The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-03-24
A TORNADO'S TRACK.
1t Wipes Out Family in Cleburne
County, Ala.
SOUTHERN RAILWAY IS SUBMERGED.
Three Freight Trains Wrecked ~ Ada, Wa.
damage by "a Tornado IN Mlssisripui--
A Horse Causes wreok--Uyclone
Down In Georgia.


nado struck the belt of country lying
between Helm and Edwardsville in
Cleburne county Saturday afternoon
and wrought great damage. The fol-
lowing is n list of the dead so far as
known: Lewis Coffee, aged So, tax
assessor of Cleburne county, and the
following members of his family: Mrs.
Coffee, aged 80; Leila, aged %; James,
aged 20; Lulu, aged Is; Jacob, aged 10;
Devepoe, aged s; Dollie, aged 10; Gro
yer, aged 8; John, aged 4, and un-
known woman, near Holm Many
other people were more or lees seri-
ously injured. The path of the storm
was about 200 yards wide and it ira
versed the country for - miles, begin
ming in the northern part of Cleburne
county, near Iron City, and moved
southwark. Those who saw il say
there was an immense funnel shaped
cloud and that it bounded along like
rubber ball, rising at intervals and
leaping for several hundred yards
without doing any damage Then,
when it descended, it would pick up
houses and crush them to pieces, up
root trees or twist them off level with
bhG kIOunN anu SWttD hll OtlpIt lls
Lewis Coifee's residence, strong
double log house, situated on n little
hill, was in the path of the storm. 1t
was swept away and the timbers scat
tered for mile. Ten of its IL occu-
pants were instantly killed. Except
the body of the baby, which was
found under the ruins of the chimney,
the corpses of the victims were car
ried half mile and nine of them
were found heaped together Every
body had been stripped of their cloth
ing. One was twisted around IA stump
and two others were headless. Beside
the body Of the father lay Bessie Cof-
fee, the only member of the family
not instantly killed. She was uncon-
scious and her arms were around her
dead fathers neck. She is unable to
talk and will die.
1t is estimated that about 80 build
ings were destroyed; between 20 aud
% persons were injured and over a
score of farms devastated. The storm
lost its force just south Of Hoflin, near
which place a dozen buildings were
wrecked The path of the cyclone
presents terrible scene of havoc
Tim bers of wrecked houses are scat
tered in every direction. Some were
carried high into the air and others
were driven deep into the ground or
through trees. Many head of cattle
were killed. One dead COW was found
with a single driven through her
back.
TRACKS UNDER WATER.
Knoxville, Tenn, March 2O-Heavy
rainfalls for several days past are now
beginning to manifest their results.
The Southern railway has suffered
considerable damage to its tracks
between this city and Asheville, N c.,
Bristol, Tenn, and Chattanooga,
Tenn. The tracks have been sub
merged and partially washed out for
distance of five miles near Asheville.
All traffic on the Asheville branch has
been suspended. The damage to the
Chattanooga branch has been tempo
rarily repaired Tho Tennessee river
at this city is ~ feet above low water
and is rising rapidly. A spring freshet
is feared.
THREE TRAINS WRECKED.
Roanoke, Va, March 20 "A fatal
wreck occurred on the Norfolk q
Western railroad at Ada Yesterday
morning, killing Fireman VanLand
ingham, of this city, and brakeman
named Il. A. Graham. A tramp was
also killed. Several trainmen were
more or less injured. Three freight
trains were wrecked. All were com
ing east. The first train had stopped
The second broke in two and the sec
tions in their flight down the mountain
side crashed into the first train. They
were soon followed by the third, which
had not been tagged
TORNADO IN MISSISSIPPI.
Iuka, Miss, March 20.-A severe
tornado passed over a part of thii
county seven miles south of here a
four o'clock Saturday afternoon, blow
ing down three buildings on the Hodg
farm and injuring two persons Tn,
storehouse of John Hastings at River
ton junction was destroyed and "A box
car was blown from the track. A
Bethlehem, Miss, VIII Wicke's hous
was destroyed and child killed.
stable is said to have been blown 10
wards with u horse in it, but the hors,
was uninjured.
HORSE CAUSES WRECK.
Auburn, Cal, March 20-.A horse oil
the railroad track near Clipper GA
switch was the primary cause of
railroad accident in which two train
men were lsilled and third seriousl,
injured. Westbound freight trail
No. struck the horse with the resul
that the first engine of the train wa
ditched and its boiler broken. Tn
engineer and fireman were scalded t
death and an engineer helper wa
badly burned.
CYCLONE IN GEORGIA.
Atlanta, Ga, March 2O,-A specia
to the Constitution from Waynesborc
Ca, says a cyclone passed over BurlS
county at two o'clock yesterday morn
ing. In the vicinity of Waynesbor
four people were killed Severa
houses were demolished and mus