Regina Tornado/Cyclone

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  A Window into the Regina Tornado of 1912
  On June 30 1912, Regina was the victim of the most destructive tornado in Canadian history, leaving 28 people dead and 2,500 homeless. The aftermath, which shaped the city's physical environment and burdened the community financially and psychologically, forever changed the city. The tornado's legacy is still being felt today, but when the Regina Plains Museum began planning a new exhibition on the subject, it faced a dilemma: what could a new retrospective offer on a story that had been told so many times? A search through the museum's collection provided the inspiration and the answer in the form of a large stained glass window dating from 1912 salvaged from the Knox Presbyterian Church. The window, which escaped extensive damage from the tornado, provides a glimpse into the cascade of events and their repercussions that began on that terrible day. This exhibition, which offers a look through a window into the Regina tornado of 1912, explores how the forces of nature shaped the spirit of a city.
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  Effects of the Disaster on Modes of Communication
  A disaster hits. Flood, earthquake, blizzard, tornado... any kind of disaster. What would you do? Grab your cell phone to call your loved ones? Turn on the news to find out what is going on? In today's world of instantaneous global communication, it is hard to imagine a time when information wasn't so readily at hand.On June 30th, 1912, the only hint that anything was wrong in Regina was a desperate telegraph, sent to Winnipeg that read "Cyclone struck Regina, 16.50k. City in ruins." You can imagine the panic and confusion that short message must have caused. Yet, this was the most efficient and one of the fastest forms of communication available in 1912. Telegraph messages were expensive to send, and were usually reserved for businesses, government and newspapers. While telephones existed, they were not yet common – never mind that the Regina Telephone Exchange building was flattened by the storm – and most people had to settle for word of mouth or a letter or postcard sent via post. The amount of tornado-related mail must have been overwhelming. Postal workers were kept busy for months dealing with every nature of inquiry. Fortunately, Regina's new Post Office, having just been completed in 1906, was up to the task. Immediately following the tornado, personal inquiries poured into the city. For many, the only way to discover the fate of friends and family was to pen a letter to the Regina Postmaster, or to the Mayor himself. These letters were generally forwarded to the city clerk who with his staff, composed and typed responses to a variety of inquiries as they arrived. In 1912, the city clerk was A.W. Pool. There are hundreds of replies with Mr. Pool's signature on the bottom. Occasionally, Mr. Pool was the bearer of bad news, confirming the identities of those killed in the storm. More often, replies were sent out with the assurance that the names of those being inquired about would be placed in a newspaper ad, with instructions to contact Mr. Pool to confirm their wellbeing.As the citizens of Regina began to recover from the tragedy, personal mail began to trickle out of the city as well. Postcards often served as a quick note to assure anxious relations. This postcard, with an image of the Regina High School, reads:"Dear Muriel,Pleased to say we are all safe, letter following later. Guess Ted wouldn't know Regina now simply terrible. Love to you all.Yours affect. Elsie"As recovery from the tornado progressed, and for many months and years after, letters describing personal accounts of the tornado circulated through the mail system. This letter, written a full year after the tornado, describes one woman's visit to Regina the day after the storm:"...I was going to Regina to get my teeth fixed and when I got to Moose Jaw tried to phone the girls (this was on the Monday after the Sunday) but could not I inquired why and was told Regina was no more and the phone exchange flat you can imagine my fright for the girls had written home on Saturday to say they were moving rooms and so I phoned to try to find them as Miss Sharps home because I had visions of spending the night on the prairie and then I felt very anxious them and did not know if I should even find them alive but I could not phone so just went on to Regina. When I got there it was half-past eight at night flowing with rain and not a person I knew and now where to go I found out that the hotels that were not damaged were over full so I picked up my bags and set out through the ruined streets to find Miss Sharpe a friend of the girls who lives on the outskirts of Regina. I could have howled you never saw such a fearful sight the ruined homes and homeless make your heart ache this truly is a fierce country we had two weeks of excessive heat before the cyclone hit it registered 110 in the shade on the north side of our house and the barometer registered cyclone for a week before it came but such things are not known in this country all such we expect to go to the states so the people took no notice of it. You will have received