The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-03-29

- SNAOAO Az NAoNh lllS AlcIL AlAl5 d 1CoA-
full tornado swept over the southern
section of this city travelling in an
easterly direction.
The number of killed is estimated at
twenty-five, but only five of them are
white. The destruction Of property is
placed al $250,O00. Eighteen bodies
have been recovered from the debris
up to dark, and scores of injured have
been removed to the hospitals.
Among the dead are: DIR. G.. G.
Champman, of the firm Of Tally &
Chapman, who conduct a private in
Urinary in this city, and the wife and
infant child of of Hon. Robert J. Lowe,
chairman of the democratic state exec
utive committee.
Following is the list of identified
whites among the dead: DR.. G.. c.
Chapman, Mrs. Robert j. Lowe, infant
child of Mrs. Lowe, J. Alexander, lit
tie daughter of B. B. Hudson, un-
known carpenter struck by flying lum-
Der.
The storm struck the city in the ex-
IRENE southwestern corner and ploWed
its way eastward, leaving a path $50 feet
wide, through the entire southern sec
tion, extending from G~reensprings, on
the west, to Ayondale. on the east, a
continued it's course on until its fury
was spent in the mountains beyond
Avondale, a small town six miles east
of n city.
The morning dawned cloudy and sui
try and grew more threatening as the
day advanced. Clouds began to gather
and shortly after 8 o'clock sharp
lightning flashed from the southwest.
The air became heavy n sitting.
The velocity of the wind sud
denly began to increase and soon
from out of the overcast sky the
dreaded funnel shaped cloud made it's
descent. Hugging close tic the earth 1t
passed through the city in leaps and
bounds, with terrific force and was
away to the east before the people
generally realized what had happened.
The altitude of the cyclone was not
more than seventy-five feet. The negro
shanties and cottages in h town and
in the pass of h storm were the great
est sufferers. The larger residences
on the higher ground suffered but
slightly. The large trees on the nil
side of ST. Vincents hispital were torn
UP by the roots and large masses OF
stone We're twisted out Of the ground
and broken and scattered all over the
driveways of h entrance TO the insti-
tuition.
From ElRltl 10 ISnIn street, Tie
wind pounded like a rubber ball and
when it again descended it struck a two
story house occupied by Joseph Busen'
helnor and almost RACED 1t to tbs
ground. The 11-year-old daughter OF
ohm KrunZey. a rolling mill man, was
caught under h debris and severely
injured.
A house occupied by Taylor Hinson
nearby. was unroofed and three small
negro houses demolished.
Onward the wind sped in its fury, de
molishing trees and fences until /
reached Eleventh street where a mouse
occupied by John Hayes. was leVeled q
the ground, tearing the trees Up by tn
roots and hurled them through the al
like crows.
Beyond the grove the stormclouC
Swooped down on a negro settlement
and the frail cabins were crushed Xix
egg shells, not one being left in tn
pathway of the storm. Carrie Elma,
negro, was buried beneath the DEBRIS
but most of the negroes escaped wit
slight injuries. Eastward the Storr
swept, cutting it's way through an
other strip of woods. striking the Sec
and Presbyterian church at the corne
of Avenue H and Fifteenth street, de
moliShing the structure. The pew
were piled or top Of the debris. :
small oak table. which was used on tn
rostrum, was deposited on the topmos
point of the wreckage.
East of the church. directly in tn
tornado's path, in another negro sci
telnent. much havoc was TrouSl
among the frail shacks. seven of whic
were swept away. a number of sma
houses were leveied etwee SiXteent
and Seventeenth strtS.
TIL storm then struck the mor
thickly settled residence portion of III
city and it's work of destruction il
creased A cottage occupied 3
Fred Schaefer, Nc. 1914 South Eigl
teenth street, n a small frar.e builC
ing a few doors north occupied b. ]
H. Stewart, were badly damaged. a
most a clean sweep was made Of tn
district lying between Eighteenth an
Twentieth streets and Avenues II ar
1.-TWO blocks. Here the scene is one
complete demolition. The frame co
tages were reduced to fatlened piles
debris; every tree, large or small, W
either crushed down or uproOted. ar
felIen telephone poles and their tang
of wires made a mass OF ~estruction.
The row of small cottages frOntir
east on Ninenteentn street bstwet
Avenues III and 1 were fiattened GU
Not any of the occupants had warni-
were unable to escape from the
homes before the storm wrecAd theI
They made their escape from the ptl
o. wreokage by their y efforts
were rescued by workers after L
StCIn.
The house on the corner CT Mn
tenth street and Avenue ], in tn
block, was occupied by w, ". Merritt
a member of the fire department, al
his family a wife and two small cht
dren. All were rescued with no mo
serious INJURIES than a few bruise
The second house was occupied by 4
family of Edward Mann. They we
rescued slightly injured. The thi1
house was occupied by Roy McCU
Tough and Charles Robinson and the
families. These were rescued bad
bruised up.
The fourth house was occupied |
Captain y. D. Johnston and his daug.
ter. They were caught in one corner
a room, the only part of the house lie
standing, and after the storm pass
made their way out. The last house
the row was the property of D. McRa