was 67 ycara of age. Ills remains will be
taken to Dubuque Tuesday.
JOHN SWINTON'S PEN AT REST
Veternn Writer on Lnlior Tuple
I'liNfcCM Attn)' lit Ane of
e enty.
NEW YORK, Dec. 15. John Swlnton, for
years a leader with labor organizations and
a writer on such topics, died todny In
Drooklyn, aged 70. Mr. Swlnton wan n na
tive of Warsaw, 111., and for n long tlmo
was u printer. For moro thun thirty years
ho was connected with Now York papers
aud ct one time had a paper of his own.
Ills wlfo survives Mm.
LIVES MORE THAN A CENTURY
Mm. .lull II Lei; Succumb After One
Hundred nnd I'lif
Venrn.
CARPENTER. Ia., Dec. 15 (Special Tele-
gram.) Mrs. Julia Lee. widow of Knud
Lee, died yestorduy, aged 105. Sho was
born In Norway.
.Ylo eiiient of Oeeim Vi-hncIr Dee. IT,,
At Southampton Arrived Hrcmen. from
New York, for Hremen.
At Havre Arrived La OaHcozr.c. from
New York.
At Mnvlllo Hailed I' urnesslu. from (.las-
gow, for New York.
At uueenatown Hal ed tc It e. for Now
York; Campania, from Liverpool, for New
York.
At rew i ork Arrived I.trurla. from
Liverpool. Lu Hretamie. from llavroi Co..
nadian, from Liverpool,
WYOMING SNOW STILL DR.FTS
Cold Wenther Continue, hut Hie
Lonvc to Mock I'nne Jot to
He llxtettnlve.
CHEYENNE, Wyo., Dec. 15. Special
Telegram.) The severe snow nnd wind
storm which set In Inst Tuesdny night, and
which has been accompanied by Iho coldest
weather seen In this stnte In many years,
Is still raglug in somo sections. Llttlo snow
is falling, but what has fallen Is being
drifted badly by a high wind, which, un
less It subsides during the night, may :'o
up railroad traillc completely. The snow
Is line nnd light and packs In railroad
cuts nnd other depressions solidly.
While tho high wind and drifting snow
will cause the railroads untold trouble nnd
expense, the conditions aro becoming more
favorable for tho stock Interests of tho
stnto, for cnttlo and sheep will now bo nble
to secure feed almost anywhere on the
ranges, where Iho snow has been blown off.
It Is only when snow covers tho ground
lo considerable depth and lies for n week
or longer thnt thero nro Iomoh among
stock. The present storm has not been of
this character, nlthnugh tho suddenness of
Its coming and Its severity for a period of
soveral days havo undoubtedly cnused losses
In some sections, but there nro no ofllclnl
reports of nny losses except whero bands
of sheep sought shelter In railroad cuts and
woro slaughtered by trains.
From tho best Information nt hand It Is
Bnfo to say thnt tho losses to
date, except tho railroad nccldents, will
probobly not exceed n few hundred sheep.
There has been no loss among cnttle. Tho
loss of life In Wyoming duo to the blizzard
Is probably little In excess of ten persons.
Flvo persons nro known to have lost tholr
lives, flvo others ore reported dead and
ono other has been Inst for two days nn
tho prairies nnd It Is believed ho has
perished.
Of tho known dead one died nt Chcycnno,
ono nt Hanna, ono nt Rawlins nnd two
between Rock Springs nnd Green Rlvor.
Three perished In tho storm on tho plains,
ono froze to death In tho railroad yards
and ono was run down by a train during tho
blinding storm a few miles went of Raw
llns. Three of tho dead wero herders, ono
a railroad man and the other n woman.
Flvo herders wero reported lost near
Point of Rocks and ns their dogs enmo In
town tho men undoubtedly perished.
A civil engineer named Hemingway who
left Casper Hoveral duys ago to visit a
ranch got lost anil searching parties aro
scouring the prolrles for him. As he wbb
a tenderfoot his friends believe he Is dend.
RAWLINS, Wyo.. Dee. 15. (Special Tele
gram.) Tho weather cleared up In this
vicinity todny and It Is clnlmed that the
loss has been only normal. Somo bands of
sheep wero bailly scottcred by tho wtorni
and herders aro busy trying to get them
back to their ranges.
Sheepmen who havo Just como In from
thn Red desert sny they know nothing
nbout tho reported loss of life among the
herders nnd ahlde from tho sheep killed on
tho railroad, the loss has been light.
MINNESOTA SUBZERO RECORD
Lnivriil Notch Is llciiched nt Lnnt nnd
.Mercury .Mnrtn tin
AkiIii.