the paper I sent you from Regina giving full details we are sending you a book of views of some of the ruins the home the girls were living at was not damaged they were out in an auto at the time just on the outskirts of the cyclone the gentleman jammed on his brakes and the wind just wound the car round the girls lost their hats and got drenched to the skin they have lots to be thankful for. Every second person you meet in Regina is plastered and bandaged up hundreds were hit with flying debris..."Even those with no personal connection to the tornado victims took up pen and typewriter. Letters of condolence and generosity poured into Regina from across the country. Tradesmen of all kinds inquired as to the availability of work following the tornado. This letter was received from Quebec:"Marieville, P. Que.July 9/12The Mayor of Regina.SaskatchewanDear SirWould you please send me full particulars of the city of Regina as to the work of a Electrician and the standard wage. There is me and my friend are willing to go there if there is good prospects in that work, and let us know if there is a Electrician union there as we are not in the union down hear [sic]. hoping to hear from youYours TrulyHarry Brown"Tradesmen were welcomed, as the city was eager to undertake the rebuilding process as quickly as possible. City Clerk A.J. Pool sent out replies that confirmed the great need for workers in many trades, from carpenters to electricians to plumbers. This letter was sent out to one tradesman:"Dear Sir: With reference to yours of the 6th inst., there is a large demand for carpenters in this City at the present time. The union rate of wages is Forty-five cents per hour, but in a number of cases, the men are receiving more than this. Price of board and room per week is about, I believe, Five dollars. Yours truly, A.W. Pool City Clerk. "As for communication within the city, most folks depended on word of mouth, and turned to the Regina Leader for information. The Morning Leader published the day after the tornado provided accounts of the storm, along with much useful information including the locations of relief centers, a list of casualties, and calls to help. There was much work to be done and local Boy Scouts were asked to help deliver messages and run errands around the city. Text by Jaymie Koroluk
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  Financial Burden from the Disaster
  While the tornado’s legacy exists in many forms, perhaps one of the most lasting and at the same time invisible, is the financial burden left in the storm’s wake. Huge amounts of property, both personal and business, were destroyed by the tornado. Homes, businesses, public buildings and infrastructure were all affected. The city required money quickly, as thousands had been left homeless by the tornado, and emergency preparations had to be made. On June 8, 1912 Premier Walter Scott made $500,000 available to the City of Regina from the Province of Saskatchewan. The amount of personal property destroyed by the tornado was immense. The great need for financing and repairs facilitated the formation of the Cyclone Mortgage Committee, which handled the properties of those whose homes and businesses had been destroyed. Many businesses were damaged in the storm, and there is no doubt that commerce in Regina was disrupted in the days following the tornado. Many non-profit organizations, including the Y.M.C.A, the Y.W.C.A and several churches were also affected. The Knox Metropolitan Church located on Lorne Street is one organization whose building suffered extensive damage from the tornado. In order to finance repairs, the church took out a second mortgage of $26,000 (the original mortgage taken out to finance the building of the church was still in effect and was paid off in 1926). Over the years, the second mortgage was slowly paid off until 1945. That year the congregation worked to fundraise the remaining $11,000. Finally, in May of 1945, the mortgage was liquidated. With the completion of the mortgage payments, the Knox Metropolitan United Church could celebrate, and a ceremony was conducted. Two of the congregation’s oldest members, Mrs. Robert Martin and Robert Sinton were given the task of burning the mortgage, signaling the end of the church’s commitment to the financial burden left behind by the tornado. The Province of Saskatchewan found itself committed to the tornado’s financial legacy for many years. Premier Scott’s quick action of giving $500,000 to aid the people of Regina left the federal government with the impression that their help was not needed. In his book “Regina’s Terrible Tornado”, Frank W. Anderson recounts the final resolution of the tornado’s financial legacy:“To fulfill its pledge to the people of Regina, the Province borrowed the $500,000 from the Bank of Commerce, which in turn tapped money sources in Britain. The city then mortgaged $2,000,000 in property as security to the province for the loan. By a series of debentures, Regina was able to pay off the last installment of the loan on November 11th, 1922 – but not without several times coming close to having its mortgages foreclosed!The provincial government, however, did not immediately repay its loan to the Bank of Commerce, but used the money for other purposes.It was not until 1946 that Provincial Treasurer, C.M. Fines, began nibbling away at this dead horse which was cluttering up the Legislature’s books – and drawing interest as regularly as clockwork. Even then, it was not until December 31st, 1958 – 46 ½ years after the tragedy – that Mr. Fines was able to repay the last of the half-million loan.”Long after the storm was gone, and after the streets of Regina regained the appearance of normalcy, the tornado left financial aftershocks that continued for almost half a century.Text by Jaymie Koroluk
