The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-05-20
A Cyclone Plays Aavee u
Texas.

The Damage to Property and Loss
of Life Greatest at sherman
Corner of the Town Demolished
Other Places Suffer Severely.
Sherman, Texas, May 15-A most
disastrous cyclone struck Sherman
az 4:3O o'clock this afternoon, wiping
out the entire Western end OF the
town. The loss Of life is appalling.
The dead are estimated at between
thirty and forty. This is very con-
servatiye estimate. Many more are
faeally or seriously injured.
At 6 o'clock this evening, twelve
bodies are lying in the county court
house, and as many more are scat
tered about across the desolated
West end of the city.
No accurate statement can as yet
be made on the loss of life and
property. The work Of resuce and
search for the missing goes on. Inc
business part of the town is deserted
and the greatest excitement prevails
The Western Union Office is over
flowed with anxious ones sending
messages and inquiring the fate OF
other towns. Every available wagon
buggy and horse is in use by search
ers and workers on the field OF death
As time passes, later reports OF
greater loss of life and property ar
rive. Many stories OF miraculous
escapes are told.
The Sherman court house is IN
Sufficient to hold the dead aud
wounded. The vacant Moore build
ing on the South square was utilized
at s o'clock fifteen colored people,
dead or dying, being placed there
Express drays, baggage wagons
and all kinds of vehicles continue to
come in with dead bodies. Around
the Moore building the biggest ex-
element prevails, and the greatest
difficulty is experienced in getting
the names of the victims and accu-
rate reports.
The storm struck Sherman with
out warning on the Southwest corner
of the city and cleaned path one
haudred yards vie. Houses trees
fences and everything movable went
up before the terrible force OF the
cyclone. The negro part of the town
suffered the most sever ly. There
are probably thirty negroes killed.
Ten bodies have been picked up IN
Post Oak creek.
The food of rain which attended
the storm. was severe. The town IS
q mass of mud and floating debris.
There is much difficulty in finding
tae dead and injured.
Newton, Texas, May l5.-Slx per
sons were injured, one of them fatally
by a cyclone which passed near
Mound Ridge, station on the Mis-
souri, Pacific twelve miles north OF
here. this morning. A stretch Of
country about eight miles in length
aod hundred yards in width, was
devastated.
Samuel Bass, farmer, was fatally
injured and his house demolished.
Five others, whose names are un-
known. were more or less seriously
injured. The storm could be seen
from here and took course from
S ,wthwest to Northwest. Torrents
OF rain fell after the cyclone had
passed. Outside of the damage done
in the narrow strip mentioned, moth
ing was injured. Help was sent to
the scene from Mound Ridge.
Dallas, Tex, May l5.-The News's
Sherman, Texas, special says it IS re-
Dor ed there late tonight that 40
people were killed South Of town by
the cyclone, in addition to the clty's
death list.
Austin, Tex, May ia cyclone
struck the town of Austin to-day at
2:2O p. m, blowing twelve houses
down, killing one man named ". j.
Evans of Kelly, Texas, and badly IN
juring seventeen others. The cy-
clone also did much damage North OF
here.
Howe, Tex, May l5.-To days
terrible cyclone struck this town,
leaving death and ruin in its wake
The path of the cyclone at this point
was quarter OF a mile wide. Ten
farm b uses aud as many barns were
wrecked. Eight persons were killed
outright ard many injured. Bark
was stripped from trees and much
stock killed.
Swansea.