The age-herald., 1901-03-28

While the tragedies of the storm con- tinue to be the one theme of conversa- tion in Birmingham homes, and little else Is discussed in the drawing rooms, In the street cars, in the shops, at the crossings of the streets, at the clubs, at the Lenten services. the pathetic sto- ries of the disaster emphasize all the stronger the miraculous escape of thou sands of persons whose homes are so near the storm-swept district That the path of the cyclone was a narrow one and that Birmingham was not the scene of devastation that other cities have known Is also a theme on every ones So that while this tragedy and the other is being discussed one moment, the next finds some one speaking in a spirit of spared.
 The storm had come and disappeared so quickly that numbers of persons could not believe the stories that reached them soon after the disastrous results became known
 Its lightning-like speed can be judged by the fact that many persons were out driving in their traps and were unable to reach any shelter.
 A party of Birmingham people who had Just returned to the city attempted to reach their homes but a few moments after they left the railway station, they encountered the awful results of the storm that had spent its fury but few moments ago. In the track of the cyclone law a devastated district. A net work of wires meant death to all that attempt ed to cross them Great poles lay across the wide avenues and beyond were the fallen timbers of hundreds of homes. But in the districts so near and yet so far women went serenly about their house. hold duties, little dreaming they were in close proximity of the path of a disas- trous storm. When later on disconnected stories reached them of the disaster they were incredulous
 When inquiry were conveyed to them over the telephones concerning their safety they answered with absolute gaiety. They treated it all as a huge joke.
 bo SLUT w lldI SlOTHl. All 1 safe?" And they laughed immoderately. Had everybody gone crazy, and what could it all mean? They could not com prehend it. Then later on cheeks grew paler and hearts beat on in suspense.
 This one was killed and another lay dying. The widest stories were circu- lated. and with the destruction to the telephone system, men and women grew frinzied at not being able to communicate with loved ones.
 But the excitement and suspense has been told in the news columns of the daily papers which have handled the de- tails of the storm so satisfactorily The incidents of the awful day, however, crowd out all other interests of the week and while there has been no occasion to bring people together, the entire city is still in gloom over the disaster and so- cial events would have played but little part in the days routine
 The havoc played by the storm in a number of Birminghams handsomest homes has been discussed with almost equal sadness as the results of the disas- ter among the humble homes
 The private residence of Mrs Pete Ba- sil Clark at Edgewood Is one of the most beautiful in the South. The interior is greatly damaged, and the handsome win dows above the beautiful stairway in the reception hall were completely demolish- ed. Mrs. Clark, from one of the apart ments in her residence, saw the great windows crushing in as If they were tis- sue paper. Everybody will be glad that the residence was not damaged as seri- ously as 1t might have been. Mrs Clark only recently gave up her apartments at the Florence and took possession again of her house. which had been occupied for some time by General and Mrs Shell ley and Miss Shelley. The Clark residence has long been the center of a charming hospitality, and It's passing would have meant that one of Birminghams most famous private residences had passed with the storm
 There was not a more artistic home in Birmingham than that of MT. and Mrs Peyton G. Bowman, Just opposite the Clark residence. It was built a few years ago on the site of the former resi- dence, which had been destroyed by fire. and it was not only architecturally beau tiful. but was furnished luxuriousiy
 The house was almost completely de- molished and the miraculous escape of Mrs Bowman will be discussed for days to come. She was blown the length of her dining room which Is an apartment twenty-three feet long. and the wind car ried her into the corridor beyond, the doors through which she passed being shattered, while back of her a huge chimney crushed in.
 TheNLowe residence. where the sad dest tragedy of the storm occurred was one of the handsomest furnished homes in Birmingham. Only this winter had the beauty of its interior been added to bv numberless rich curios from foreign lands. their home having been recently enriched by rare collection presented Mrs Lowe by some members of her fam fly who returned recently from abroad.