The Penn's Grove record., 1904-01-29
CYCLONE WRECKS TOWN
Over Thirty-fve People Perish at
Moundsville, Ala.
BLOWN TO ATOMS
property Scattered Over a Distance of
Ten Miles = Railroad Cars form to
splinters and CARRIED Away by the
Fierce storin-rartial List of the Dead
-soMe of the Escapes Miraculous.


Fierce storin-rartial List of the Dead
~SoMe of the Escapes Miraculous.
Tuscaloosa, Ala.-The most disas-
trous cyclone that ever visited this sec
tion swept over Moundvllle, Ala, a
town of 300 Inhabitants, fifteen miles
south of Tuscaloosa and as a result
over thirty-ive persons were killed,
more than 100 injured, and every BUSH
ness house in the town, with the ox-
ception of one small drug store, was
completely destroyed.
Among those killed were Fl. P. sey-
mour, of Nashville, Tenn, operator in
the railroad station; A. H. Warren, of
Birmingham, of the Alabama Grocery
Company; J.. X. Redmond, of Nash
vile, superintendent of the pumping
station, and thirty-four negro men and
women, including w. FL. Mines, his
wife and six children, who were bat
tered to death against the walls Of
their cabin.
In the valley of a little creek near
the Alabama Great Southern Railroad
were forty cabins. They were dem0l-
iShed into kindling wood and not al
occupant escaped injury. The Mounds
vile Hotel, which was near the depot,
was almost ground into splinters. 1t
IA a two-story house, the rooms
above being reserved for transient
guests. Five of these We're torn into
ch.aIc o.,l. 41,n;u f>aIsoc xrropa ,toJ~ol
up some distance from IL hotel site.
The tornado struck the village when
all were asleep. 1t was not preceded
by any disturbing sign. Down to the
south of the railroad, six miles, the
wind seemed to have gathered its
strength. Tearing down a barn. it
moved harmlessly, so far as human
life was concerned, until it reached
Mcnndsville.
The residents were awakened by the
crashing of timbers, the roaring sounds
of the giant storm, mingled with
scream of inhabitants. There was not
any time for preparation, no lights to
see by, no hand to give assistance.
1t was quick in it's work. In a min
ute after its attack it was gone. Then
the flashes OF lightning lit up scenes
of horror. Its path was a quarter of
a mile in width and its spiral thrusts
lay close to the earth.
Few of the 300 inhabitants escaped
harm. Torn particles of flesh were
scattered through the timbers as chat.
Bodies were picked up half a mile
away. Many of the wounded were
rescued from the debris with difficulty.
The depot was blown down, and the
operator, who slept in the warehouse,
was killed instantly. A freight train
that was approaching the switch was
derailed, one of it's ears being de-
tached and blown furiously against a
group of standing oaks. A fiat car,
loaded with cotton bales, standing on a
spur, was picked up and blown Over
tree tops. Small bits of cotton lint
Heck surrounding bushes, resembling
the effects of a snowstOrm.
The little drug store is the only build |
ing that was left standing. Next door
to it was a one-stOry residence, con- |
a family of six. In the black
of the morning the father, mother |
md three children went out the door, |
a five-yeaf-oid son behind. The |
BOY was rescued later. having been
pulled from a pile of timbers. None
Of the others have been heard from.
It is presumed they are dead.
One woman was blown into al open |
we'll, where she was afterwards drawn |
)ut uninjured. Some of the escapes
as il miracles had been per-
Tents were rushed from Tuscaloosa, |
fifteen miles away, as soon as news of
he storm was received there. Twenty |
responded to the call for
lelp, and in addition dozens of stu |
Tents from the University of Alabama
ode horseback over fallen timbers to
he stricken village.
North of Moundsyille, where there
ire numerous settlements, the tornado |
wrecked houses and blew fences away.
The news of the death of five persons |
outside Of Moundsville has been veri-
led. That there are many more to be
is regarded as a certainty.
The Alabama Great Southern Rail |
DAD tracks are congested with wreck
zee.
Subscription lists are being started
n adjacent towns, and 100 women
rom Tuscaloosa have gone to Mounds |
lille to nurse the injured.
All of North Alabama was visited by
windstorms, accompanied by
heavy rainfalls. Hundreds Of farms
we're damaged, bridges swept away, |
killed and forest trees leveled
With the. ground. But it was in Hale
county where the wind developed into
hat dynamic force that was most
leadly to human beings.