The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-03-28
VICTIMS OF A TORNADO.
Il Carries Death and Desolation to
Birmingham, Ala.
TWENTY-FIVE DEAD, MANY HURT


Bounds, Leaving Destruction wher-
ever IL Ts1ched the Earth.
Birmingham. Ala. March 26.-Short-
" before 10 o'clock yesterday forenoon
. fearful tornado swept over the south
srn section of this city, travelling In an
easterly direction. The number Of
killed is estimated at Is. Only ive of
them are white. The destruction of
property is placed at $3.50. 1000. Eighteen
bodies had been recovered from the
debris, and scores of injured have been
removed to the hospitals.
Among the dead are: DR.. G. C. Chap
man. Of the Arm Of Tally & Chapman,
who conduct q private infirmary in
this city; wife and infant son Of Hon.
Robert H. Lowe, chairman Of the DEM
ocratic state executive committee: un-
known carpenter, struck by flying tim
Der; J. Alexander. little daughter OF
B. B. Hudson. ]. Myro, Carrie Hudson.
Maggie Blevins. Carrie Henry, Lizzie
Glenn and B. B. Hudson's cook. The
last six are colored.
Fatally injured: Mrs. B. II. Thomas,
Mrs. w. H. Thomas. Mrs. d. d. Nc
Laughlin. Mrs. J. Ferguson, Mrs. My
lum and Carrie Elma (colored). OF the
others injured six have broken arms
and one colored woman has an arm
and leg broken. One badly fractured
arm must be amputated.
The storm struck the city in the ex-
treme southwestern corner and plowed
its way eastward, leaving a path $50
feet wide through the entire south
ern section, and continued its course
on until its fury was spent in the
mountains beyond lrondale, small
town six miles east Of the city.
The morning dawncd cloudy and sui
try and grew more threatening as the
day advanced. Clouds began to gather
and shortly after 3 o'clock sharp light
ming flashed from the southwest. The
air became heavy and sitting. The
velocity of the wind suddenly began
to increase and soon the dreaded fun
nel-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 realized
what had happened.
The altitude of the cyclone was not
more than rs feet. The negro shanties
and cottages in the lowlands in the
path of the storm were The principal
sufferers. The larger residences on the
higher ground suffered only slightly.
The large trees on the hillside of the
OF Ninnant'c hnSpitn1 n hv
the roots, and large masses of stone
were twisted out of the ground and
broken and scattered all over the
driveways of the entrance to the insti-
tuition. ....
From Eighth to Tenth street the
wind bounded like rubber ball and
when 1t again descended 1t struck a
twO-stOry house occupied by Joseph
Busenhelner and almost razed 1t to
the ground. The 11-year-old daughter
OF John Krunzey. rolling mill man,
was caught under the debris and Sc
verely injured. A house occupied by
Taylor Hinson, near by, was unroofed
and three small negro houses demol-
ished. Onward the wind sped in its
fury, demolshing trees and fences,
until it reached Eleventh street, where
house occupied by John Hayes was
levelled to the ground. Swimming close
to the earth it swept through a small
pine grove. tearing the trees up by
the roots and hurling them through
the air like arrows.
Beyond the grove the storm cloud
swooped down on a negro settlement
and the frai cabins were crushed like
eggshells, not one being left in the
pathway of the storm. Carrie Elma, d
negro, was buried beneath the debris.
but most OF the negroes escaped with
slight injuries. Eastward the storm
swept, cutting its way through an
other strip of woods, striking the Sec
ond Presbyterian church at the corner
of Avenue H and Fifteenth street, de-
molishing the structure. The pews
were piled on top Of the debris. A
small oak table, which was used on
the rostrum, was deposited on the top
most point of the wreckage.
The storm then struck the more
thickly settled residence portion of the
city and its work of destruction in
creased. Almost a clean sweep was
made of the district lying between
Eighteenth and Twentieth streets and
Avenues H and |, two blocks. Here
the scene IS one of complete demolition
The frame cottages were reduced to
flattened piles of debris: every tree,
large or small, was either crushed
down or uprooted, and fallen telephone
poles and their tangle of wires made
mass Of destruction.
Onward the cyclone swept. and at
lrondale again repeated its work of
destruction. Up to this writing sew
eral bodies had been recovered. A
number of injured were reported, and
great property loss was entailed.
Besemer, Pratt City, Ensley, North
Birmingham and other suburban towns
were visited by the storm, and in each
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 Powdsrly there was also much dam
age and destruction, and at Cleveland
Mrs. George HIATT was struck by light
ming and will probably die. -
Carnegie For Mayor of New York.