The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-30
CALL FOR AID
 BY GOVERNOR Proclaims Needs of Storm Sufferers. ACTS UPON OFFICIAL REPORT Staff Officer Describes Conditions
 at Albertville. Col. Mitchell in Command of Troops There Tells Governor of Dire
 Straits in which sur- :,
 viyors Are. .Af- 

To place before the people of Ala bama the full needs of the people sur viving in storm-swept districts of the State Governor Conner yesterday made oficial proclamation. appealing for contributions from the citizens and in- cooperating the formal report of Col- onel R. A. Mitchell, of the Governors stan, who went to Albertviile to take command of the troops stationed there.
 In his report Colonel Mitchell says that the troops there have done good duty and have preserved complete or- derliness. But he says that he thinks the destruction of property at Albert vile is unprecedented in the history of the State.
 Following is a copy of the full text of the Governors proclamation:
 "A Proclamation by the Governor"
 "The following report from Colonel R. A. Mitchell, who ar my instance. in- spected conditions at Albertville, will show the great need of assistance at that place.
 Fort Deposit, Bergen and other Ses mmunities have suffered heavily. .s-fI thing there could be no cause more worthy than contributions to the re- lief committees at the points where help is needed.
 To that end this proclamation is is- sued that our people may know the extent of the disaster and afford im- mediate aid
 "Given under my hand at the Capi- tai of Alabama this 29th day of April. 1908. to which have caused to be af- fixed the Great Seal of the State.
 "B. B. Conner.
 Governor" By the Governor.
 Frank N. Julian.
 Secretary of State"
 Col. MitcheIls Report.
 Albertville, Ala. April 2s. 1908: "Hon. B. B. Conner, Governor Of Ala
 bama.
 "Dear sir:-on the telegraphic or ders of Adjutant General Bibb Graves, Alabama National Guards. came to Albertville on Monday the 27th in- stant with instructions to take com mand of the attachments from Company C of Gadsden. Stewart Captain in com" mand and of Company F, Abertville, Coleman Captain in command and 10 report to and receive such instructions from the Mayor of Albertville as he saw 1t to give. Above detachments doing guard duty and protecting property for the community, following the great destruction of property here by the tornado of the 24th instant Under the wise direction of the city authorities and with the aid of the military whose services the ctttsens tell me have been valuable and much ap- spreciated, good order has been pre- served and property fully protected; there has been no footing and lawless depredators have been conspicuous by their Absence. The destruction of property here, think, unprecendented in the history of our State. l have never seen anything like 1t; so com plete and absolute as to leave little of worth in the path of the storm through the town. On viewing the wreckage, covering easily forty acres or more in the heart of the town, tt appears incredible that any living be- I ing could have escaped the fury of the storm and death. Acres of ground in the thtckest part of the town lie today with scarcely a cquare foot of the land but what has on it timbers, stone or other debris large enough to kill a human being instantly in such a tornado. How any one escaped in this section is a miracle and why there were not hundreds of dead and injured instead of dozens is amazing. Even in the terrible fury of the storm Providence was yet kind. You no doubt saw the cuts in yesterdays Age Herald made from photographs taken on the spot which graphically illus trated conditions. Perhaps forty acres of the town shows up about the same way as depicted in the above mention ed cuts. While the business section of the town Is badly damaged stores in some instances being completely de-