Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-06
Mobile. Ala, March 8. ~ A Me.
ridian dispatch places the total
property loss at about $5,000,000.

Wt6Ska5S Oh LI6 buildings, WllCu WdS
caused by last nights storm. The
search still goes on. The property loss
by storm and fire will be in the neigh,
borhood Of s1,Oo0,OoO. The identified
dead are:
WILLIAM NELSON. former chief OF
police,
CLAUD WILLIAMS, a bookkeeper.
J. P. TARRY, a policeman.
MRS. ELLA SINGLETON.
A GRAND DAUGHTER OF MRS,
SINGLETON.
There are eight unidentified bodies
OF negroes among the dead.
Among the buildings destroyed are:
Meridian cotton Oil mill.
City electric power station.
The Queen & Crescent freight depot.
Lyle Grocery Co.
Rubbish lumber yards.
Meyer-Neville Hardware Co.
Grant Avenue hotel,
Railroad Y. M. @. A.
Elmira's restaurant.
A large number of small buildings
have been either demolished or dam.
aged and many people are injured.
Tho storm did not continue more
than five minutes, and on leaving 1t
followed the line Of the Mobile & Ohio
railroad to the north.
Storm Plouahs Through City.
The storm broke shortly after 6
o'clock last evening, ploughing path.
way from the southern to the eastern
suburbs of the city and during its short
existence created a reign of terror
among the inhabitants in all sections
Rain fell for half an hour after the
tornado had passed, adding In
the suppression of the numer.
GUS fires that broke out among
the wrecked buildings, The dam.
age to the residence portion of the
city was small, the greatest havoc be
ing wrought in the business section
and in the negro section.
New Orleans, March ga Meridian
despatch today estimates the loss OF
life at 100 and the injured at about
200. Much confusion prevails and de-
tailed lists of the casualties are una.
valuable.
Eye Witness Tells Story.
Mobile, Ala, March 3.-F. M. Strutz
who arrived here today from Merid
ian, gave vivid description of the
tornado. Strutz said: Late in the
afternoon dark clouds lowered around
the city. The humidity was very try
ing. About 6:l5 o'clock a terrible
cloud could be observed bounding out
of the southeast towards the city.
This was followed by downpour OF
rain and then, with rush and noise
that struck terror to the stoutest heart
the cyclone descended upon the por.
ton of the city near the passenger
depot and passed along Front street.
City Left In Darkness.
1.-THE result was terrible. Among
the first buildings to go down was the
electric lighting plant and the city
was thrown into darkness, Confusion
took possession, The people, panic,
stricken, rushed into the streets from
every direction.
Narrow Escape for Many.
THAT the death rate is not larger
than that given is simply marvellous
but can be accounted for probably by
the fact that many employees in the
clerical forces had finished their days
work and gone to their homes.
Business Street Devastated.
Front street presents devastated
appearance and but few houses are
left standing. The cyclones path
was about two blocks in width, ex,
tending from the passenger depot
northward to beyond Second street.
The buildings on Twenty-Second ave.
nue. from First to Second street and in
a northerly direction are wrecked.
Damage Is Enormous.
1T is impossible to tell the amount
of the damage but think it will reach
over $1,000,000. Many of the dead are
negroes who were killed In that nor.
ton of the city inhabitated by thst
race.
Fires In the Ruins.
To add to the terror of the night
fires broke out in the ruined district.
1t was known that many persons were