The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-03-22
HUNDRED ARE
KILLED AND
MANY HURT
Storm of Tornado Intensity RACES
Over the Central. Western
and Southern States,
PROPERTY LOSS WILL
REACH INTO MILLIONS
With Wire Communication Down
Loss Cannot BE Properly Esti-
mated-Towns Wiped Out.

More than one hundred persons are
reported killed and hundreds were In.
Jured, some mortaliy by a storm OF
tornado Intensity which ragged over the
Central. Western and Southern and
parts OF the Eastern states today. Prop
erty damage will run we'll Into the MIL
lions.
Definite adviees have been received
accounting for at least seventy per-
sons dead, with reports from points
temporarily cut off from wire COM
munleation by the storm adding hour.
ly to the list.
Reports from Alabama show the loss
Of life was heaviest In that state, the
number OF dead there being already
definitely placed at sixty, with addi-
tlonsl fatiHties reported, but not con.
hrmed. Two towns, ThomasviIIe and
Lower Peachtreet, were practically
wiped out. Two are dead In Indiana,
Two In Tennessee, two In Ohio. two in
New York, one In Michigan and one
In Louisiana.
Accompanying the death list are es-
simates Of the injured totaIlIna more
Than 200. with additions coninq in at
brief intervals.
Coming up out OF the southwest
early Friday morning. just as spring
was ushered in, the storm swept with
startling suddenness diagonally across
The country from northern Texas TO
western Pennsylvania and New York
bisecting the Mississippi Valley and
moving northeastward across the Ohio
into the Great Lake region.
Most Destructive OF Year.
Chffffnc~ min d. - ,-E1
companied in various sections by
snow. sleet and hail, characterized the
storm, easily the most destructive of
the year and rarely equalled in the
extent OF its sweep and damage
Buildings toppled before the blow in
nearly a dozen states and death lay
all along in its wake.
The property loss was heavy all
along the storms track. Besides de-
mOlishing or unroofing buildings and
telling trees. the high winds. rain,
hail and sleet did serious damages to
early crops. according TO reports from
some OF the affected sections. EST.
mates OF damage to property in In
diana and Michigan alone aggregate
S2,00OOOO evenly divided between the
two states. Early reports OF losses
ranging from s25. 900 10 $500. 900 or
more from sections OF the storm region
indicated that the total would reach
.arge figures.
Wires Are Down.
Wires fell in all directions before
the blow. Not in many years has
there been such prostration OF tele-
graph and telephone service. Chicago
was cut OF for hours from communi-
cation with points east. Only by de-
vious routes was connection finally es-
tablished. Last night conditions had
improved materially. but 30 will be sew
eral days before normal service is res
tored. Railroad traffic was seriously
delayed In many districts. where wire
communication was crippled and wash
outs occurred.
The wind. which wiped out so much
property and cost 30 many lives at.
tained record yelOcities az some poipts
Figures given by the weather bureau
In Washington showed that at Detroit
10 reached So miles an hour. a new
nigh record in that city. 50 miles al
Toledo. So miles an hour az Buffalo.
Memphis 6i miles and Louisville 81
miles
Cold weather is trailing the destruc.
tive blow. Tho storm seems 10 have
spent it's force aAd 10 Boz taking tbs
accustomed route of such disturbance
out the 81. Lawrence Valley.