The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1908-05-07
TORNADO SWEEPS Away MILL
Sawmill Plant of Hammond, Lucas q
Devore Company is Destroyed
Office Blown Into Forest and
Lost.

Little Rock, Ark.-Moving in a mar
row path less than 200 yards wide,
terrific tornado swept away the saw
mill plant of the Hammond, Lucas &
Devore Lumber Company at Marche
Monday afternoon about o'clock. The
frame Office building of the plant was
taken up bodily by the wind and car
ried into the woods Trees were blown
down as though they were but dry
reeds, and there were number Oh
narrow escapes from death by the fall
ing trunks.
Wires into Marche, which is situated
about ten miles from Little Rock on
the Fort Smith branch of the Iron
Mountain railroad, are all down, but
news of the destruction was brought
to Little Rock Monday night by the
passengers and crew of freight train,
which had stopped near the station
not more than 40 rods from the course
of the storm. Great trees were blown
across the track and considerable de-
lay in the departure of the train was
necessitated before the right OF way
could be cleared
j. D. McRae of POI lizard street, Lit
tie Rock, was one of the passengers In
the caboose of the freight train he
said that while the fury of the wind
was at it's worst, it became as black
as night, and although the cars were
IL, nnth of
storm, the occupants could hear moth
ing of the falling trees or of the de-
struction of the lumber plant, every
building of which was leveled. Where
the Office stood there is nothing but
the bare site, for the structure was
lifted by the wind and blown COM
pletely away.
Marche is a lumber town with pop
ulation of about $50 people.
At Hot Springs a storm of wind and
down the valley between and
O'Clock, and probably $4,000 worth of
property was destroyed. Four costly
plate glass fronts along Central
avenue were broken, and the cellars
of a number of big retail stores along
that thoroughfare were flooded. Water
rushed in torrents down the noun
tain sides and the stream, which in
the business part of the city is arched
over with masonry, was choked, and
the streets above were for a time small
rivers. The wind which blew a gale
for 45 minutes was singularly variable.
Without a moments warning it would
Shift from one direction to another
Telegraph and telephone wires are
down in every direction and there are
few principal points in Arkansas with
which direct connection is open All
of the Southwestern Telephone Com
pany's lines are dead between Little
Rock and Fort Smith, TeXarkana, Dali
las, Conway, Arkadelphia, Russell
vile, Morrilton, Marche. Fourche, Per
ry, Roland, Jonesboro, Helena, Bates
vile, Prescott, Newport, Carlisle,
Shreveport, Brinkley, Forrest City,
Searcy, Camden and Beebe. All Okla
homa and Texas lines were reported
uOWH anu also one vi lllc 81. LOUIS
lines The only lines open are those
to Pine Bluff, Malvern, Benton, Eng
land and Hot Springs In the east
ern part of the state nearly all wires
are down
The Western Union lines are brok-
en- between this city and Fort Smith,
Lonoke and DeVall's Bluff Between
Conway and Plumerville about Is poles
were blown down.
In eastern Arkansas most of the
Postal wires are dead and are cut off
from direct communication with Lit
tie Rock, although most of the points
in that part of the state can be reach
ed through ST. Louis or New Orleans.
Near Conway a number of farm
houses were blown away, but It has
not been learned whether there were
any fatalities.
Soon after midnight Tuesday morn
ing word came from Conway that
number of buildings had been blown
down, but no details were learned
Heavy property loss is also said to
have been sustained at Watson, in De-
sha county.