ST. PAUL. Minn., Dec. 15. Tho official
report of tho weather bureau tonight con
talnn tho ucwh that the backbone of tho
present rold wave haa been broken. From
all of the stations lu tho far northwes'
reports are to tho effect that thero has
been a decided rlso In the tempernturo,
most places giving rcndlngs of but slightly
below tho freezing point.
Sub-zero weather continues to be re
ported, however, but not of such Intensity
uh shown by tho map of tho previous
twenty-four hours. In St. Paul tho maxi
mum today wob 2 below uud nt S o'clock the
Ihonnomotcr showed 1 above. The rapid
rise In tho northwest has Induced snow
storms nnd cloudy weather, but tho snow
fall has not so far been heavy enough to
cause matorlal delay to traffic.
CHICAGO'S COLDEST DECEMBER
Keenest Hny or the Month Since lire
oriN Were lie gun Thirty
Yeurn Ako,
CHICAGO, Dec. IB. This was tho coldest
day Chicago has experienced in tho month
of December since the weather bureau was
established hero thirty years ngo. For
threo hours this morning tho morcury stood
nt 21 degrees below zero. Later, however,
the skies cleared and the wind which hud
been blowing from tho northwest, died
down, causing n gradual rlso of tempera
ture, und tonight tho thermometer at tho
local weather bureau regletercd but 3 de
grees below zero. Tho predictions for to
morrow are moderate weather and a rising
temperature.
While thero wns considerable suffering
among tho poor, many of whom worn un
prepared for tho sudden change, no deaths
wero reported today that could bo at
tributed to tbo cold.
MONTANA'S TREMENDOUS SNOW
One of the llcnvlrxt I'iiMk Kver
Known From Two lo Sl,
Feet on Level,
HILLINGS, Mont., Dec. 15. Eastern Mon
tana has been enveloped In ono of tho
heaviest snowfalls over known. Tho snow
nverageB from two to hIx feet on tho level
nnd rutlrnnd travel will bo Interrupted for
tho next fow days.
Tho thermometer Is 20 degrees below
zero hero tonight, with n strong north wind
blowing, which will drlvo It from 10 to
20 dcgro?a lower by morning. All stock
on tho open pralrlo is suffering frightfully
and unless weather changes como within
tho next twenty-four hours losses will bo
groat. J. H. Phillips, n woll known Bhcep
man. loft for Flat Mills, accompanied by
two herders, and a report reaches horo to
day that tho whole party wero frozen.
DISTRESS ON TEXAS RANGES
llllteiiy Cold Wenther ThrrnteiiN
1 1 1-11 ' Logics In Lite
Slock.
AUSTIN, Tex.. Dec. 15. Thn cold wavo
which uppoarcd yesterday nas grown In In
tensity during tho day and tonight tho
weather Is bitterly cold. Reports from the
stock ranges are to the effect that tho
tattle aro not In good condition for such
weather, owing to tho drouth of tho Inst
four months and tholr unprotected condi
tion on the big ranges.
It Is feared that much less will result by
tho death of calves especially. In thli
section numbers of horses are reported as
dying during tho last twenty-four hours,
mostly tho property of poor people, who,
having been unablo to feed them properly,
owluc to thu high prlco of tcod.
HAVOC M FLOODS
Dtlup f Raln ,nti Entari BWtn on
Kistou Citratr.
HEAVY L0ISES THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA
Rtilrotdi Art Wathed Off tht Mp and
Wirei Qt Down.
WIND RIPS ROOFS OFF MANY HOUSES
Iiduitriei Art farkljzed bj tht Inrtidt
tf 8trtami.
BRIDGES GO DOWN, ONE WITH TRAIN
DcNlmi'llnti nnd Denlh Are Wlde
Hlirend iin Hcnlt of the lllrineiit'
Mnd Wnr Auiilunt the
Ituninn Itnee.
PITTSIU'RG, Pa., Dee. 15. Stago of tha
river nt midnight:
Herr tslnud dam, 25.7 feet nnd rlflng six
Inches nn hour; Lock No. 1. Mnnongahcla
rlvor, 2ti.7 feet, rising six Inches nu hour,
Davis Island dam, Ohio river, 21A feci
rising six Inches an hour.
"Ono of the greatest floods In tho his
tory of Pittsburg was averted by tho sud
den drop In tho temperature. Tho rlso nt
the headquarters of tho Allegheny and
Monongahela rivers wns about stopped nt
midnight aud tho rivers will likely slowly
recede."
The abovo statement was mndo tonight by
Weather Forecaster Frank Rldgewuy. At
10 p. m. the government thermometer reg
istered 7 above, nnd Mr. Rldgewuy says It
will drop to zero by 8 o'clock lu tho
morning,
Tho remnrknblo weather conditions thnt
prevailed In Pittsburg nnd western Pennsyl
vnnln during tho past week culmlnnted
todny In a decided drop of tho temperature,
accompanied by a flood Btogo of water In
tho three rivers, which cuuscd somo Buf
fering and many thousand dollars worth
of damage. Part of Alleghany uud PlttHburg
wero submerged, household goods nnd
stores that wero placed In cellars und base
ments were damaged, and coal Mats on the
rivers were twisted from their moorings
and fent crashing down tho Ohio, threaten
ing destruction to whatever cumo lu their
coum-.
