Washington telegraph., 1909-03-12
MANY DEAD and INJURED IN RUINS
Property Loss Not Less than One Million DOL
lars-PractcaIIy Every Building in the
City is Wrecked Governor Starts
Relief Efforts S---Destruction Re-
ported from Other Points,
The Governor to the Scene.

The Governor to the Scene.
Just as soon as it was possible to
get a message over the wires Mayor
Jackson sent the following to Cover
nor Donaghey:
Gov George w. Donaghey, Little
Rock, Ark:
Our city destroyed by cyclone.
Scores injured and many known to
have been killed Not a business
place in the city left intact We need
help. Can you come or send relief?
"T. H. JACKSON, Mayor"
To which he received the following
reply:
"T. H. Jackson, Mayor, Brinkley, Ark:
Telegram received. I will come
on first train.
GEO. w. DONAGHEY,
Governor"
The Governor left Little Rock for
Brinkley on a special Rock Island
train at noon on Tuesday after hav
ing arranged to send a company of
the State National Guard to the scene
of the disaster to prevent looting.
Tents and provisions both for the
troops and for the immediate aid of
Governors special train. These relief
supplies were followed by others as
rapidly as they could be prepared.
City is Under Martial Law.
"a t. ;oJ !; ;oI.
was declared by Governor Donaghey
| Immediately after his arrival upon a
special train.
The proclamation which Governor
Donaghey issued declaring martial
law, placed Sheriff F. w. Milwee of
Monroe county in control of the city,
and Sheriff Milwee is now in absolute
command of the situation. A company
of the State Guard arrived at o'clock
Tuesday afternoon from McCrory, and
the Helena company was ordered to
proceed to Brinkley. The soldiers will
be used under the direction of Sheriff
Milwee to patrol the city and pre-
vent looting
Scores of people have left the city
for other towns, where temporary
homes have been provided. but these
include principally women and chill
dren.
When the Death Wind Fell.
The tornado which brought all this
destruction struck Brinkley at about
7:10 O'Clock Tuesday night. Some
warning of the approaching storm was
given by hard rain and rising
wind cloud was not seen When the
terrific windstorm struck the city
buildings began to rock and then to
fall and within less than five minutes
The tornado had passed, leaving a
mass OF ruins in its wake. The path
OF the tornado was about a mile in
width. The storm came from the
southwest and struck the city so
squarely that it leveled the buildings
from one end of it to the other. AS
far as can be learned from the re-
ports so far received the path of the
tornado extended from a point five
or six miles southwest of Brinklev TO
point about ten miles northeast of
the city. Between these two points
it destroyed practically everything in
it's path Farm houses and barns were
demolished and many of the occu-
pants were killed and injured. few
of the latter have been brought TO
Brinkley, but it is expected that the
number will be greatly increased.
None of those who passed through
the ordeal are able to describe cobe-
rently the scenes which accompanied
the destruction of the city. AS the
buildings began to rock and totter
some of the occupants rushed in ter-
ror to the streets. Many of those
who attempted to escape were caueht
by flying timbers or bricks and killed
or seriously injured. Others who
either had no time to attempt TO es.
cape or were too terrified to move
were caught beneath the falling buiId.
lngs, but in many instances escaned
injury in some miraculous manner