The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-03-25
Terrible Cyclone Sweeps Through Per.
tions Of | sissippi and
Tennessee.
The Storm Most serious Mt Kelly, Mss,
" here Twenty. Five Were
Killed.
Meagrc Details Owing to the Complete
Prostratioa Of Telegraph
Wires.


Memphis, Tenn. says: The most de-
structiye cyclone in the history of this
section, swept tover Northern Mississippi
and Western Tennessee late Thursday
afternoon. leaving death and desolation
in its wake. Kelly. Miss, town of
about 800 inhabitants. was wiped off
the face of the earth, every building in
the place being totally demolished
Twenty-Five Killed.
So far as is known 25 people were
killed outright and about 60 injured.
The cyclone reached Kelly about 3:45
o'clock p M, spreading rapidly inevery
direction. Long before the wind struck
the town strange atmospheric condi-
tion was noticed. The air grew very
dark and a moaning sound was heard.
and finally IA greenish colored cloud was
seen rapidly approaching from the
southwest. The path of the storm was
about one-half mile wide. and every
thing within its course was picked up
like straw and dashed to pieces. Large
houses were
Crushed Like Egg Shells.
while giant forest trees were uprooted
and the trunks picked up by the whirl-
ing. wind and carried for miles The
public school building was the first to-
go down before the fury of the storm.
The pupils had been dismissed but q
few minutes before, and most of them
had left the building, which fact pre-
vented an appalling loss of life. Several
of the children were caught i'm the
ruins, however, and crushed to death.
{ Meager Reports.
Meager reports have been secured
from the country west of Kelly.
All the negro plantation houses have
been blown away, and 1T is said that
many of these people have been killed.
Three schoolhouses were blown down,
but no one was killed
East Of Kelly the storm struck the
Memphis and Charleston railroad. and
wrecked freight train near German
town
Around Kelly 500 people are homeless
and in need.
The track of the cyclone was half a
mile wide. and its duration in Kelly
was not greater than four minutes.
Blocked by Fallen Trees.
A train from Birmingham, Ala, ar
rived during the night andreports much
damage between here and Byhalia. 20
miles east. Farm houses, barns and
cotton gin houses are reported unroofed
and blown down all along the line. The
train was delayed several hours by hav-
ing to stop at frequent intervals to
chop away large trees that were mp
rooted and blown across the track.
Heavy damage by the cyclone. is re-
ported at Captville, Tenn, and Olive
branch, Miss.
At $50 o'clock the wires at Kelly,
Miss, were tapped and late detailsshow
that the early reports
Were Not Exaggerated.
Not house escaped the storms fury,
and only few ara left standing, and
they are badly damaged. The house of
Roland Cox was lifted bodily and blown
away, NOT piece Of timber left. The
house ,of Robert Stevens was leveled
and IL hespS0f ruins, The residence
Of D. N. Harris. wealthy planter, waa
wrecked and the houses sof f4ur Of his
tenants were blown away. Three houses
belonging to s. N. Hudnell were blown
down. The wind indulged In queer
freak with the dwelling house of I'M. q.
Boggs. II formerly faced north. II
still stands In damaged condition, but
now faces south.