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  Fire Insurance Plans (Charles E. Goade)
  Fire insurance plans are one of the most useful resources when carrying out historical or archaeological research.  They are plans of a built environment - a town or city - block by block.  They constitute an actual footprint that is equivalent to an aerial photograph of a place, with the exception that these plans are hand drawn and associated to a specific scale.They were originally produced for fire insurance companies that would use the information revealed by them to set their rates for clients.  They contain loads of information, like the type of occupancy or use of the buildings; the building materials used, each colour-coded according to type - whether it was wood, brick veneer over wood; brick, iron-clad over wood-frame, concrete or stone that was used for the structure.  The plans reveal also many details of external and internal construction and architectural features.  They inform viewers as to building height (number of floors); street widths and numbers, location of property lines; as well as whether or not there was a fence between lots. As you can imagine, these plans would be extremely useful in terms of helping identify the location of water pipes or mains, fire hydrants and fire alarm boxes which would affect the rates charged.Through elaborate legends, they would tell those who consult them where boilers were located - hence where risks of explosion would be greatest.  From an archaeologist’s standpoint, fire insurance plans can be very useful in reconstructing past coal consumption patterns. Boilers consumed much more coal than residential furnaces.  Wood lots and coal storage sites were identified on fire insurance plans.  Therefore local fuel usage practices could be derived from the study of fire insurance plans, and so on.According to the University of British Columbia's Introduction to its Fire Insurance Plans of B.C. Cities website:"In 1875 Charles Edward Goade mapped Levis, Quebec, and later bought Sandborn's Canadian stock.()...() In 1917, Goade sold out to the Canadian and provincial underwriters associations.  The associations amalgamated to form the Canadian Underwriters' Association in 1960 and subsequent production of fire insurance plans was centralized under the Plan Division of the Association.  In 1974, the Association became the Insurers' Advisory Association.  The following year, in 1975, production of fire insurance plans ceased."The Saskatchewan Archives Board has copies of the 1911 City of Regina Fire Insurance Plans produced by civil engineer Charles E. Goade.  It also has the 1913 edition.  Where these two editions are extremely useful is in conducting research on the impact of the 1912 tornado, by comparing the two editions in areas that were affected by the tornado.Theoretically, one could compare buildings in 1911 that were no longer there or shown as ruins in 1913, and figure out roughly the actual path of the tornado.Interestingly enough, the Laird building, built in 1906, just on the east side of Smith Street, is listed as a two-storey concrete building on the 1911 Fire Insurance Plan, while by 1913, according to the updated edition of the plan, it has become a three-storey brick building.  This suggests that it was quite possibly damaged by the tornado and rebuilt shortly after with an extra floor.Above all today, the fire insurance plans constitute an accurate record of a built environment that has often disappeared from the contemporary landscape. Text by Claude-Jean Harel
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  How the Transportation Network Facilitated Recovery
  Had the 1912 Tornado struck the heart of Paris or London, not only would the consequences have been considerably more dramatic because of the higher density of the built environment and of population in old world cities, the cleanup operations would have been horrendously more difficult as well, because of the way the streets are laid out in old European cities. Unlike Paris and London, Regina was established on a clean slate – virgin prairie – in an age of endless optimism. The coming of the railway, to which Regina is associated in no small way, meant this territorial capital was destined to expand. It was only fitting that the city plan should reflect the grand aspirations that would become reinforced once Saskatchewan became a province in 1905, and when the Legislative Building would be completed in 1912. Therefore, it made sense to plan for 66-foot wide business and residential streets, interspersed with 99-foot wide main arteries, along a north-south and east-west grid. This plan espoused the Canadian Pacific Railway main