The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-05-12
From The Daily Item. May 8.

A whole business block to the town
of Manning was practically destroyed
and al area over the business sec
ton OF the town was badly damaged
at 40 o'clock Friday afternoon by a
tornado. which left three persons dead
In the ruins Of the buildings and sew
eral others pinned under the fallen
timbors and walls. For a while II
seemed that the dead would number
more than a score Of people. and 1t
seems n miracle that so few were
killed and injured.
Miss Clara Baggett was killed in
the Mcleod building, which was
occupied by the New Idea Company,
where she was engaged as a clerk.
Her sister, Miss Julia Baggett. was
dangerously injured and is now In a
lcritical conditior.
On h next corner Of the block,
the Nettles building. which was oc-
cupied by the Manning Dry Goods
Company. was demolished and Bens-
ley Davis. n clerk. and the COL
ored porter were taken from the
ruins dead. Mr.. T. M. Davis,
father of the dead boy. G.. M.
Smith and Joe L. Graham. were ia
ken from the debris seriously injured.
Others injured were Miss Annie
Thames. Morris Ness. Mrs. r. KATE
of. ID, ID. Davis. J. Il. Reardon and
others were more or less seriously
injured by the falling timbers and
brick OF the various buildings.
In the Arant Drug Store the pharm-
acist and his porter escaped injury by
lying under the counter. The build
Ing was completely demolished. The
damage was greatest on Brooks and
Boyce Streets, the two main business
streets Of Manning. With the court
house as about the center OF tho dis
~turbsnce. the wind spent It's force ON
all sides, within a radius of about
four blocks with damage here and
there beyond this radius. The court
house chimney was broken off and
part of the building unroofed and
many OF the handsome oak trees
In the court house yard were torn to
pieces by the wind. The big trees ov-
sr the town and the buildings where
the storm hit looked as IL some great
giant had. with a colossal club, beat
down upon them. stripping the trees
and beating I'm the roofs Of the build
ings.
Those buildings damaged most were
The New Idea Company and Krasnoff
Store In the Mcleod building: tn
Plowden Hardware Company. f. M.
Wilson Insurance Agency. Katzoff
Store. Dixon Drug Store. Clarendon
Millinery Company. Coffey-Rigby sta
bles. Home Bank and Trust Company,
Cothran and Gleen's tobacco ware.
houses. cotton oil mill, cotton ware
house. Twins -four mill. Arant's Drug
Store. Manning Dry Goods Company,
Manning Furniture Company. Levi
Mercantile Company and a number Of
other buildings. Practically every
business man I'm Manning in some way
felt the effect Of the storm and suf-
fered serious financial loss. There
were only two OF three persons in
i tho tnxyn xyI. haI .., .~l. 49,.
ance, 80 the loss will ALL especially
heavy on those the storm struck. The
total loss Is estimated between $780,
900 and $3.50. 900. The damage on
the court house was estimated at
about $4,000.
The wind came from tho west and
came up very suddenly. Many of
those In the storm stated that 1t was
over so quickly that there was little
time to do anything or to get to
places OF safety. One man stated
that there var one big "oof" and 1t
was all over. Immediately after the
wind there was a deluge of rain
soaking everybody. and slightly
delaying the work OF rescue. Those
In the business section were worried
about those at home and those al
home were frightened for those else
where. the first impulse OF everybody
seemingly being to ascertain IL the
other members Of their families were
safe.
EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE.