The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-10
ENTIRE TOWN
 IS DESTROYED Thirty Persons Lose
 Their Lives. ABOUT SIXTY ARE INJURED tornado Leaves Death and Destruc-
 tion in Path. Governor DonaEhey. of Arkansas, Has Arrived At Brinkiey, the Scene
 of the Disaster, To Take Charge of situation.

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 Brinkley. Ark. March 9-Thirty or more lives were snuffed out. sixty people were injured and property esti- mated to be worth $1,000.00O was de- stroyed. as result of the tornado which wrecked this little city last night.
 Of the known dead. fourteen are white people, as follows:
 Isaac Reed. Mrs. Isaac Reed. Rus sell Reed. Raymond Reed, Porter Eoote. J. L. Starrett, Harry Stovall, Jr. Mrs. Ethel Phillips, Mrs. Belle Darden. two children of Mrs. Darden, Charles Frenze, A.. M. Hood and an unidentified man.
 o. K. Dowdle, side and ankle crush- ed; Mrs. E. H. Mason, arm broken and seriously bruised: Daniel Cummings. injured about head: Robert Alexander. badly bruised; Mrs. Claude Leakey. cut about body: w. M, Donnelly. wounded about head: John E. waddell of Mem- phis. cut about head: Miss Clara Rose. seriously injured; Thomas Rose, badly bruised; Arthur Rose. crushed by tim- bers: Miss Daisy Rose. seriously bruis- edg Mrs. ]. E. Morelock. both limbs head and chest; Edward Livingston. hip and back injured; J. A. Stewart bruised and crushed.
 The remainder of the dead and se- riously injured are negro rssiddents.
 Destruction is Complete.
 The tornado lowered about the city only a few minutes. but its work of de- struction was complete. The Roman Catholic Church. standing directly in the path of the storm. alone escaped damage or destruction, and stands to night grim sentinel on a scene of desolation. Main Street and Cypress Avenue, the two principal thorough fares of the town. are now impossible and are piled high with wreckage from end to end.
 Every business house Is in ruins and there is hardly home that has not at least suffered the loss of g. roof or wing. The Arlington Hotel was total- registered there. but all escaped unin- jured. The Brinkey Hotel. Southern Hotel and Kelly Hotel were all de- stroyed without loss of life.
 Relief squads have been at work all day caring for the dead and injured. The Rock Island and Cotton Belt Rail- ways have placed cars at the disposal of the local relief committee and many people are leaving Brinkley seeking a temporary refuge at other points near by. The dead were sent to Helena, from which point interment will take place.
 Governor Donaghey arrived from Little Rock this afternoon in response to a call from the citizens commit tee. He has the situation well in hand and says food. clothing and shelter arc khe things most needful.
 Hundreds of people are homeless and are wandering about seeking a tenn porary abode. Three special trains ar rived from neighboring towns today bringing relief workers, physicians and nurses.
 The Catholic Church has been con- verted into a hospital and here the doctors and nurses are caring for the injured. The citizens of Helena have generously offered the use of their homes for the destitute.
 Mass meetings have been called for tomorrow in Memphis. Little Rock and other cities. to raise funds and SUD- plies for the storm victims.
 T. M. Kimmell. a railroad operator at Brinkley. one of the first to reach a point of communication to summon aid for the devastated town, graphical ly describes the scenes immediately following the passing>of the storm.
 Twisted Like n Toy.
 Together with several companions he was in the Rock Island depot when The storm struck. As if 1t were a toy, the substantial structure was twisted and broken, the occupants being caught among the falling 'timbers, bruised, but otherwise unhurt. Extricating them selves after half an hours effort they found the town in darkness, the streets filled with a terror-stricken throng, their shrieks mingling with The moans of the injured. Intermittent flashes of lightning revealed wreckage every where. a portion of~a building stand ing here and again only a tangled mass of debris. As Kimmell and his com panions made their way through the streets they identified two of the dead | and stumbled over others who were injured.
 Huddled about the ruins of their homes families were standing in groups, clinging together in terror | while here and there a searcner was | groping about in quest of a missing | member of the household. efs As the party started to leave Brink ley intending to walk to Weakley, the | nearest town, the added horror of fire appeared. Wheh two miles from Brink ley they were forced to retrace tn | steps because of the gale As they returned, the fire had gained heodway and famed by the stiff wind was spreading but the prompt work of cit izens suppressed the confagration.
 Boarding an engine, Simmeu and his companions, J. M. WejtanZKi, Rich- ards a lineman and Conductor Gale. made a quick run to Weakley, hriag- ing the news of the storm and an ap- peal for aid.
 Because of wire denoralization a cotton belt passenger train could not be located last night and report was sent out that 1t had been blown from the tracks near Baucum. The of- ficiaIs of the railroad in Memphis stat ed today that the train was safe from mishap.