The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-11-25
rRG GREAT STORM /!
HE TORNADO AT TUsCUMBIA.


AIahama: On Sunday evening, shortly after
;uudown a wind storm OF uDpreceDted violence
struck Tuscumbia, and IN TWO minutes ue-
,troyed upward of 100 buildings, killing Ill per-
sons outright and wounding not less IMAM ~
others. All day the weather was exceedingly
warm aud toward evening soft, warm Wiha
began to blow from the southwest. and thick
bank of dark clouds were seen to form IN tnas
direction At shutdown rain began to faii, anu
shortly after dark sound like rushing tnun1er
WAS heard in the Streets and before the inhabl-
tants were fully aware of the danger that threah,
eped them the storm had passed oSye: I;,r,ad;1
people whose houses we're uniniIiee ornd rMen
ately rushed into the streets n ayl directions'
women aud e 1l.a emnnsliug s with the moaning
oe a,;nrr autnlals. Houses were piowh Gown
VI usg nlaces and the streets and roads ev- |
erywbere filled with grabbing walls ana shat-
tered timbers. :.
few citizens hastily formed 40 organized
body anpointed leader, ana se1 d,out aScer-
t pe5 tbe nature of the damage dSne They
, ,ara Net by little girl named Lille Elliott,
who told them that her aunts house vas com
,',ateIv blown down, and she feared every one |
IN I II was killed Everything was still, and he
u, ~ ,rara ahont to turn away, when they hesrd
tha roioe Of child crying The call cana
from the middle Of the falling building: ant
the party, by this time largely reinforced, SCI
to work to remove the bricks and timber Al
Ter ntJeHn minutes WOIh euOy "NAS
warded by finding two little girls, one hve
and the other eight years of age. One OF tne
children was entirely unhurt and easily remov-
ed, The other had an arm firmly wedged IN
between two beams, but with q courage wnlch
was marvellous called out, 'Get my mother
ont. Get NV mother out. Never mind me-. ;"
At last the beams were cut away and The hit e
one released. Digging further into the Rubbish
a terrible sight met the eyes OF the workmen
On broken bed lay the body OF woman, TWO
81, ,borsr m har neck IJn.
der her were two little children locked in each
others arms, both dead and crushed out OF all
shape.
liaa lady was the wife of state Senator Moore,
recently elected. Both of the youngest child
rem were undressed when found and the little
girls rescued said that their mother was Just
putting them to bed when the house was blown
down. Little Lillie Elliatt, who gave the
alarm when the storm came on, said she felt
the house falling about he's, but she was I'M
hurt.
Another Entire Family Killed.
When the first shock of the tornado had
passed, John Hodgkins, young man well
know in the town, crawled into the hall of tps
Tuscumbia Hotel and stated that he had been
thrown out of the second story window Of his
hOnse by the force of the storm; that the house
was entirely blown down, and his brothers
family buried beneath the ruins. A party at
once formed, and headed by Mr.. james Hal.
sey, traveller for New York house, proceeded
10 Tue feSlueuCe OIL MT. f1OQSklDS HuSy io~AA,
the building leveled with the ground. through
an opening which had been formed by the tall
ing timbers, Halsey crawled under the house
ard discovered Mr.. Hodgins and his wife iy VIZ
upon bed apparently dead. The side q 'ne
fallen roof was cut through and in "enty
inmates the bodies reached At the fs'S OF the
bed, lying across it, was Mr. Hodgthhn. 'eS ,,'
him his wife, and under them theTT .nree chli-
dren. The six were quite deaa Lac Mo'n I
held her Youngest child in died in an ANU effort
.a.aoi maS ~ sn, nh;uren. The bodies were
ietRsy dressed and nat al all mangled. They had
evideatly died of saffoca'oh'
A Splendid mansion Destroyed and Hts
Ownct Killed.
Shortly after the fpding OF the Hodgkias
family party proceed 70 the mouse OF MIS-
place The house vas one of the finest in the
place, having cost $4,000 before the war. 1t
was entirely desOyed, and Mrs. Winston was
killed. AS the ide of the house fell in she was
driven against.he standlng wall OF room on
heavy warcNbe and other pieces of furniture
falling upon her, she was killed instantly. Her
son-in law and family. in the lower story, es-
capped uabdrt. Mrs. Winston was the mother.
of ex-Gev. Winston. and mother.in law of
ex;Gog Lindsey of this state. Later in the
evening it was discovered that Miss Bette
Sherrod, young lady living a mile out Of town,
had been killed by the falngof a cottage in
which she lived. l
Other Casualties.
