The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-03
Great Excitement Caused On
Streets Of Birmingham When
News Reached the CII
MESSAGE FROM TOOM2U7A "A
GAVE The FIRST DETAILS
Call Was Early Made for Laborers TO
Assist In Rescuina Bodies
From the
Debris.

The first news of the cyclone at Meri-
dian reached Birmingham about I o'clock
last night in specials to The Age-Herald,
Associated Press dispatches and tele-
grams to the officials of the Alabama
Great Southern railroad here, although
it was after midnight before anything of
a definite nature was learned
Superintendent A. Grggs of the Ala
bama Great Southern received the follow
ing dispatch about 10 o'clock last night
it being dated from Toomsuba, Miss
which is just few miles north of Meri-
dian. 1t being transmitted over the con-
pany wires:
"A cyclone along the railroad tracks
from the fertilizer works to the Gulf
compress occurred at Meridian blowing
down the fertilizer works, several houses
and several other buildings. The freight
depot and the old and the new passen-
ger station now under course of construc-
ton were damaged. All of the buildings
between Front street and the railroad
tracks were demolished. There was con-
siderable damage don on Third street.
LOSS OF LIFE is
UPWARDS OF 100.
''The loss of life is upwards of 10O We
need large force of laborers and car
penters to repair the companys property
and assist in moving the debris, and to
find the killed and the injured. Ala
bama Great Southern railway coach turn
ed over on its side. and a car on the side
tracks of the Alabama and Vicksburg
railroad No. 8 was badly damaged. Pull
man Meeper Cambria damaged. Large
number of persons injured but have been
taken to their homes by relatives. The
main line is in good order Telegraph
poles were blown down, obstructing the
yard tracks. Everything is quiet here
now. We don't want any freight trains
in the yard tonight and cannot stand
much crowding tomorrow"
Superintendent Griggs, General Freight
Agent L. SEWER Trainmaster Vance and
Assistant Tranmaster Shortridge left last
night on train No. l. which was an hour
late in leaving The train departed from
the union depot at 112o O'Clock. The
railroad officials will probably remain in
Meridian for a day or so.
NEWS OF THE STORM
SPREAD OVER CITY RAPIDLY.
The news of the cyclone spread over
Birmingham rapidly. The telegraph and
the telephone wires into Meridian were
down and the anxiety of those having
friends and relatives in the unfortunate
city was great. The Postal and the
Western Union Telegraph companies both
sent large crews of linemen and opera
tors down on the train last night and
the damage to the wires will be repaired
Immediately.
The cyclone appeared to have struck In
the heart of the business section of the
city. The old passenger station is To-
Gated on First street and from the dis
patches II appears that the greatest dam
age done by the wind was along First
Second and Third streets. The fire de-
partment of Meridian is not large one,
and reports say that for a while the
entire little city. seemed doomed to be
destroyed by fire. Charles c. Massey
formerly of the Birmingham fire depart
ment, is now chief of the Meridian de-
partment.