Omaha daily bee., 1906-03-04
Twenty-Four Persons Are More or Less
Injured,
PROPERTY LOSS ONE MILLION DOLLAR
Twelve Blocks in Business Center Of City
Devastated,
WORK OF RELIEF BEGINS PROMPTLY
Citizens Subscribe Ss,GDo to Aid Needy
and state Gives S5,UOI-Convicts
Assist In Clearing Away
Debris,

MERIDIAN, Miss, March S.-Nineteen
people are known to nave been killed as
result Of the tornado which swept over
a section of this city shortly after o clock
last evening. Twenty-four persons were
injured and property with an estimated
value OF N.OOo00 was destroyed. Twelve
blocks In the very center Of the business
section were swept away and not one hous.
OF any consequence along Front street
was left standing. In the terror and CON
fusion following the storm reports of an
appalling loss of life were current but
after a careful canvass of the situation
tonight the following list of dead appears
to be complete:
PATRICK MGINNIS conductor, Mobile
q Ohio
CLlr. EDWARDS. haginan.
]. =. TARRY.
MRS, ELLA SINGLETON AND LITTLU
GRANDDAUGHTER.
MIR STEWART AND LITTLE son OF
Cottondale.
MRS. SMITH of Cottondale.
CLAUDE WILLIAMS.
b. r. ELMlRE.
SEVEN COLORED PEOPLE
Among the injured are:
- Shererr. clerk. New Orleans &
/ Northeastern freight depot.
w. ]. Woodside, cash cut In head se-
VIII 1dEpIbukH 'lPTh III ltSNduIdHN' HhtA
Frank Woodruff of Anniston Ala. booiS-
keeper for the Meyer-Neville Hardware
W. A. Garrett. night clerk Cameron's
restaurant leg broken and otherwise
Grady stone colored, leg broken and
-@ Dean. operator. Mobile h Ohio.
Colonel Charles Elmre. injured about
| head and back.
The sixteen clerks in the Queen Cres-
( cent office who were reported killed have
| all been accounted for.
Relief work Begins.
| mass meeting of citizens Of Meridian
was called today and 5000 was Immediately
subscribed to aid the destitute and in
jured. The Mississippi legislature, in ses-
sion at Jackson. today appropriated S5n'
to the relief fund Governor Vardaman at
noon secured a special train and, LOADING
! IL with convicts from the Rankin county
! farm. dispatched 1t at once to Meridian.
The city now enjoys the unique spectacle
/ of state convicts aiding In the rescue
work.
Business is practically suspended and
every citizen is giving his best effort
toward alleviating the suffering.
The tornado appeared In the southwest at
6:27 o'clock last evening. low, funnel
shaped cloud was seen to form near the
city. A heavy rain had been falling when
suddenly the humidity became intense
with roar that could he heard great
distance the storm descended upon the city
The greatest loss Of life IL reported from
the east end. in what is known as the cot
ton mill settlement. The large cotton mill
there was partially wrecked and probably
400 small houses were demolished or badly
damaged. The tornado swept Front street
and wrought great damage there. The
electric light plant was partially wrecked
and the city was thrown into total dark
ness. Lanterns. candles and even coal OF
lamps were used by the people in seekins
places of safety. Tils tornado also did Sc
we're damage on Twenty second avenue. be
tween Front and Railroad streets. SeNcIa
houses on this avenue were wrecked. TIL,
work of the storm lasted for only briel
period. many people claiming that the en-
tire destruction was wrought within th'
space of FIVE minutes
Buildings Destroyed.
Among the buildings destroyed or prac
tically ruined were those of the Thomas
! LYLE Grocery Co., Elmires restaurant
Meyer Neville Hardware Co. Grand Ave
: nue. hotel. Thorntons Transfer Co buildins
| Culpepper hotel. New Orleans & North
: western freight depot Young Mems Chris
, tian association building Meridian Chad
Co, the City Electric light plant. w. J
Woodsde & Co.. Pearce Compress Co, Gul
, Compress Co. and innumerable smalle'
buildings used for residences by working
men and negroes.
II Is understood there was little II an
r tornado insurance carried and the loss vii
; therefore fall heavily upon the owners o
) the damaged property.