The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-25
TERRIFIC STORM TOUCHED AT
DENTON, FORT WORTH AND
OTHER PLACES.
MANY BUILDINGS WERE WRECKED
Several Persons Slightly Injured, But No
Deaths Reported, Though Details
Are Meager-There Was Heavy
Downpour of Rain.

Denton, Tex. March Is. Especially y
A terrific tornado accompanied by heavy
rains and hail. struck this place at about
$3.50 o'clock tonight, and although nobody
is reported badly hurt, it did many thou
sand dollars worth of damage, houses be-
ing blown from their blocks and some
demolished entirely, chimneys and fences
torn down, plate glass broken and other
smaller items.
The wind seems to have been divided
into two parts before it struck town, one
part coming in about the Alliance mill,
in the southeastern part of town, and the
other first striking in the extreme south
western corner of the city limits.
The first struck the Alliance mill. I'M
roofing the main building and engine
room and blowing the lower warehouse
from its blocks, taking the "oof with It.
The damage done at the mill to the build
ing and machinery will amount TO several
thousand dollars.
The next structure struck by this di-
vision of the storm was a hay Wal ehouse,
which was blown onto the railroad tracks
and almost demolished.
The oil mill, further down the railroad,
was next struck, taking the roof off and
blowing in the southern wall, covering up
and completely running the engine. The
loss here is estimated at $4,000.
From here the cyclone seemed to have
risen, as nothing else has been as yet re-
ported as struck in its direct path.
The other part of the storm strrck first
in the southwestern portion of town and
twisted trees and shrubbery into pieces.
Two houses of Charley Roarks were
blown off their blocks. Damage not re-
ported.
a house belonging to u man named
Lusters, in southwestern part of town,
was also damaged.
At r.. c.. Williams. on Sycamore street,
an. clubhouse was twisted from its founda-
1ion, fences and chimneys blown and
trees pulled out by the roots.
On Elm street chimneys and trees were
blown down and Judge Blount's house
seriously damaged and the Emmanuel
Baptist church was demolished.
The steeple of the First Baptist church
was brushed off as if it were a feather,
and roofs at livery stable near by were
also lifted off by the immense force.
On the northeast corner of the square
the awnings of the Metropolitan Cafe
were torn down and blown into the
street, and the postoffice roof was lifted
off and the Office flooded with water, all
the mail being saturated.
W. q. Evans d Sons store WAS Hooded
and stock damaged.
]. r. Schmitz' furniture was also flood
ed, the damage amounting to $1,000, esti-
mated.
The May building, roof and awning,
were torn down.
b. f. Paschal, Simmons Bros, A. Il.
Graham & Co. and ]. a. Longs stores,
all on the east side, were flooded, and
Willis Simmons was struck by a flying
sign and knocked senseless. He was only
slightly injured, however.
This is the only injury so far reported.
although X. e. Medley had an almost
miraculous escape from death.
Other losses are:
II. T.. Lobdell's house, on East Hickory
street, blown down and floor punched out:
l.. Fullton's Office, on Oak street, roof
torn off and awnings blown away; two
houses near fair grounds, roofs blown off;
house in north part of town blown over;
Will Foreman's house, on Hickory street,
knocked away.
In the Graham building, to illustrate
the force of the storm, Il 2X6 scantling
was driven through the roof in two
places, and Axe was driven through the
Brooks houses, in southeastern portion
of town. were blow down, and ]. w.
Jagoo's barn, near there, was almost to-
tally destroyed. 1t is feared here that
much damage to both life and property
has been done west of here, as it was
from that direction the most of the force
came.
Conductors on incoming trains report
telegraph poles down in many places.
Conductor Turney tells that four houses
were blown down at kellers.
A dispatch from Aubrey says stem did
not strike that place.