line and actually ensured its predominance within the city.Regina is a classic railway town. Along the north and south sides of the track, lumber yards were established, from which residential developments would be supplied. The city of Regina is characterized in the years prior to World War I by the accessibility of its territory. The streets are wide and straight – the city is an effective “machine” conceived for the distribution of goods, people and commodities because of the transportation network to which it is attached. Laying an electric street railway system was made easier by the straightness and width of the streets. So were construction activities. One could practically see the next shipment of lumber from Ontario come in by C.P.R. train, if one was building a house along a north-south running street like Smith or Lorne. On the other hand, the grid system is a luxury not affordable in older cities because of the obvious demolition and construction costs that would entail, but not in Regina.Let’s think back to the fateful date of June 30th, 1912. The northbound tornado starts cutting across Regina along Smith and Lorne Streets. These are wide streets, probably designed with multi-storey high-rises like those of Chicago in mind. As the sky clears and residents take stock of the extent of the damage, they embark on a massive cleanup effort. It soon becomes obvious that the width of streets is an ally to citizens. The wider streets and the relatively low profile of the built environment ensure it is relatively easy to access the damaged areas with horse-drawn wagons from anywhere along the north-south axis of destruction. This is made easier still by the regular east-west intersecting streets. It is also interesting to note that in 1912, there were not only many livery stables that would have welcomed the extra business engendered by the impact of the tornado, there were also dozens and perhaps hundreds of private stables in residential and commercial district backyards with the ability to provide services in the form on wagons for hire with labourers. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Germantown neighbourhood, located just south of the C.P.R. mainline and east of Broad Street. Germantown harboured the highest population density in Regina. There were many hotels, hostels and boarding houses there, and many stables in backyards, with horses in them. This combination of circumstances made it possible for local inhabitants to earn extra revenue, providing much-needed service promptly, thanks to the accessibility to the damaged areas. This made it possible for multiple crews to work simultaneously at every affected location within the city of Regina, hauling our refuse and debris; and hauling in new construction materials. That made it possible for Regina to recover from the tornado much more quickly than in many other human settlements. Text by Claude-Jean Harel
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  Human Injury and Loss of Life
  The severity of a tornado is rated by the amount of destruction it causes. The tornado had a huge impact on the city’s physical environment. Businesses, homes and other buildings were destroyed, streets were blocked and thousands were left homeless. While damaged buildings can be repaired or replaced, there is no replacement for the loss of human life. Even if no buildings had been damaged during the Regina tornado of 1912, the 28 lives lost during the storm along with the hundreds of injured would still make it the most destructive tornado in Canadian history.A tornado’s destructive power is shown when high speed winds break apart objects, creating debris and missiles that become airborne. The most innocuous and every day materials – wood, bricks, metal – become deadly weapons when harnessed a tornado. It is these materials that cause human injury and loss of life.Where there are people, there are almost always buildings, and it is this combination that makes tornadoes and other natural disasters so deadly. Even before the tornado entered the more densely built areas of Regina proper, it claimed the life of Andrew Roy, who was visiting the home of Robert Kerr, just outside the city. It is worth noting that in 1912, a farm just outside the city would be located roughly where the Southland Shopping Centre is located today!The greatest loss of life (and injury) occurred on Lorne and Smith streets, which were along the main path of the tornado. These streets were mainly residential, with many people and buildings in a condensed area. In his book “Regina’s Terrible Tornado”, Frank W. Anderson records that in all, 28 people lost their lives in the tornado:Andrew Roy – visiting the home of Robert Kerr, just outside the cityPhilip Steel – Wascana parkVincent H. Smith – found on Smith Street, was thought to be at the Wascana Boat HouseFred Hindson – 2220 Lorne StreetJames Patrick Coffee – 2202 Lorne StreetAndrew Boyd – 2202 Lorne Street (lived for 2 days after the storm)Donal Miller Loggie – 2201 Smith StreetMrs. McElmoye – 2318 15th AvenueEtta Guthrie – 2138 Lorne StreetMrs. Harris – 2138 Lorne StreetYwe Boyuen – Smith and 13th Avenue, Mack Lee’s Chinese LaundryIsabelle McKay – 1947 Smith StreetCharles McKay (3 years old) – 1947 Smith StreetLawrence