The Great Cyclone: A City's Response

Days of Funerals

For days after the tornado swept through, undertakers, priests, and preachers could barely keep up with the demand for their services. Undertakers from Indianapolis had to be called in to help, and two electric cars were commandeered to help carry bodies when horse-drawn hearses proved to be in short supply.

A nearly constant stream of funeral processions filled the city's streets and cemeteries. One report claimed at one point five hearses stood in line outside the Cathedral waiting for their turn for services. Funeral processions had to hurry to the cemetery at a trot and return for the next load as fast as possible.

The shortage of funeral space and officiants was made even worse by the destruction of many churches on the night of the tornado, including Sacred Heart and St. John's.

The Aftermath in Print

For weeks afterward, the newspapers were full of notices for relief efforts and aid for those left homeless or grieving after the storm. The cyclone became national and international news. Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper and Harper Illustrated sent artists to Louisville to make sketches for their papers.

Many local businesses ran ads in the papers to confirm they were still in operation, while others found ways to capitalize on the tragedy. The German Insurance Company published a pamphlet, “That Awful Cyclone,” that used images of the storm to promote their insurance. Lumber suppliers held sales on building materials, advertising them as "tornado prices." One restaurant ran the following ad: “Accidents will happen and sorrows lay their burden at every door, but no matter what occurs, people must satisfy their appetite to sustain life. Our model restaurant was fortunate enough to escape the cyclone’s wrath. Please come in today.”