The southern sentinel., 1907-04-12
CYCLONE CROSSED
The STATE
Last Friday, Leaving Death and
Destruction in it's
Path.

/ Probably hfteen lives were In
stantly blotted out last Friday by
the tornado which swept across
portions of the State. which was
distinctly traceable for distance
of 800 miles, and which took
about IL hours in crossing this
zone.
The tornado moved from west
to east, crossing the southern ex-
trernities of Louisiana and MiSsls-
sippi, and striking into Alabama
for short distance. Portions of
four towns were devasted and
damage probably exceeding half "a
million was done, and in many
places the tornado manifested
fatal disturbance and did general
damage to property, crops and
telegraph wires throughout its 300
mile course.
The tornado began at Alexan-
dria, La, soon after l O'Clock in
the morning, instantly killing four
persons there and probably fatally
Injuring three, and seriously in
juring thirteen others. Shortly
before daylight it neared the
Mississippi river. Instantly killing
five spersons at jackson, La,
while at Bayou Sara, La, ut least
half a dozen others are reported
killed.
There was one fatal injury at
jackson. The tornado next ap-
peared at Carson, Miss, where
great property damage was done,
and the last heard of it was about
noon near Selma, Ala, where the
inhabitants saw whirllng clouds
rise into the air as they crossed
the river. One death, a negro,
was reported near Selma.
Following is u list of dead:
Omer Beck, Matthew Dunno,
both white; Ora Dudly, Lydia
Harding, negroes, all of Alexan-
dria.
Mrs. u. IL. Collins, OF East
Fellciana parish, La.
Three female inmates of the
insane asylum. names unknown.
Two negroes at jackson, La.
Several negroes at Bayou Sara.
Mary Lea. of jackson.
Fatally injured: Three negroes
at Alexandria.
Seriously injured: Mrs. Omer
Beck and two children; Mrs. Mat
thew Dunno, L. P. Couvillion,
lwIfe and four children. Francis
Damico and Edward Stewart. all
whites, of Alexandria; III. I'll. Fer
guson, of jackson; A. r. Crothers
of Bayou Sara; G. l.. Collins of
East Eeiiciana, leg broken.
/ Alexandria, town of about
Is, 1000. had fearful experience.
When the storm struck 1t the
electric lights went out, the creak-
ing of buildings could be heard
above the noise of the wind, and
vivid lightning showed such sights
as an empty Irou Mountain pas
senger train rolling over and over.
After the wind spent It's violence
u heavy hall storm added TO the
general discomfort. Luckily, the
main portion of Alexandria es-
capped the worst of the tornado,
which cut path through the
northern part of the town, resi-
dence section. A score of houses
were completely wiped out. fifty
were damaged and altogether loo
buildings were seriously wrecked, /,
including several business houses.
The Iron Mountain railroad lost
its round house. A freak of the
wind drove small section of a
house into one of the empty pas
senger coaches, wedging the two
bodies almost inextricably to-
gether.
In the woods about town, the
tornado cut down trees and small
cahlns in narrow line, about 8
miles long. Several houses were
blown down at Pineville and in
| iuries were reported.
The hail did much damage to
crops. At daylight Alexandria
began the work of clearing the
debris, Mayor Turner organizing
1 a relief committee at noon. The
damage was estimated at 5000, 900.
Details are meager from Jack
son, La. The insane asylum there
was almost wholly wrecked with
u loss of about $500, 900. In adj
/ dition to the three female inmates
many others were injured.
| Mrs. Zach Lea 5 house was
i destroyed and first reports said
that her daughter. Mary, had been
killed, while others say she was
1 fatally injured. Two negroes
| were killed on a nearby planta-