Hodsman – 1947 Smith StreetArthur Donaldson – 1947 Smith StreetFrank Blenkhorn – found between the Methodist Parsonage and the LibraryBertah Blenkhorn – found between the Methodist Parsonage and the LibraryMary Shaw – 2320 12th AvenueJames Milton Scott – Donahue BlockCharlie Sand – 1821 Cornwall Street, Ma Chang Sing LaundryYe Wing – 1821 Cornwall Street, Ma Chang Sing LaundryRobert Fenwick – found in the Palace Livery on Dewdney AvenueJoseph J. Bryan – Tudhope Anderson warehouseGeorge B. Craven – found near the C.P.R. RoundhouseLaura McDonald – 1435 Lorne Street NJames McDougall – 1435 Lorne Street NIda McDougall (3 years old) – 1435 Lorne Street NGeorge Appleby – behind a house on Cornwall Street, between 7th and 8th AvenueSome of the victims of the tornado were harder to recognize – such as the account on the back of one postcard:“This is Lorne St. or rather what was left of it. The two dogs were fast friends of ours. They are looking for their house which does not now exist.”It is not known what happened to the owner of the two dogs, but it is easy to imagine that they may have been distracted in the days following the tornado. The citizens of Regina mourned the loss of its community members in the days following the tornado. As letters of inquiry poured into the city, Clerk A.W. Poole had the unfortunate duty of informing relatives about the death of a beloved citizen:“Dear Sir: In reply to yours of the fifth, instr. which his Worship, the Mayor, has handed to me for reply, I very greatly regret to have to inform you that the Scout Master Appleby you mention was killed in the recent disaster, and his funeral took place yesterday. The Sons of England arranging for the same. The Boy Scouts also attended, and a large number of the public followed on as Mr. Appleby was well known, and respected locally. I am instructed, by his Worship, the Mayor, to express, the deepest sympathy of the Citizens of Regina, generally, with all relatives of the deceased. His death so far as is known was instantaneous, he being pinned under a huge pile of debris. Again extending my sympathy and that of the Citizens, generally,I am, Yours Truly, A.W. Poole City Clerk.”George Appleby was camped in a tent outside of a house on Cornwall street, and was crushed by a falling wall. George Appleby was the last victim in what has remained the most destructive tornado in Canadian history. Text by Jaymie Koroluk
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  Impacts on Patterns of Mobility in the Urban Landscape
  One of the most fascinating angles to concentrate on in the study of available tornado photographs is the exploration of how Regina residents seemed to react as they discovered the extent of the damage.Based on current theories of spatial perception, it is likely the tornado transformed the built environment in the affected areas in a way that required residents to temporarily develop a new mental map of their home neighbourhood. This is called a cognitive map in the anthropological and psychological realms. First of all, some of the landmarks one would normally use to get around or navigate through the city might have been destroyed or damaged by the tornado, and might not be as visible to the eye. These might be a particular house or any permanent structure tall enough that one would almost automatically rely upon it as a kind of beacon in the urban landscape. Theoretically, the longer one lives in the neighbourhood, the more familiar one becomes with the territory. The richer the landscape user’s map also becomes, and the less one relies on individual landmarks to find one’s way. We should also keep in mind that the layout of Regina is in classic grid fashion, with the C.P.R. railway line running roughly east and west; streets running north and south; and avenues running straight east and west. The city blocks thus created become landmarks themselves that are innately efficient in facilitating urban navigation. Just look at how today we give directions to people in Regina by telling them to go “a couple of blocks north and three blocks east,” for example. As such the kind of street layout that makes up the city of Regina prior to the First World War is a fine example of efficiency when it comes to planning cities in which it is easy to find one’s way.However, Regina had welcomed many newcomers in the previous years who were equipped with a knowledge of the landscape that might have been thrown off by the impact of the tornado, at least for a while. It is likely a new, somewhat chaotic environment, might have altered perceptions of the urban landscape among these people, which might also have induced new patterns of mobility within the affected areas. There was much debris strewn across the city’s streets. Safe passage along back lanes was likely restricted because of ruined back buildings. In the midst of these urban arteries, nails, broken glass, splintered lumber and brick likely made travel hazardous at best.Keep in mind that most of Regina’s inhabitants in 1912 moved around on foot. The streetcars had only been around for a year and the schedule was likely affected in the days after the tornado.How does one move around in such an environment? You can imagine it yourself. The process would be little different