The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-25
Little Mining Town of Bergens Is Mass of Ruins Two Killed,
 Many Injured There
Two Killed and Five Injured At Thomas Mill Near Warrior-Storm
 Sweeps Up Sand Mountain

 off the track and smashed to pieces.
 Rescuing parties from Dora about half mile distant from the railroad. rushed through the storm and a complete relief organization was formed. The injured were carried to the few standing houses, those with minor scratches receiving inn mediate attention, while the serious pa- tierts were carried to the depot and put aboard fast train for Birmingham.
 MT. Adams died before the train ar- rived and Mrs Gully expired just before reaching Birmingham. On arrival in Bir- mingham the ambulances of Gaudin & Co. and Green Undertaking company carried the injured to the Hillman hospital and also took charge of the dead bodies
 Mrs. E. J. Hopley is the only one of the three who will probably recover. Her wounds are painful, but she has a chance for life. Little Alma Gresham, the 1S- year-old girl, is suffering from fractured skull caused by flying brick. Her chances for life are very meager. Was III In Bed.
 Charles Gully was lying on bed weak from a very long illness when the storm struck his house, killing his wife, and, although his bodily wounds were not pain ful, his mental and physical condition is too weak to pull through the strain
 Reports indicate that the storm was preceded by great hail storm, then followed terrible darkness, and the cracking of timber amid the roar of the wind. It was a heartrending spectacle that appeared when the giant moved on.
 Engineer Describes Havoc. C. Barnard, engineer of the Frisco train, described the broken telegraph poles the wires across the track, the in direction and the depot mass of ruins so plain ly that one could almost feel himself riding through the sad town on the engines pilot while the locomotive dared not break the deathly silence with a breath.
 Brakeman D. NJ. stubss stated that had t,.e trvw ncf-Sost |, K nslha.tss sf Guin 1t wound more thfn likely have run into the storm. Eie, too, had sorrowful tale of woe to relate. Must Call on Birmingham for Aid.
 w. H. Soper, president of the West Pratt Coal company, on arriving in Birmingham late yesterday afternoon, said:
 "A relief committee was organized at Bergens promptly and began at once to rescue the injured and care for those rendered destitute by the cyclone. Aid
 
 white and colored families are left without food or shelter, and while the people in the mining camps are ready to do their utmost to care for the afflicted, Bergens and Dora are small communities and will be unable to give all the relief needed. It is felt that the citizens of Birmingham will respond to appeals at this time with tn cir accustomed generosity
 
 Havoc at Saw Mill Camp.
 Warrior, hearing of the Thomas tragedy, hurried a party with Dr. Me Donald to the saw mill camp, and found the three little houses demol- ished. Little Herbert, years old, and Mrs. Caldwell were both dead, the father of the two dead children was unconscious in the wreckage with broken leg, and the wife was suffer- ing agony from a broken arm. An aged lady, Mrs. Reid, is not expected to live through the day, as she was thrown through the roof and terribly wounded, while Jim Reid and Bud Tn omas, the other two residents, were more or less injured.
 Careful attention was given on the spot, after which they were taken to the nearest house and are being nursed by the sympathetic neighbors.
 At Sylanina, 15 miles from Fort Payne, seven houses were demolished, but the occupants all escaped mir2cu- lously with the exception of Mrs. Lynch, an aged lady, who was serious ly injured. Fort Payne luckily es- capped.
 Wires Rapidly Lost.
 The progress of the storm was first known in Birmingham by the rapid cutting of wires. First the Frisco lost all connection, and immediately the Southerns wires, both east and west, went dead, followed later by the Louis- vile and Nashville. No. coming in from Decatur on the Louisville and Nashville had to stop 40 minutes be- yond Warrior while trees crashed all around. The engineer feared to move in the high wind.
 Telephone wires are down In many instances, although roundabout con- nections could be made.
 The course of the storm Is as straight as the swallows flies from southwest to northeast. It is believed to be a part of the cyclone which broke up in Mississippi yesterday at noon having gained velocity and changed its direc- tion toward the east.