Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-03-29
A DEADLY TORNADO.
Alabama Towns Are In Shape
less Ruins.
APPALLING LIST OF DEAD AND INJURED
birmingham Hit Hnrd-Twcnty-Hve
KiIIcd-Scorcs Hurt. Many Of
Them FntaIIy-Henvy Loss
of Property.


BIRNIINGHAM. Ala, March 26-The
fearful tornado which swept over the
southern section of this city yesterday
morning caused fearful destruction to life
and property.
The number of killed is estimated at
%. Only five of them are white. The
destruction Of property is placed at $3.50,
600. Eighteen bodies have been recover
cd from the debris already, and scores of
injured have been removed to the hos
pitais.
Among the victims are DR. G. c. Chap
man Of the firm Of Tally Il Chapman,
who conduct Il private niirmary in this
city and the wife and infant child of
Hon. Robert j. Lowe. chairman of the
Democratic state executive committee.
The dead are DR.. G. c. Chapman, Mrs.
Robert J. Lowe. infant child of Mrs.
Lowe. j. Alexander. little daughter of Il.
Il. Hudson. +. Nstro, colored collector
Union Mutual association of Mobile; Car
RE Hudson. colored; Maggie Blcyins. col
orcd: Carrie Henry, colorcd; Lizzie
Glenn. colorcd: cook for b. Il. Hudson,
colorcd; unknown carpenter, struck by
flying lumber.
Thomas. Mrs. w. II. Thomas. Mrs. ID. D..
Mclaughlin. Mrs. j. Ferguson, Mrs. My
lum and Carrie Elm. colored.
The storm struck the city in the cx-
IRENE southwestern corner and plowcd its
way eastward. leaving a path 100 feet
wide through the entire southern section
extending from Green Springs on the
west to AvondalC on the east and CON
tinued its course on until its fury was
spent i'm the mountains beyond lrondale,
small town six miles east of the city.
Clouds began to gather and shortly
after . o'clock sharp lightning flashed
from the southwest. The air became
heavy and sitting. The velocity of the
wind suddenly began to increase. and
soon from out of the overcast sky the
dreaded funnel shaped cloud made its
descent. Hugging close to the earth, it
passed through the city in leaps and
bounds with terrific force and was away
/ to the east before people generally realiz-
ed what had happened.
The altitude of the cyclone was not
more than - feet. The negro shantes
and cottages in the loWlands in the path
| of the storm were the principal suffer
ers. The larger residences on the higher
ground suffered only slightly. The large
trees on the hillside of st. NinccntS hos
| pital were torn up by the roots and large
masses of stone were twisted out of the
ground and broken and scattered all over
/ the drivcways of the entrance to the in
| stitution.
Continuing in an eastward direction
the storm swept everything in its path
of - yards in width until it passed he
yond the city limits and struck the Lake
View hotel about Thirty fourth street
There We're no houses of any description
in its path after it had passeo--rA city
limits, and consequently there was nc
damage until it reached Avondac Just
south of AvOndalc a number of persons
were seriously injured and many house,
badly damaged
Onward the cyclone swept, and at Iron
dale again repeated its work of dcstruc
ton. Houses and fences were lcvcled Il
the ground, and up to this writing severa
bodies have been recovered. y number OF
injured were reported, and great property
loss was entailcd.
Bcsscmcr. Pratt City Ensley, Nortl
birmingham and other suburban towns
were visited 10y the storm and in eacl
of these places much destruction was
wrought, but no loss of life is reported
Many houses were demolished at Pratt
City. including number of churches.
At Powdcrly there was also much dam
age and destruction, and at ClevclanC
! Mrs. George HIATT was struck by light
| ming and will probably die