Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-03-09
MISSISSIPPI TORNADO
SCORE OF PERSONS KILLED AND
ABOUT FIFTY INJURED IN
CITY OF MERIDIAN.

Storm Cuts Swath Two Blocks Wloe
Through the Business Center, Fe"
Buildings in Its Path Escaping De-
struction-Property Damage Conser'
vativeIy Estimated at More Than
One Million Dollars.
Meridian, Miss, March 3.-The loss
of life in the tornado which plowed
pathway from the southern to the
eastern suburbs of this city numbers
twenty.six and forty-six persons were
injured. The property damage is fully
S1,250,000.
The storm broke over the city at
6:27 D. nj. and was of four minutes
duration. During this time reign OF
terror prevailed. The wind was fol-
lowed by a rainfall lasting half an
hour, aiding in the suppression of the
innumerable fires that were sprfnging
up.
The storm came towards the city
from the southwest, following the
railroad tracks, which pass through
Meridian along First street. One of
the first buildings to go down was the
electric lighting plant and the city
was thrown into darkness. Among
the other buildings destroyed are the
following: The Meridian cotton mill;
the Queen and Crescent freight depot;
the Lyle Grocery company; the c. M.
RUBBISH lumber yards; the Meyer
Neville Hardware company; the Grand
Avenue hotel; the Ogden hotel; the
railroad Y. NJ. C. A. and Elmire's res
taurant. A large number OF small
buildings were either demolished or
damaged.
That the death rate is not larger
than that given is marvellous, but can
Je accounted for probably by the fact
that many employees Of the mercantile
houses, depot, offices and other places
maintaining large clerical forces had
finished their days work and gone to
.
city, where no damage was done.
Few Houses Left Standing.
Front street presents a devastated
appearance and but few houses are
left sts>l1,ii;;llg The toInado's path was
about Two blocks in width, extending
from the passenger depot nOrthWard
20 beyond second street. Buildings
On Twenty-second avenue from First
10 Second street, and a nOrtherly di.
rection are wrecked \ large portion
oi the Grand Avenue hotel was torn
away, the Y. NJ. c. A. building directly
opposite was wrecked and the old
Sulphur hotel and the new Union pas
senger station destroyed. In this
same area was the Meridian cement
works, which We're totally destroyed.
Officers OF the company estimated
their loss at S250,OOO. A large cotton
warehouse where thousands Of bales
Of cotton were stored, was demolished
and the cotton streWn in every direc-
ton by the fierce wind
70 add to the terror Of the night
and the fears of the panic-stricken
people who thronged the streets fire
started in the ruined district. 1t was
known that there were many persons
unde! the ruins. To rescue these un-
fortunates was uppermost in the
minds Of those who remained self
possessed. Vandalism was also soon
appal ent and TO keep back persons
who We're frenzied with grief over
missing friends and relatives the local
militia was called out by the mayor.
Gordon Of armed men was thrown
around that portion Of the business
district in ruins and in this manner
the rescuerS were able to work.
Lamps, candles and other means of
securing light by which work could
be prosecuted were resOrted to, but
progress was slow