Gilpin observer., 1903-06-04
one HUNDRED DEAD
TERRIFIC TORNADO STRIKES
GAINESVILLE, Ga.
Eighty Lives Lost in One and Thirty
Five In Second Mili-Many Of TIC
Dead Buried Under peb:ir-some
Bodies Being Recovered.


Bodies Being Recovered.
Gainesville, Ca, June 2.-Withia the
space of two minutes tornado dealt
death and destruction to the city OF
Gainesville and environs. killing at
least 100 people, woundin2 $50 more,
leveling 100 cottages to the ground
and tearing two stories off the factory
of the Gainesville cotton mill or the
killed, probably two-thirds were wom-
en- and children, who were operatives
in the cotton mills. The death list
includes only about six negroes. The
storm came from the south, out Of al
most a clear sky.
| Eighteen persons were killed in the
city between the center OF the town
and the railroad station, where four
large stores were blown down. The
cotton mill was a three-story building
The first story was left standing. but
badly wrecked. The second and third
floors were completely demolished
and the employees were caught under
the wreckage and mangled.
| 1t Is estimated that there are at
least seventy-five bodies under the
wreckage of the third floor. and it is
not known how many persons on the
second floor of the building were
killed. The roof of the electric car
barn was lifted and the building badly
damaged. The depot suffered also.
Among the dead are: Mrs. Marshall
Camp and child. Jack Murphy, aged
twelve. son of Widow Murphy; Utah
Jackson. Ethel Lyle, Annie Garrett,
Claude Shedd.
The wife and daughter of W. B,
Sloan were fatally injured.
Nearly every employe in the Gaines
vile cotton mills was killed. includ-
ing large number of children The
Southern depot was blown down. The
Gainesville iron works were demol-
ished and several people perished in
the wreck. The Gainesville cotton oil
mills were blown down. The old
Piedmont hotel was razed and half
dozen or more people were killed In
1t. The Richmond hotel was wrecked
and several perished along with it.
One hundred and twenty-five cottages,
a school house and q church were
|
town. Five brick stores on the main
street of Gainesville were swept away.
The furious wind next struck the
plant OF the Pacolet cotton mills at
New Holland, two miles from here.
This is one of the largest cotton mills
In the south. employing more than 500
hands. The storm spared the Pacoet
factory. but entirely demolished 100
Of its cottages. standing near, and
tenanted by its operatives. Here the
fatalities were greatest, upwards of
thirty-fve persons being buried in the
ruins of the cottages. Bodies were
blown hundreds of yards and many
of them. when picked up, bore no sem
blance to humanity.
From New Holland the tornado
swept onward to the east in the direc-
ton of White Sulphur, a town of about
100 persons. The extent Of its de-
struction there can not be definitely
ascertained. but reports so far re-
ceived indicate considerable loss OF
life. The bodies of most of the dead
in the two cotton mills were fearfuIly
torn and mangled. The skulls of
many were crushed and the limbs
broken. Some were torn and crushed
about the abdomen.
The death list is expected to be of
much greater magnitude. as nearly
thirty of the $50 injured are believed
to be hurt beyond hope of recovery.
The loss. 1t is now estimated. will
reach about 100000. The most serious
are the Gainesville cotton mills. s50.-
900. and the Pacolet mills. 100000
The other losses of individuals and
firms range from $1,000 and less up
wards.
PRESIDENTS JOURNEY EAST.