The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-04-28
HUNDREDS KILLED
Martial Law is Declared in Dozen
Communities SO Terrible Was De
struction-several Places Issue Ap.
peaIs For Aid-Lasted Two Days
Wind Doubles on Tracks.

IOr more persons fatally Injured and
many times this number painfully
hurt, together with a property loss
running into the millions, Is the rec
ord SO far of a tornado that originated
in the west two days ago. sweeping
Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennes-
see, Alabama and Georgia. 1t has
left a path of death, desolation and
want in its wake, seriously interrupt
ed all communication between cities
lin the south, and brought chaotic CON
ditions in many smaller towns.
Mississippi, already a sufferer from
more than one tornado this year, has
again borne the brunt of the winds
and rains. Estimates of the number
Of those who. lost their lives in that
state place the death list near 800,
with a thousand Or more injured.
Appeal to Governor.
In Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and
Georgia, the lists are also large, with
serious loss of life in Arkansas and
Tennessee. In half dozen cemmun-
tiles martial law has been declared,
so terrible was the destruction and
SO helpless were the .stricken people
left by the disaster. Serious disorders
have occu) red in some places, includ-
ing Amite, La, footing and other
crimes have been reported, but these
Instances have been, on the whole,
rare.
Several places have issued appeals
for aid and in Mississippi Governor
Noel has been asked to provide tents
for the homeless.
Travels Eastward.
The tornadoes lasted in all a period
OF nearly two days. 1t was Thurs
day night that damage by tornadoes
travelling eastward was first reported
from points in Texas. This was fol
lowed during the next "a hours. by
similar reports from Arkansas, Louis
lana. Mississippi and Tennessee.
Last night Alabama came within the
flight Of the storm and today reports
OF serious damage by the winds in
Georgia have been recorded.
Utter misery Of every sort was
found today at Purvis. Miss, by re-
lief parties. Despite the fact that
LOT the $500 Inhabitants which this
little town boosted yesterday morn
ing, there were only 900 today; still
there were not sumcient accopmoda-
lions IN the village for even the
wounded. Negro mammies and little
black children lay wounded and help.
less under the broiling sun. Some
had broken bones, some were partly
crushed and others had been wounded
by sticks and splinters.
Blanket 4 Luxury,
1 Z4E6'G HlK
These unfortunates were lucky II
they had a blanket or a storm-wr ecked
couch upon which to rest. There was
not enough shelter in the town to pro.
tect them from the. sun and many OF
the walls which remained standing
had no roofs and by a queer freak of
the tornado, many Of the trees which
had not been uprooted had been
snatched OF q few feet above the
ground. The grove Of pines was NUT.
Hated in a manner SO that 1t appeared
as II a giant scythe had swept through
the grove about IS feet above the
ground.
The greater part Of Purvis' popula-
ton today were refugees in Hatties.
burg and Lumberton, Miss, about $50
OF them being badly injured. OF those
who remained in town many appear.
ed distracted and they told remark.
able stories Of the number Of their
~townspeople who had been killed.
Hurried Funerals.
Many hurried funerals we're held
today ana . count OF the visible dead
revealed only "a, about half of them
negroes.
The manner in which the tornado
acted at this village puzzled to those
who witnessed 1t. Instead Of enter.
Ing the town at one side and passing
out at the other, the storm swirled
and see-sawed about. Once or twice,
judging from the lay of the debris
today, the wind veered SO much as
nearly to double on its tracks. TIE
result was terrible for the inhabi.
tants. many of whom were caught
and either injured or killed, after
they had apparently escaped.
NEW LAW ON WHISKY.