The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-02
CYCLONE
STRIKES The SOUTH
CONTINUED from First Page3

Is difficult to obtain n coherent description
OF its character. 1t appears to have swept
down from the Southwest. striking the
Gainesville mills with roar like artil-
lery. After lifting two stories from this
structure, 1t swept on to the northward,
leaving n trail Of destruction along Sum-
nit Street. which Is inhabited almost
exclusively by negroes. Nearly hundred
cottages Of colored people on this street
were levelled to the ground. but by a FOR
tunate circumstance tho tenants were all
absent, having left the city in the morn
ing to take part In n negro picnic.
The furious wind next descended on the
plant of tho Pa!ocet cotton mills at New
Holland. two miles from the Southern
station. This is one of the largest cotton
mills In tho South, employing moro than
600 hands. The storm spared tho Pacolet
factory, but entirely demolished hun
dred of its cottages, standing nearby and
tenanted by the operatives. Here the
fatalities were greatest. upwards of thir-
ty-fve persons were buried In the ruins OF
the cottages. Bodies were blown hundreds
of yards. and many Of them when picked
up bore no Eemblance to humanity. The
trunk Of one young boy was found with
the head decapitated as II by gulllo-
tine.
At New Holland the cyclone swept on
the east toward White Sulphur, town
| OIL dDuuL sOO peOpIe' liC SANCht W 80
destruction there cannot be definitely
| told, but reports Indicate considerable loss
Of life
FBARFULLY AfANGLED.
The bodies of most of the dead In the
two cotton mills We're fearfully torn and
mangled; the skulls of many OF them were
crushed and tho limbs broken; some were
torn and crushed about tho abdomen. with
the vlscera visbly protruding. The local
physicians, who gave first aid to the In
| jured. say the sights were horrible be-
You'd description Tho death list Is ex-
pccted to BIO OF much greater magnitude
by morning, as nearly thirty are beloved
| to have been hurt beyond recovery.
| Gainesville has only twelve local ply
| sicians. and their services were found
| to be entirely inadequate to the situation
Surgeons came In tonight, however, from
| Atlanta and several other points go that
the number in the city Is now about forty.
and all possible attention Is being given
| the injured.
At meeting tonight of physician.s.
newspaper men and citizens of Gainesville
n relief committee was formed, with
Supplies will DO rushed into the stricken
cityrns rapidly as possible. Gainesville
| feels able to take care OF the needs OF
the suffering people, but unless supplies
ere received much distress Is likely TO
result, as tho dead and fatally Injured
ana mutuatcd were almost without ex-
ception dependent upon their daily labor
for support.
The property loss rs now estimated.
will reach about 100000. The following Is
a partial tabulatlon. as nearly correct
| M can be obtained at this time:
| Gainesville Cotton Mills, $4,000; Pacolet
Cotton Mil, 100000; Gainesville Cotton
OH Company, $4,000; Gainesville Iron
| Works, 5000; Southern Railway. $1,000;
Il. T. Moore. $500: ]. r. Clark, 500; MIS-.
l phn. r "a
| and schroggs. $4,000 3. p. Langford,
81, coo; Piedmont Hotel. $500; w. ,, Sloan,
$4,000; T. n. Waters, 5000; Gainesville
and Dahlone Electric Railway Company,
81, O0o Robert Howington. 81 600; Joe Rela.
Sc OGO; Mrs. u. II. Little. $500; ,. G. Parks,
81, 900; ]. II. Duckett. $500, and various 9th
err losses, running from 500 to $1,000