The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-07
Destructive Cyclones in South
ern States.
The Walls Of The Penitentiary Building at
Baton Refuge Blown Down.
Prisoners Crushed to Death Beneath a Pile
oil Ruins Houses Demolished and
Trees Torn Up by the Roots.


BATON ROUGE, July GA cyclone passed
over the lower portion of town this morn
ing, unroofing houses, tearing up immense
trees and carrying pieces of the wreck
through the air for many blocks. The boule-
ward, wide street, was Uttered with trees
that were torn up by the wind and pieces
OF hOuSetops and other timbers. At the
Penitentiary the walls were blown down
and ten persons were killed and thirty
wounded. The factory building was de-
molished and the hospital and the Peniten-
tiary are a mass of ruins.
In the city no one was killed, though sew
eral persons were seriously injured. Fol
lowing is list of those killed at the Peni-
Tertiary: Whtes-Isaac McClelland j. A.
Waggoner, Fred Gage, James Van Meter.
John Gibson and William Willow. Colored-
Nathan Chancery, Henry Calestn, Beaure-
gard HardOn and Edward Buckner. OF the
thirty-five injured five received dangerous
wounds.
BUILDINGS WRECKED.
The cOnvicts were at work in the jeans
pants factory, the third story Of the north
wing, when the storm struck the building
and entirely demolished the second and
third stories. There were others in the
hos pital in the second story. and it is mir
acle that any escaped with their lives. In
addition to the north wing the cell building
was unroofed and partially destroyed. The
womans ward was also unroofed. 1t is i'm
possible to form any estimate OF damage to
the buildings, as all the property was more
or less injured.
In the city at least fifty houses were un-
rooted or destroyed. j. II. Young and men,
bers of his family were seriously hurt by
the collapse of their house on st. Charles
street. Mrs. Cotton, son and two daughters.
living in brick house on Main street, OPP
p6site G. d. WaddilPs, were injured in the
falling of their building. Mrs. Cotton re-
ceived a dangerous blow on the back of her
head, and also internal injuries, While one
OF the girls was cut on the lin. Mrs. Cot
ton, it Is thought, will recover. Thsre were
no others seriously hurt.
HEARTRENDING SCENES.
There were forty prisoners at work in the
pants factory at the time of the crash. and
of that number six were killed and twenty
two wounded and horribly crushed. On the
second story of the central floor was the
hospital, where twenty sick prisoners lay
undergoing medical treatment. OF these
TO ur were killed and fourteen seriously, if
not fatally, injured. The fire alarm was
sounded and the entire Fire Department
summoned, together with citizens and prison
officials, aided by the uninjured prisoners,
they worked vigorously for the rescue of the
unfortunates. Scenes of horror greeted the
eye of those engaged in the rescuing work,
and pitifu walls and death-Rroans from the
men buried out of sight by the massive
lpHns of hrick and tDnTtar nnuII N IN aard
arising from every part of the wreck, i'm
plorlng help, and altogether the scene was
heartrendlDg.
The storm was attended by amost violent
rain, in which the rescuers worked and
tolied Tor several hours, or until both the
living and the dead were extricated from
the ruins.
Thirty-six in all were wounded and of this
number six or more will die.
The towboat Smoky City was struck by
the Storm eight miles below here and her
upper works demolished. A negro fireman
is missing; none Of the other people on the
boat were seriously Injured.
EXTENT OK THE DAMAGE.
Trees Oh many streets were uproOted. a
visit to the Capitol and other State buildings
showed them to be unharmed by the winds,
a. was also the business portion of the town
The southern portion of the city, styled
"cattshtown,' suffered great loss and dam
age of property. In this section several per-
sons were seriously hurt and bruised by fiy-
ing imbers from falling houses and fences.
The extent of damage throughout the city
cannot be accurately estimated at this time
but it can be said that this is the creates t
loss the town has ever sustained, whe ther
from cyclone or fire.
The storm did not make straight sweep
through the city. but would strike the
ground and bound forward like bounding
ball and pass over several houses al time.
The trunks of large oaks were broken off
like pipr-stems. So sudden was the storm
that number Of vehicles were caught and
wrecked in the streets and a number of very
narrow escapes are reported.
MEMPHIS, July GA telegram received
in this city this afternoon reports that a cy-
clone passed through Madison, Miss, this
morning. Several buildings were demol-
ished and considerable damage done No
further information is obtalnable, as the
wires south are all down.
BRooKHAvEN (Miss.), July 6.-The south
western portion of this county was visite
this morning by a destructive cyclone, de-
molishing houses, fences and uprooting
trees. In logging camp near here one
man was killed and three wounded No de-
tails have been received from other outside
points.
MADISON (Miss.), July Ga cyclone
struck this place this morning, doing great
damage to property. One negro was killed
and number injured. The Presbyterian
Church and two colored churches we're COM
pletey destroyed.