Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-04-27

IN approximately correct FORM.
Briefly stated. they are:
Killed, about $50; in1ured. pain
fully and seriously, 1900: homeless,
several thousand.
Towns reporting serious wreckage,
40; habitations and business houses
practically complete ruins In these
towns, about 25OO.
The above figures do not include
the wreckage on plantations and
farms, scores OF which were struck
and damaged.
The number Of dead may never be
known, accurately. for the reason
that about 500 OF them we're negroes
and they were buried in many CON-
munities without careful record being
made of their numbers. While some
Of the first apparently reliable death
lists have proven unreliable, never
theless remote places reporting their
dead have served to swell the total
death list to around $50. The man
ner IN which this death list has grown
for two days In spite OF continued
subtractions from earlier reports has
been a melancholy index OF the In
terstate scope Of the disaster.
Three Currents.
BY following the wreckage OF towns
the general direction Of the toFnadoes
can be traced closely Apparently.
the storm struck in three separate
currents, each describing the arc OF
a circle and travelling toward the
northeast. The flrst OF these struck
through northern Louisiana. Mlaals-
sippi aud Tennessee before daylight
Friday morning. The second APP
peared farther south about 7 o'clock
in Louisiana and Mississippi. This
apparently was the storm which had
swept through Alabama and Georgia
on Friday night and Saturday morn
ing. The third portion OF the storm
appeared during Friday afternoon
farther south than either OF It's pred
eeessors. This was the storm which
demolished Amite, La. and Purvis,
Miss. the towns in which the wreck
age was worst.
Dwellings Demolished.
Why the fatalities were 90 large IL
apparent today from a glance at the
photographs which have arrived here
from many portions OF the tornado
belt. They all tell the same story,
Whole blocks OF what were formerly
little residences and cabins lie spread
over the ground In separate boards.
II huge lumber pile had been scat
tered over these areas the number OF
boards unattached TO anything else.
could scarcely have been greater.
Under this mass OF wreekage many
hundreds Of persons were caught.
The houses which were thus scattered
about we're mostly negro habitations.
The homes OF the whites held to-
gether better. and the photographs
show many Of them with half OF the
upper part OF the structure wiped OF.
but leaving the rooms below a. pro-
lection to the occupants. thus saving
scores from death.
Freaks of storm.
Along with the accounts Of suffer
ing have come many recltals OF many
remarkable experiences. Of which thia
Is typical:
At Amite, La. when the tornado
appeared there Were seven persons at
the dinner table At Hamilton War
neT's home. Including three children.
one Of the diners. Claude Bennett.
saw the whiriing cloud 10 time 20
shout a warning. and rushed out
doors. but the others remained IN the
room. The wind ia q second tore OF
two doors on opposite sides OF the
room and an astonishing procession
Of live and inanimAte objects began
70 pass into the room through these
doors. First came a calf running be-
fore the wind. The animal Jumped
over the dining table and went out
the opposite doorway. Afterward
there came a horse. The three chill
dren sought refuge under the table
and ne one was injured.
Today has been one Of relief meas
ures throughout the wrecked district.
The ruined towns have been visited
By thousands Of spectators. many Of
whom went with a few dollars IN