Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-03-06
MERIDIAN, MISS, IS
Wrecked BY TORNADO.
DEATH HARVEST OF CYCLONE;
ESTIMATED AT ABOUT NINE
TEEN LIVES.
LOSS ESTIMATED AT
OVER MILLION DOLLARS

OvCh iltlliStN OOlIHNo
Storm Passes Over Town in Less Than
Four Minutes = Buildings Blown
Down = Confusion Reigns = Gov.
Vardaman to Aid Rescue.
Meridian, Miss, March 5.-The total
list of dead from a tornado which
struck this city numbers 10, with one
missing, and perhaps several bodies
under the debris. The number of in
jured is about SO. The militia is keep
ing the crowds back, while the search
OF the ruins progresses. The citizens
held meeting and organized for rs-
lief work.
Thirteen bodies have been recovere
from the wreckage of buildings cause
by the storm, and the search goes on.
The property loss by storm and fire
is far greater than at first supposed.
A special train has eft Jackson for
this city, with Gov. Vardaman, 100
members of the legislature, and man.
physicians, who go to do relief work
at Meridian.
Town Has Reign of Terror.
The storm was estimated of about
time reign of terror was over every
one. The air was flied with missiles
of death. 1t seems remarkable that
more did not meet death. A rain fell
steadily for half an hour following the
tornado, as if in a manner to palliate
the terror and aid in the suppression
of the innumerable fires that were
springing up.
While Meridian has suffered the
greatest disaster of the year, yet she
is not helpless, neither in distress, ex-
cept it be in sympathy with those who
have lost life and property. The resi-
dence portion of the city is safe from
harm.
Considered Tornado Proof.
Meridian had always considered
itself tornado-proof. Mount Barton
and the sand mountain hills were ac-
cepted as a sentinel against such dis
asters. The Sowashee valley was
most unexpected, for if ever wind were
to swoop down on the city it was ex-
pected to pass this valley.
f. z. Woodruff, bookkeeper for the
Meyer-Neville Hardware company,
had the most narrowing experience Of
those left to tell the story. He was
pinioned under the debris of this five
story structure, his foot caught but
his body peculiarly protected from in
jury. Workmen are busily engaged in
an effort to relieve him, and with saw
and hammer he was aided. The fire
department has recovered the charred
bodies of several negroes taken from
the ruins OF small tenements which
were in the wake of the wind and fire.
Huddle About Fires.
Before others of these huddled about
bonfires kindled with the debris of
their former homes, others sit clus-
tered and wonder how many more will
be found among the dead instead of
the missing.
The property loss cannot be safely
1t is safe to estimate the figure at a
round million. The largest single loss
will probably fall on the Meyer-Ne-
vile Hardware company. This in
stitution is in totally collapsed con-
diticn. The building is brick heap.
The Meridian Fertilizer companys
loss is almost total. 1t was this build
ing that. the storm first struck in it's
mad fury. In northeasterly direc-
tion the wind wound Its way, tearing
a path through negro settlement.
Little Is known of the loss of life
there The property loss will not be
great.
Power Station Destroyed.
The power station was visited, and
while the tall chimney escaped the
fury of the wind, yet other parts Of
the plant are SO demolished that 1t is
said 1t may be ten days before 1t is
possible to reestablish its lighting
facilities. Along north of the power
house the storm overturned few box
cars and crossed the tracks of the
Alabama & Vicksburg railroad, There
is cluster of depots in this vicinity,
and two operators in these were in
jured. The buildings were damaged,
but no lives lost. The Armour Pack
ing company's building barely side
stepped the path Of the storm. 1t was
grazed by the flying timbers, but was
missed. The Tom Lyle Grocery COM
pany was crushed to heap of spin
tered lumber and fire followed its fall.