from that which you experience when you go for a hike over some unfamiliar terrain. First, you ask for directions from other people who might have already discovered which is the quickest, least perilous route to travel from place to place. This is how generally cognitive maps are created. Next, you look for an established path to follow – one that seems to head in the general direction you seek. You look for the straightest route with the least obstacles, using clean, level walking surfaces and avoiding objects that might tear your clothes or have the potential to afflict wounds. When one becomes more familiar with the path, one’s eyes rise off the ground and naturally start seeking new landmarks to rely upon as one moves around. This allows for the type of mobility that is more fitting in urban environments to take place – it allows for easier social interactions between citizens. With it comes a relative sense of normality in human relations in the landscape.Obviously, post-tornado photographs suggest that in many places the streets were still very accessible. An informed analysis might reveal that there are not many photographs of cluttered environments precisely because they were less accessible.There is little doubt that the impact of the tornado on the urban landscape engendered different patterns of mobility. Only further research would reveal the extent to which Regina citizens’ perceptions were temporarily altered as a result. Text by Claude-Jean Harel
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  Legacy from the Regina Tornado/Cyclone
  The legacy of the tornado/cyclone of 1912 has taken many forms. While many photos and written documents and accounts remain, there are few objects left to tell the story of the tornado. In creating our account of that terrible event, we looked to our museum collection for inspiration. The answer came to us in the form of a large round stained glass window, thought to be recovered after the tornado from the Knox Presbyterian church. This window became an insight into the unique role the tornado has played in Regina’s history. While some evidence of the storm is still visible, like signs of repair on buildings and changes in the city's built environment, other objects hide their stories. A colourful part of the tornado's legacy are the stained glass windows of the Knox Presbyterian church. Several of these windows now reside in the Regina Plains Museum collection.At its original location on the corner of Lorne Street and 12th Avenue the Knox Presbyterian church received extensive damage from the tornado, and all of its stained glass windows were shattered.Some of the glass was recovered from the wreckage and preserved. In 1951 the congregations of the Knox and Metropolitan churches were joined, and the Knox Presbyterian church was demolished. The glass was transferred to a coal bin in beneath the Knox Metropolitan church, where it lay hidden for 40 years.In 1995, the glass was removed from the coal bin and transferred to the Regina Plains Museum. In 1996, community members Dr. Oliver Brett, Roger Fry and Trevor Quinn began work on a very special part of the tornado legacy.Using a portion of the recovered glass and incorporating new design, the three men set out to create new stained glass piece that depicts the tornado as part of the city's history. The window is in three parts, illustrating the theme Alpha-Omega-Alpha which is a metaphor for both the church before during and after the tornado, and life itself. All three panels have elements of the original design while the center panel illustrates the tornado's destruction. This stained glass piece is now displayed at the Wesley United Church in Regina, where it acts as a reminder of nature’s fury and the renewal of life. Some of the glass pieces recovered from the coal bin were from a large round rose window. This window was restored on behalf of the Regina Plains Museum, and is now a part of our collection. While it may not be as arresting as an image of the wreckage caused by the storm, it acts as a unique window into history of the Regina Tornado of 1912, and helped to inspire us to create a new account of that incredible event. Text by Jaymie Koroluk
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  Post-Tornado Temporary Relief Measures
  The tornado struck Regina just before 5:00pm on July 30, 1912. Between the devastation left by the storm, and the downpour that occurred shortly afterwards, the people of Regina were left to scramble for shelter that very night. It is estimated that roughly 2,400 people were left homeless by the storm. While it is not known what many victims did that night (it is hard to imagine that anyone would be able to sleep after such an event), many temporary relief measures were in place the next day. The burden of emergency measures fell upon the municipal government. 