WiirnliiK Niivck Much Property,
Tho low-lying land nlong tho Allegheny
side of tho river wero tho first to bo sub
merged ny tha rising water. Late tonight
tho river began also to'encronch upon tho
low parts of Duqueano on tho Pittsburg
side. Foreenster Rldgcwny's warning sent
out last night resulted In tho saving at
much vnluable property. Thu baso ball
grounds at Exposition park nro under wator
tonight, and tho trucks of tho Pittsburg &
Wcstoru railroad and tho Duffalo, Roches
ter A Pittsburg aro submerged nlso. Col
lars on Kilbuck, Robinson, Sandusky nnd
Andorsoii streets havo ono and one-hnlt foet
of wutcr In them and much terror was ex
pressed nmong tho pcoplo who were directly
affected.
Assurances from tho weather bureau sot
tholr minds somewhat at rest, as tho con
stant dropping of tho thermometer Indicates
tonight that tho rlso will bo over by morn
ing. Swirling, crashing and cnnylng destruc
tion to everything lu their way, 175 empty
coal barges and llfty loaded boats wore
lorn from their moorings today and wont
down tho Ohio river nt a terrific rate.
PiinNCiiKcr Hunt llnrely IIncnpcB.
The packet Hen Hur wns on Its way to
thn Pittsburg wharf and, with u good pas
senger list aboard, barely escaped a calam
ity that might havo resulted ill great loss
of llfo Tho craft wero tho property of
tho Monougnhola River Cousollduted Coat
and Coke company, constituting tho upper
and lower fleets, nnd wero tied up nt
Ilrown'H Landing between tho Point nnd
Davis island dam. Tho great timount of
water that poured out of tho Monongnhel.a
and Allegheny rivers during tho day caused
n strong, swirling current and tho strain
upon the moorings at Ilrown'B Landing be
camo Intense. Tho barges tugged at tho
ropes, thero -wob n sudden snap and llko
a vast floating pier tho 175 barges uwung
Into tho mlddlo of tho Ohio river. No
person was on tho barges at tho tlmo.
As noon as they broke away tho great
clangor to any cruft thnt wns below be
came Imminent. It was Impossible to Btop
tho fleet, as the momentum of the bnrge.i
grew stronger ond stronger. Warnings nud
messengers wero quickly dispatched ajong
the lower parts of the rlvor nnd tho pcoplo
In shanty boats und persons who hud valu
ablo Interests were told of what had hap
pened. furry Atvuy llcncon Ll(;lit.
When tho runaways reached DovIh Island
dnm they had become separated and woro
going at a high rato of speed. Ill going
over tho dam thoy carried with them thn
Hlgnal lights and a portion of tho ma
chinery. What other damage they may In
flict cannot bo predicted nt this tlmo.
At Duqucsno u licet of twenty-nvo
bnrgen, moored at tho dock of tho Carneglo
steel works, broko away and went plunging
down tho Monongahela rlvor. Nlnotccu of
tho barges woro heavily laden with coal
nnd when they Btruck the pier of tho Penn
sylvania railroad bridge Just below Port
Perry all but threo or four wero smashed
nnd sunk, completely blocking tha channel
nt that point. At Hrnddock tho wutcr Is
two and a half feet deep lu the pita of tho
American Steel and WIro company und hus
reached the floor of Iho plant. At Rankin
the Mononguheln Water and Power com
pany haa an inch of wutcr In Its plant nnd
will havo to shut down In the morning
until tho water recedes.
LOSS ALMOSfUNPRECEDENTED
For .Severity nnd llentriietl ciicm thn
Flood In I'lieiiunleil lu 'III nil)
Five Yenm,
PHILADELPHIA Dec. 15. A storm
which for soverlty and destructlveness Im
not been equalled In this section In twenty
llvo years, visited eastern und central
Pennsylvania last night, enuslng almost
unprecedented damage and lenultlng In tho
Ioh of at least four human lives. Tho
havoc In the coal regions Is onoimoiis and
tho loss to railroad and mining companion
will amount to millions of dollars. Tho
Schuylkill, Lt-hlgh, Susquehanna and Juni
ata rlvdrs havo rlben as high uh Hfteen
font ubovn their levels ond all of their
tributaries huvo overflowed, Inundating tho
surrounding country In more than u doen.
countldi.
Innumerable washouts navo occulted on
tho Pcnnsylvuula, tbo Philadelphia & ail-