The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-26
AWFUL STORM AT COLUMBUS Mother and Little Baby z Killed. LARGE CASINO IS WRECKED One of Finest Parks in Georgia
 Ruined. csavict Camp Wrecked and Many Mules Instantly KiIIed---severaI
 Houses Blown Dowa and
 Many Persons Injured.
nY Vi. o. wnnnAIM

CoIumous, Ga., April zb.--(Specia1.) )- That the storm which swept over West Georgia early this morning was the worst experienced fin this section since the cyclone of thirty years ago, was we'll evidenced by the numerous reports that reached Columbus today of lives lost and great property damage.
 Two persons were killed at Columbus; two white persons were killed near Chipiey. and quite a number of Meri- wether County negroes lost their lives.
 Coming from a southwestern direc- ton. the storm struck Georgia at North Highlands just north of Columbus. de- molished large casino there, cut a clean path through ma gnificent forest Of original timber. running what was one of the finest parks sn the State and continuing through Muscogee County, demolished numerous residences. barns. outhouses, etc. The Muscogee convict camp. several miles north of the city, was wrecked, several convict cars being splintered. numbers of mules killed and the wagons and remaining stock wedged in a narrow space formed by the falling of forest g:ants at right angles.
 Suspended in front of the convict camp were two lighted swinging lamps When the storm was over. the glass chimneys were anbrolxen and the lamps were still burning serenely. the rays gleaming through the tanalad forest wreckage, A curious feature was that | all the bloodhounds attached 10 the camp were released by the storm. Reduced to sPlinters. Occupying rooms on the second floor of the North Highlands Casino, were Mrs J. J. Dunn and her three boys, and Mrs. Viola Norris and her two chill dren. The two ladies were awakened | by the approach of the storm as 1t came crashing through the forest. Mrs. Norris's' 9year-old daughter. Bessie May, began to cry and her mother went to her side threw her arms around the little girls neck and began to comfort her. Just then. the crash came. and the big building was reduced to splin- | ters.
 Down under the debris. the survivors heard the young mother praying for | del.verance. Her voice grew weaker l and weaker and finally ceased. A half | hour later, when rescuers dug their l way through the shingles and great sills. they found the mother with her arms clasped about her little girls l neck and on her face was smile of | angelic sweetness.
 1 Mrs. Dunn was standing by a door I when the crash came, and although 1 buried under the debris was saved by | the door which kept the timbers off | building as 1t was falling and miracu- lously escaped harm. Charles Dunn was buried far under the timbers. and | 1t was difficult work to rescue him. He l was bruised about the head. hut will recover. Frank Dunn. aged IS years. l was pinioned beneath two heavy sills. l and exhibited marvellous pluck and strength in extricating himself. The little girl who was killed was struck by A timber across the head, but was not mangled.
 ChiId's PitifuI Cry.
 | While the rescuers were trying to pull the bodies of the dead from the
 wreckage, they heard tiny voice cry | out Don't cut me with your axe; I am not dead; mama Is dead, though, for I called her three times and she did not answer"
 It was little Willie Norris. aged Ave years. wedged in between his mother and sister. The little fellow escaped without a scratch. A remarkable feat ure of the terrible affair was the pluck | of Willie Dunn, when the pavilion col lapsed. Trees were down in every di- rection. the street railway track and | tha roads were blockaded trolley and | telephone wires were down and lights were all out. Through this mass of wreckage and forest tangle, the young hoy felt his way and finally reached
 sibb City, where he gave the alarm Men with lanters found it most dim cult to approach the pavilion. They l reached there noon too son, for Mrs | Dun and the others were Sstill impris- | oned in the timbers lying in the midst | of a pool of water that had collected where the rain beat down so furiously. It was daylight before the dead could be gotten out.
 Mrs. Norris was 30 years old and a widow. Her body and that Of her girl
 were sent tonight to SandersYille, Ga. | for interment
 On the place of George W. White. a Muscogee County farmer. every build l ing was blown down except hts resi- | dence. A large negro man was blown | 200 yards and dumped in a branch, | and is apparently not badly Injured. The house of O. T. White could not have been moro completely demolished had dynamite been placed under 1t. Every member of the family escaped | injury except MT. White. who was 1 hr,,ised about the head. In Summer
 vile, Ala. and Bellwood' Muscogee l County. northern suburbs of Columbus
 a path nearly a quarter of milc | was cut by the cyclone. trees being
 uDrooted as far as the eye can sec | but the people living in the zone 0f danger. marvelously escaped death.
 Lee County Suffers 1 Numerous barns. out houses and ne
 gro cabins were blown down In Lee | County, Alabama
 One man at Harris City, G0'' was
 hlown 400 yards The Cbipley Hotel
 u,ss unroofed and people occupying | inc upper story were uninjured. beins
 awakened by the rain pouring into their beds in torrents. The depot a'