1912 Regina Mayor Peter McAra recalls some of the measures taken following the tornado in his memoirs, “Sixty-two Years on the Saskatchewan Prairies”:“Protection had to be given in the damaged areas and we arranged that the troops at Camp Hughes should be brought in. A great many people were left homeless and the City went right to work and put up buildings to house them. We made plans to advance money to people who could re-establish their homes. The Canadian Pacific Railway and the St. John’s Ambulance Association sent representatives to give all possible help, but after they had attended a number of our meetings they said that there was nothing that they could offer to do to improve the situation. Both organizations left substantial cheques to be used by our committees and withdrew. Many nights I left the City Hall at one or two in the morning and, on awakening, I had no recollection of how I got to bed.”The Mayor’s lot is not an easy one, and Mr. McAara found it necessary to make a very unpopular announcement: Because of the tornado, all Dominion Day celebrations were indefinitely postponed, and all the bars in hotels were to remain closed for the day. The Morning Leader newspaper of July 1, 1912 provided the citizens of Regina with the information needed to begin a recovery from the storm. The front page listed the locations of temporary relief shelters, as the hospitals had quickly filled with those wounded in the storm. Those requiring medical treatment were sent to St. Paul’s Parish Hall, Immigration Hall, the Williams Block on Rose Street, the new C.N.R. freight sheds, and the Moore Light Building. Surgeons and other medical professionals were asked to report to room number 4 in the Old Black Block on Hamilton street for assignments. Special trains from Moose Jaw brought surgeons, doctors and nurses to help with relief efforts. A few days later, another special train from Winnipeg brought more of the same.Immediately following the tornado, several relief committees were formed. The North side committee office (presumably dealing with the area of the city north of the rail line) was located in the new Canadian Northern Railway freight office. The South side relief committee had its office in the Sports Room at City Hall. Groups were organized to find survivors, clean up debris and begin rebuilding the city as quickly as possible. In true early 20th century fashion, an ad was placed in the Morning Leader newspaper, asking “all real men” to help. Reporting to the city engineer, the citizens of Regina began discussing the rebuilding of the city the very next day following the tornado. According to Mayor McAra, the major services and businesses of Regina were back up and running within two weeks after the tornado. It is perhaps the city’s attitude of rebuilding as quickly as possible that resulted in temporary measures not being recorded in great detail. At any rate, the people of Regina were eager to begin the rebuilding process, and the wreckage from the tornado was cleaned up as quickly as possible. Building materials were salvaged as much as was possible, and new materials were brought in as needed via rail. The rebuilding of the city was largely complete within 6 months of the tornado, although the financial repercussions would last much longer.Text by Jaymie Koroluk
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  Spirit of Generosity in the Aftermath of the Tornado
  As word of Regina’s devastation spread, the people of Canada and the world opened their hearts and showed the true spirit of generosity. In the first week following the tornado, hundreds of letters and telegraphs were received, expressing condolences and offering measures of support both large and small. This necessitated the creation of the Cyclone Relief Fund, to organize and distribute the generous donations made. By July 27th, the Cyclone Relief Fund held over $200,000. A donation to the relief effort was also made from an unusual source. The Albini-Avolo Company, a theatre troupe visiting from the United States, staged a benefit performance of the comedy “The Real Thing” at the Regina Theatre and donated half of the proceeds to the victims of the tornado. The acting company included a young actor who later took the stage name of Boris Karloff. Karloff and company staged another performance in Sasktoon, also donating proceeds from that show to the city of Regina. Even in an age without extensive media coverage, in a world without television, word of the tragedy in Regina Saskatchewan spread – by telephone, telegraph, mail and word of mouth. Those who had connections with Regina and those who didn’t all opened their hearts to a city in need. Money had a different value in 1912, and even one dollar was not insignificant. The kindness of Regina citizens came back in the form of a kind letter and a small donation in the days following the tornado:“$1.00Perbeck, Alta.4th July 1912Mayor P. McAra.Sir, Please accept a further expression of sympathy in the loss and trouble with have fallen upon your city. I enclose a small contribution for the Relief Fund in recognition of an act of kindness shown to me in Regina on July 1st, when one of the residents of the city drove a party across to the C.P.R Depot in his automobile. Such acts of thoughtful kindness to strangers, whilst your citizens are themselves suffering sorrow and anxiety call for gratitude and admiration.”Even with the hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations received by the Cyclone Relief Fund, the City of Regina and the Province of Saskatchewan would find itself beneath a financial burden that was to last for decades. Text by Jaymie Koroluk