Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-04-03
SOUTHERN STATES
SWEPT BY STORM
Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia We're
Visited Friday by a ClOudburSt,
Accompanied by Lightning.
HARTMAN DESTROYED BY FLOOD
Number of Lives Lost Not Yet
Known.
RAILROADS AND FARMS INUNDATED

Chattanooga, Tenn, March ga
furious storm ragged in this city and it's
vicinity for short while last night,
the rainfall being phenomenal, almost
amounting to cloudburst, accom-
panied by lightning. Local electric
lines were obstructed in their opera
tions for a few hours, telegraph lines
were blown down, and for the space of
an hour there was the greatest anxiety
for life and property. Today the sky is
clear.
Reports recsived from stations on
the Tennessee River and its tributaries
indicate that at the points above here
the rainfall was heavy enough to Justify
the prediction of freshet of consider
able proportions. Some Of the smaller
streams tributary to the Tennessee are
out of their banks and still rising.
The crest of the tide will probably
reach here Monday.
Railroad wires along all lines are
down, and the reports received here to-
day are meagre. The bridge on the
main line of the Nashville, Chattanooga
d ST. Louis railroad at Mammoth
Ford, between Nashville and Tulla-
homa, was washed away, and no trains
are operating on that road today There
were also several washouts on the road.
Trains which left here for Nashville
last night went as far as Tullahoma
and turned back, arriving here this
morning. 1t is given out today that
nearly 5000 feet of track near La
Fayette, Ga, on the Chattanooga,
Rome & Southern railway, was washed
away, and that several hundred feet of
the Cincinnati Southern track near
Graysville, Tenr., suffered like fate.
Heavy damage in the town of Muir
freeshoro, Tenn, by cyclone is reported,
but telephone and telegraph'wires are
down, and no direct details have been
obtained here.
HARKTMAS DESTROYED BY FLOOD.
A special from Hartman, Tenn,
to the News says:
Hartman was destroyed by the
food, on account of he overflow of the
Emery River. The damage is estimated
at a quarter of million dollars. 1t is
reported that two lives were lost, and
many more are supposed to have been
drowned. 1t is estimated that from 40
to 80 houses at Oakdale and Hartman
were washed away. The tunnel at
junction, on the Cincinnati Southern
railway, foil in. The plant of the
Vestel Lumber Co. was destroyed, the
Hoe and Tool Co. IS plant WIS badly
damaged, the planning mill was wrecked
and the tannery suffered heavily. The
floating lumber, houses and debris
knocked down part of the bridge, and
washed it away. The loss at Hartman
is terrible. The telephone lines are
damaged. -
The Rev. James Grove of the Will
mington NJ. K. Conference and former
pastor of Asbury Church, this city,
went to Hartman year ago to become
assistant superintendent OF the Ameri-
can University. Ed. G.
PEOPLE FORCED TO FLEE.
Knoxville, Tenn, March %. A
special from Coal Creek, in the mining
district, to the Sentinel, says that town
was partially flooded last night. Many
people had to leave their homes, in
which water was rising.
Three bridges on the railroad to the
coal mines were damaged so that trains
cannot pass over them. Heavy wash
outs occurred on the Knoxville & Ohio
branch of the Southern railway be-
tween Jellico and Coal Creek, delaying
all traffic between Louisville and Knox
Vile.
GREAT DAN1A%E IN ALABAMA.
Gadsden, Ala. March 29 The hard
est rain in years fell last night. Some
sections of the city were under water
from two to four feet deep this morn
ing. The city was in darkness all
night, the powerhouse being flooded.
The damage to crops is very great.
FARMS BADLY DAMAGED.
Rome, Ga, March %. Two washouts
were reported this morning on the At
lanta division of the Southern railway
near Silver Creek. Great damage was
done to farms by last nights tremend-
Gus rainfall.
ELEMENTS ON A RAMPAGE IN OHIO.
Athens, o., March 81. The most
destructive windstorm in years visited
Athens yesterday. Great quantities of
hail fell.
Half the roof of new hotel was torn
off. The Office of the Athens Journal
was demolished.
TWO VICTIMS OF LIGHTNING.
Grown Point, Ind, March 31.-A
holt of lightning, during storm yes
terday, struck the farmhouse of Christie
pher Larsen, near this city, and set fire
to the structure.
The bodies of Mrs. Larsen and her
10-years- old daughter were found in the
ruins, burned to crisp.
HURRICANE IN LOUISIANA.
Isbell, La, March 3l..-A hurricane
struck Ishell last Friday night, blow
ing down houses, churches, fences and
everything else in its path, causing
several thousand dollars of damage.
The Methodist and Baptist churches
were totally wrecked. A dwelling was
demolished, and several houses were
damaged. A cedar tree about IL inches
in diameter, which stood within two
feet of a feed warehouse, was twisted
off about five feet above the ground and
blown through the house, landing on
the opposite side of the street. The
North Alabama railroad depot was
blown off its foundations, tearing the
freightroom to pieces.