Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-26
500 PERISH
IN STORMS
UTTER DESTITUTION PREVAILS
IN T0RNAD0'S WAKE
LIST OF INJURED TOTALS MORE
THAN A THOUSAND
Women and Children Hurt by Flying
Debris Lie Under Broilng Sun.
Hospital Facilities
Lacking
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS, April 25.-Probably
half a thousand lives lost, hundred or
more persons fatally injured and many
times this number painfully hurt, with
"a property loss running up into the mill
lions. is the record so far of tornado
that originated in the west two days
ago, sweeping Texas, Arkansas, Loui-
siana, Tennessee and Georgia.
1t has left path of death, desola-
ton and want In it's wake, seriously IN
terrupted all communication between
cities In the south and brought about
chaotic conditions 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 over
1000 injured.
In Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and
Georgia the death lists are also large,
with serious loss of life in Arkansas
and Tennessee. Authentic information
is in many instances lacking, owing 10
the crippled facilities for communica-
ton and the lack of time to form any
thing like an accurate estimate of the
damage done In many sections
Martial Law Prevails
In half a dozen communities martial
law has been declared so terrible was
the destruction, and so helpless were
the stricken people left by the disaster.
Serious disorders have occurred in
some places, including Amite, La.
nthAr crimes have been
reported but these instances have on
the whole been rare.
Several places have issued appeals for
aid and in Mississippi Governor Noel
has been asked to provide tents for the
homeless.
The tornadoes lasted. in all, a period
of nearly two days. 1t was Thursday
. night that damage by tornadoes trav-
cling eastward was first reported from
points IN Texas. a
This was followed during the next
twenty-four hours by similar reports
from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi
and Tennessee Last night Alabama
came within the fight of the storm and
today reports of serious damage In
Georgia are recorded.
Sufferers In Dire Want
Utter misery of every sort was found
today at Purvis Miss, by relief par
ties. Despite the fact that of the 2500
inhabitants which this little town
boasted yesterday morning there We're
only 900 today, still there were not sut-
ficient accommodations in the wrecked
village for even the wounded. Negro
mammies and little black children lay
wounded and helpless under the broil-
ing southern sun.
Some had broken bones, some were
partly crushed and others had been
wounded by sticks and splinters. These
unfortunates were lucky If they had a
blanket or snow white couch to rest
upon.
There was not enough shelter in the
town to protect them from the sun,
and many of the walls which remained
standing had no roofs, and by queer
freak of the tornado many of the trees
which had not been uprOoted had been
snatched off a few feet above the
ground.
The grove of pines was multilated in
o manner so that 1t appeared as If
gigantic scythe had swept through the
grove about twenty-five feet above the
ground.
The greater part of Purvis popula-
ton today were refugees in Hattiesburg
and Lumberton, Miss, about 100 OF
them being badly injured. OF those
who remained In town many appeared
distracted and they told remarkable
stories of the number of their fellow
LpW tippCOplt WIN hdo OCCii hAACN'
Many Funerals Held
Many hurried funerals were held to-
day and count of the visible dead
revealed only thirty-four, about half
of them negroes. Many negroes were
reported killed in the vicinity of Purvis.
The manner in which the tornado
acted at this village puzzled those who
witnessed it. Instead of entering the
town at one side and passing out at the
other the storm whirled and seesawed
about. Once or twice, judging from
the lay of the debris today, the wind
veered so much as nearly to double on
its trail. The result was terrible for
the inhabitants, many of whom were
caught and either injured or killed
after they had apparently escaped.
The usual freaks were played by the
wind. Twenty prisoners were In
the little town jail. The roof was
lifted off, but so terror stricken were
they that not one gained his freedom.
None of the prisoners were seriously
injured.
The wreckage which remained on
the site of a lumber mill near town
consisted largely of splinters from the
size of toothpicks up to small sticks
The total money loss at Purvis was
estimated today at 100000. These fig
ures were obtained from dozens of bus
mess men, each of whom calculated his
individual loss.
The state tonight is furnishing tents,
the neighboring towns are sending
supplies and martial law affords prac-
tical safety from looting.
The loss at Amite, La, was estimated
tonight as close to 100000.
In Washington parish, Louisiana. the
loss is estimated at between $500000
and 81. 100000 Washington parish is in
the logging country and much of the
loss there was i'm timber.
List of Dead Incomplete
IN incomplete list of the dead and
snIured in Yesterdays storm, made up
sCnntinued on Page Twol