The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-05-02
MANY LIVES LOST.
Men. Women and Children
Killed by q Great
Cyclone,
SOUTHERN TOWNS DAMAGED
Hundreds ofHouses Swept Away and
the Inmates Either Crushed TO
Death or Manned, In Georgia,
Mississippi and Alabama.


lent storm, accompanied by several
cyclones, swept through the State OF
Mississippi Sunday afternoon and
night, causing heavy loss of life and
property. 1t came from the North
east to the Southwest, visiting near
ly every town, but as the wires are
down in many places, it is impossi-
BILE to give the exact number of lives
lost and the property destroyed
Enough is known, however to rem
der it certain that sixty.five persons
were killed and three hundred and
eighty wounded, large number of
them mortaily. This is the loss as
given from towns in telegraphic
communication with New Orleans.
How many persons have fallen VIC
Tins to the tornadoes in the interior
and backwoods districts, Il is, of
course, impossible to say, but the
number is believed to be large. The
loss of property is still more difficult
to arrive at. Nearly two hundred
houses were blown down, and many
of them destroyed, and much corn
and other crops swept away. A
moderate estimate would place the
damage to property at from halt
to three-quarters of million OF
dollars.
The storm extended throughout
the state, and nearly every town
suffered more or less, the heaviest
sufferers being Beauregard, with
twenty-six persons kill and one
hundred wounded; Wesson, with
sixteen persons killed, and eighty
wounded +; Aberdeen, with fifteen
killed and fifty wounded; Caledo-
MIA three killed and ten wounded ;
Starkville, two killed and thirty
wounded. and Freetown, its negro
suburb, three killed and twenty
wounded. Tillman, West Point, Me
ridian and other towns also suffered
heavy losses, principally in proper
ty, although some few lives were
lost.
WEssoN AND BEAUREGARD.
WEssoN, Miss, April 25.-A ter
rible cyclone passed over this place
and the town of Beauregard, one
e = akove, about four o'clock yes
to1Ag ahGlbOon. The wind fog The
pas4 three &avs has been blowing a
gale, and lowering clouds indicated
a storm. Its approach was Known
for some minutes by deep rvmbling
sounds, windows in dwellihes shak-
ing with violence and many people
thinking it was an earthquake. The
thunder roared and tie lightning
flashed with alarming force and
vividness.
AS soon as the storm had some.
what abated and the people bgan to
look about, loud peals of church
bells were rung out. People were
seen running in all directions to.
ward West Wesson. The rain mean.
time was pouring in torrents
Reaching Peach Orchard Street, an
indescribable scene was witnessed
This street is lined with a large
number of houses in which the op.
orators of the Mississippi Mills are
domiciled, and here the greatest de
struction occurred. People were
seen on all sides sobbing, and the
groans of the wounded beneath the
ruins were perfectly appalling
Dwellings were torn to atoms, and
the pine forest just beyond was blown
out of existence.
The work of removing the dead
and extricating the wounded from
the ruins quickly began. About
this time Calvin Reed, living in the
vicinity, died from excitement
Drs. Sexton, Rease and Butler were
soon upon the scene, and did all in
their power to relieve the suffering
of the wounded. The latter were
removed as soon as possible to
houses which had escaped destruc.
ton. but several dead bodies lay out
in the violent rain for more than an
hour. The citizens did all in their
power for the injured, and special
train from McComb City and Brook
haven arrived early in the evening,
followed by considerable addi-
tional help from Magnolia and
Summit.
There are conflicting statements
as to the number of lives lost, some
placing the figure at thirteen, and
others at fifteen. Thus far it is inn.
possible to give q more complete
list than the following, though
the victims are chiefly mill op'
eratives:
KILLED.
NM. sCsusty, and her two chill