Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-03
OVER 100 WERE KILLED
The Property Damage is Estimated at
One Million, Five Hundred
Thousand Dollars.
CONFEDERATION IN THE RUINS
Scores OF Persons Seriously
Injured.
MOST OF THE DEAD ARE NtGROEs
A.,oelaled Pros, DI,paIohs. Dy sOsciN wrs.

Associated Press Dispatches By Special wires
Memphis, Tenn, March "A stsfil
special to the Commercial Appeal from
Meridian, Miss, snys; "a tornado.
in the wake Of which we're death and
property loss. descended upon Meri-
dian shortly after @ o'clock last night.
and ploNed a pathway from the south
ern 20 the eastern suburbs OF the city.
The local guards are patrollinQ an
area OF debris and wreokage that ex-
tends in a slender path from the Meri-
dian Fertilizer Co.'S. Iplant, on tho
south, 10 tho Meridian Cotton Works,
in what Is known as Georgetown, an
eastern suburb. The known dead num-
her rs.
About G. 10 O'clock the clouds began
10 gather. They came hurriedly and
hovorod close and black over the city.
The storm broke at @. ~ and the tor
nado lasted four minutes. During
this time a reign Of terror prevailed.
The air was filled with missiles. Rain
fell steadily for half an hour following
the tornado, aiding the suppression OF
innumerahlo fires that were gpringing
up. he residence portion Of the city
was sale from harm. Meridian had
always considered itself tornado proof.
Mt Rarlton and the Solnd Mountain
hills we're aoceptad as sentinola against
such diansters. The Sowaahee Valley
was crossed by the storm, and this Was
most unexpected.
"F. u. Woodruff, bookkeorer for the
Meyer Neville Hardware %. 10 pinion-
ed under the debris Of the company'a
fivo-stoty building, his feet caught,
but his body peculiarl, protected from
injury, workmen are husily engaged
in an effort 10 relieve him and, with
saw and hammer, he is aiding as best
he oan.
''The Fire Department has recovered
the charIod bodies Of several neREoea
found In tho ruins Of small tenements
which we're in the wake Of she wind
and fire.
"It Is safe to estimate che property
loss al $1,000, 900. The iaFeeat single
loss will probably fall on the Meyer
Neville Hardware %. Its building Is
a brick heap. The Meridian Fertilizer
Co.'S, loss Il almost total. II was this
ooinpany's building that the storm
first struck. In q northorly direction
the wind Wound its way, tearing a
path through q negro settlement. Little
IL known Of the loss OF life there.
| Inc power atatlou was Nialtoul anu
while the tall chimney escaped the
fury Of the wind yet other parts OF the
plant are 40 demolished that 10 may ha
10 days before II is possible 10 re-estab-
liuh its lighting facilities. North Of
the power house the storm overturned
a few boz cars and crossed the tracks
Of the Alabama n Vioksburg Railroad.
There is q cluster OF dopots in this
locality, and two operators In these
we're Injured. The buildings were
damaged, but no lives were lost. The
Tom Lyle Grocery 90. - building was
crushed to heap OF splintorod lumber,
and fire followed it's fall. The Roebuclr
Lumber Co. one OF the most prominent
companies ia East Mississippi, had its
yards swept away.
"William Ethridee was carried a
hundred yards through the air and sci
down we'll balanced on his feet,
unhurt.
at this hour details are meaRre
and the city is In total darkness. Not
until day light can conditions be
properly discovered and a oomrletG
story OF the disaster be told.