Disaster Following Disaster
By Editor
WE have made mention of the tornado that visited Nome, Alaska, on October 6, destroying more than 500 buildings, and completely destroying the little town of Solomon. Friday, October 10, occurred the burning of the Volturno, and something like 136 lives were lost. A violent wind-storm, in the form of a small tornado, visited the southern part of Wisconsin on October 11. There was heavy property damage, and a number of deaths. The town of Tomah was practically wiped out. On October 14 came the great explosion in a mine at Cardiff, Wales. Shortly after the explosion, the mine took fire. Heroic efforts were put forth to extinguish the flames, and at latest reports 49 bodies had been recovered, and 368 miners were still entombed. On October 17 a tornado was seen at sea something like 300 miles east of Sandy Hook. No damage has yet been reported from this storm. On October 17 the German military department were making some important experiments with the largest and newest of the Zeppelin air-ships. The huge structure was some 700 feet long, and it carried 28 men, practically all of whom were important personages in connection with the army, or in the operation of the dirigible air-ships. When about 900 feet high, the great gas-bag exploded, and every individual was killed. On October 19 there was a wreck of a train loaded with soldiers, on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, in Mississippi, in which 90 soldiers were injured, 17 of whom have died. On October 22 there was an explosion in the Stag Canyon mine, near Dawson, New Mexico. The government rescue experts say that the explosion, in point of violence, was the greatest in the history of the country, and it ranks third in its appalling loss of life. 140 bodies have been recovered of the 263 that were entombed by the catastrophe. On October 25 there was a wreck on the New Haven Railroad near Westerly, Rhode Island, in which 25 persons were injured. October 27 a storm swept southern Wales. Two are reported to have been killed, and “hundreds injured.” Churches were razed and many houses demolished. In several villages, whole streets were practically destroyed, houses were unroofed, and the walls carried away. In this list, we are only mentioning some of the greatest disasters that occurred within three weeks. What do they signify? Can they all be attributed to mere accident?