1913 Omaha Nebraska Tornado

     The work of relief, begun when 200 soldiers, a hundred policemen, 150 firemen, three score physicians, and hundreds of citizen volunteers rushed to the storm-swept wreckage on Easter Sunday night, at the end of the first week had assumed immense proportions, and was being dispatched with the business-like system of a big corporation.

     A meeting in the city hall on Monday resulted in the choosing of a citizen's committee of fifty to take charge of relief. This was concentrated into an executive committee of seven, and the work of gathering statistics, so that relief work might be, intelligent and systematic, was begun.

     Monday was spent in gathering this information, and Tuesday in tabulating it. Twenty-six captains, with four men under each, went over the storm-swept area, collecting names of persons whose property had been damaged, names of those left destitute, and addresses so far as possible.

     While the 125 men were busy gathering information first aid to the injured and food for the hungry was being furnished in dozens of places. On Tuesday six relief stations were opened, and an appeal issued for contributions of money, clothing and food.

     The Auditorium was thrown open as a central relief station, and has since been made a supply depot, to which all contributions of clothing, groceries, and other necessities, are taken, and from which supplies are distributed to the outlying relief stations.

     In the Auditorium also was established a free lunch counter, and free dormitory for the homeless.

    The Auditorium supply depot was made exclusively a wholesale station, where donations were received, and supplies of groceries, clothing, and furniture held in reserve. This work was under the direction of Captain F. G. Stritzinger. Automobiles carried the supplies to the nine relief stations, from which they were sent out to the storm victims.

     Before noon of the day following the tornado President Woodrow Wilson wired Mayor Dahlman:

      "I am deeply distressed at news received from Nebraska. Can we help in any way?"

      Mayor Dahlman replied: HON. WOODROW WILSON,

     We all deeply appreciate your offer of aid, but I believe we can handle the situation. Our people are responding nobly. Major Hartmann of Fort Omaha and his men came to our aid promptly and are doing a great work. The people of Omaha are deeply grateful for your kind message of sympathy.

JAMES C. DAHLMAN, Mayor

On the day following, when several wires were repaired so that messages might be sent and received, offers of financial assistance poured into the office of Mayor Dahlman. After a conference with members of the Commercial club the mayor decided to refuse outside aid. When the full extent of the catastrophe dawned upon the city the mayor and Commercial club were severely criticized for their action in turning away funds that were proffered for the relief of storm sufferers. When public opinion became overwhelmingly opposed to such a policy the mayor wired acceptances of several offers, and the Commercial club passed resolutions rescinding its action in advising against acceptances of proffered aid.

      The leased telegraph wire which runs into the office of The Omaha Daily News was the only telegraph wire--or telephone wire--on which any communication could be had with the outside world for 24 hours after the tornado struck.

     This United Press wire connection with Omaha was completed at 7:45 o'clock Monday morning, and this wire carried the first authentic news of the Omaha cyclone to the world.

     This wire is leased by The Omaha Daily News from the United Press association, which serves The Omaha Daily News with its telegraph service.

     Over this wire came official messages from the United States government to be delivered by The Omaha Daily News office.

One was a message to Mayor Dahlman from President Wilson, in which the latter asked if the United States government could be of assistance. Offers of assistance from the Red Cross society also came over this wire.

     The Omaha Daily News also received, at 11 o'clock, this message:

     "The state department asks you to please ascertain if Bryan is safe. Was in Omaha last night. Send the information as message to Acting Secretary of State Adee."

     Mr. Bryan left Omaha for Lincoln Sunday morning.

     All other wires out of Omaha were down, and no message could be sent out. Both the Western Union and Postal notified sender's of messages that they were unable to send them out.

     The companies had scores of linemen making desperate efforts to restore communication, but even at noon this had not been accomplished.

     At 11 o'clock H. S. Brooks, general commercial superintendent of the American Telephone and Telegraph company, gave out the following statement:

     "Though our company has suffered heavily as a result of the storm, we have had one wire working into Omaha since 8:45 a. m., New York time. Up to this hour, this seems to be the only wire working into the stricken city.

     "We have been besieged with requests for even a few minutes use of this wire, but have turned it over to the United Press exclusively, with the theory that through their channels the news will reach every section of the country, the government officials and executives of adjoining states, who can take proper action."

     Hal O'Flaherty, United Press representative on the Omaha Daily News staff, waited all night in the News office for the opening of the wire on which he was to send the story of the tornado to the world. He had an 18,000-word story of the storm ready when the telegraph company turned the wire over to him, and all day held the wire for the United Press, thus giving through this medium the only story of the storm which went out of Omaha. Other press service, guessed at the loss, guessed at the details, and wrote the story from imagination, but all papers all over the country which have United Press service had an authentic account of the storm in their Monday afternoon editions.

     Two days afterward Mr. O'Flaherty was given a promotion from the Chicago office.