In addition to the persons found dead, as
narrated above, number We're very severely
wounded. Two are not expected to recover.
Martin Patterson, an old resident, caught two
children in his arms and calling to his wife
rushed to the door. He succeeded in convey
ms one child and his wife to the street in safe
", add was about to pass out with the other
Child when he was caught by the mass of fall
Ing tInIaprs With wondprfuI nrpSancn of
mind he brew the child into the street, where
IL was takeh up by the mother urharmed. Pat
terson was SO frmly wedged in that it was
some time Detofe he could be freed. His life
morton was in the act of carrying one of his
children from his house after the storm passed,
when the stairway suddenly fell in. Throck-
morton succeeded in reaching the street, but
his condition is considered critical. His Child
was upharmed.
Train of Cars in n Creek.
Soon after the storm had blown over it was
discovered that the iron railroad bridge over
Spring Creek, about half mile from town,
had been completely destroyed at the same
moment. II was remembered that the train
from Memphis could be expected to arrive at
any moment. The utmost confusion prevailed,
no one seeming to know what to do AT length
a young man named Woomble seized a huge
stick of wood, and after thrusting it into the
fire ran with it to the broken bridge, waving
the blazing wood in his hand as he went. He
had almost reached the creek when his torch
was extinguished by the rain, which was fall
ing in torrents. At the same time the whistle
OF tine approaching train was heard, and the
Dext moment tho head light flashed through
the darkness che young man called with all
his might, but the engineer heard nothing but
the sound of the Storm and before any warning
could be conveyed to him the engine, baggage
car and one OF the passenger coaches went over
the embankmtnt 80 down into the creek. The
rear passenger cars did not go off the track, it
being blocked up by the wreck of the foremost
ones.
The engineer, fireman and baggage master of
the train went over with it. They were cut
Of the ruins after two hours hard work, very
burned and bruised, but are ex.
pected to recover. Several of the passengers
were slightly injured, but none were prevented
from proceeding on their journey.
Curiosiiics of the Storm.
There were many remarkable circumstances
with the storm. 1t passed through
The town from the southwest, commencing at
he Fair Grounds, and making for itself path
varying from 800 to 400 feet in width. In some
places the strongest and most carefully con-
;tructei buildings were lifted completely from
heir foundations and laid level with the ground.
Not far fTom these old and dilapidated buildings
were left standing, apparently unframed.
TIE Baptist, Methodist and two other Protest
mt churches were all situated within block |
'f the Catholic church. which was recently
ERECTED, and none of them were injured in the |
east, while the house of she Catholic congrega-
ion was torn to pieces. Parts of the tin roof, |
which covered it, were bloIn half a mile into |
he country.
Near the church the High School building
vas situated. 1t was completely destroyed,
,ausing a loss Of $4,000. In the vicinity was |
large boarding house, the side of which was |
blown in and oil the windows broken A num-
Der of ladies were in the house at the time, but
zone were injured
After the storm the homeless families were |
AIKEN to the residences of more fortunate |
friends. About 500 were deprived OF homes, |
md it is estimated that the total loss to the |
own and private individuals will reach $780, |
80 The Memphis and Charleston Railroad |
company lose $4,000. Not ore case of rob- |
'ery is reported. Everything is quiet, and |
ssistance is coming from all quarters.
Central Part of the state,
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Nov 24-The storm in |
Alabama on Sunday was very severe through |
ut the central portions of the state, and ex- |
xtended into central Georgia. Half of the |
own OF MOutevallo, Ala is reported DESTROYED |
md two persons killed and twenty injured. |
damage to property is reported at |
ther points. No further details have been
eceived from Tuscumbia
Three Persons killed pt Trenton, NJ.
New YORK, Nov. pa hurricane passed |
yer Trenton last evening, causing damage 10 |
hat city to the amount of $4,000, and to the
Ountry north of Trenton $40 900 or 100000