The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-06
TORNADO in THE SOUTH
SEVERAL PEOPLE KILLED AND MANY
INJURED IN GEORGIA.
Many Narrow Escapes-HOuses and
Barns NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of Ala
bama and Tennessee Affected.

ATHENS, Tenn, March "a tornado
passed over a portion of Madisonville and
Monroe county last night with disastrous
results. Early in the evening a strong wind
arose and several hours later a tornado,
with path about seventy yards wide,
struck a portion of Madsonville, killing
three persons, wounding ten twelve
others and destroying twelve or fifteen
houses and several barns. The killed are:
Mr.. and Mrs. Jack Moser and Edward L.
Horton. The wounded: Miss Willie Erwin
Miss Della Mason. Mrs. Z. l.. Horton, Mrs.
l.. A. Robinson, Mr.. l. A. Robinson, Ho-
bert Robinson, Miss Rodgers, Mr.. Moser and
Prof. Charles Kelly.
The Horton and Robinson residences are
both wrecks, not one timber being left above
another on the foundations. The escape of
the inmates of those two houses. eight in
the Horton and three in the Robinson,
seems marvellous, some of them I eng blown
a distance of one hundred yards, yet escap-
ing in some cases without scratch. w.
+. Ervin's residence had one end torn away;
Dillon Rogers house is almost wreck;
Erskine Lowry's residence moved a distance
of ten feet and was almost wrenched cut of
shape. Telephone and telegraph wires are
blown down and all communication shut off,
The storm came up with alarming sud-
denness and swept everything in it's path
1t was accompanied by the terrific roar
usually attending cyclones. Frightened in
habitants rushed for their cellars and places
of safety. In the country great damage
was done to orchards and crops py the wind
and hail. 1t is reported that further casual
ties resulted in outlying rural districts, but
no particulars can be obtained.
KNOXVILLE. Tenn, March 5.-The most
frightful feature of the terrible Madison
vile tornado was the manner i'm which Jack
Moser met his death. He was hurled by the
winds force from his house a distance of
seven hundred yards, until his progress was
impeded by wire fence, which completely
severed his head from the body. The re-
mains were found in that condition by the
reScuing party, which did faithful work
after the storm had subsided. The little
twelve-year-old son of Mr.. and Mrs Moser
was in their home with them, but he was
blessed with miraculous escape, not re-
ceiving a scratch. Hugh Hicks and Charles
Pierce were also seriously injured In addi-
ton to the loss OF life and the destruction
of residence property that has been reported
barns were swept away and stock killed.
The wood working and milling plant of j.
H. buTleSOn was also udmagGQ, together
with the costly machinery contained there
in. The property damaged is not secured
by storm insurance and is believed 10 be
a total loss. 1t is believed that Miss
Rodgers, who is reported as seriously in
Jured, may die, on account OF her body
having been lacerated by cuts inflicted by
broken panes of glass. She was also badly
bruised and injured internally.
Reports from upper East Tennessee points
are to the effect that a heavy windstorm
prevailed yesterday and was accompanied
by terrific rains. The rains die untold dam
age TO crops in that section and il is con-
servatively estimated that this torrent.
coupled with the recent freeze and bad
weather will mean a loss of a million dol
lars to farmers in that section.
Dispatches from Marielton, Elberton,
Winner, Gainesville and elsewhere in
Georgia, say the storm did much damage,
but no loss of life is reported. Many build
ings suffered and window glass was broken
by huge hailstones.