The Tupelo journal., 1917-06-15
LETTER FROM MR.. COCHRAN
Belden. Miss. June 1

Belden, Miss, June II, 1917.
Tupelo Journal:
The writer desires through the
columns of your paper for the bene-
Mt OF those who might be interested
IN the cyclone storm on May 9th,
between and o'clock P. M, 1917,
which formed or made up itself on
or near Mud Creek in the west end
OF the First District of Pontotoc
county crosses at Balls crossing on
the Mobile, New Orleans and Chica-
go railroad about three miles south
east of the town of Ecru, misty,
yellow soft looking cloud about the
size of church in the rural dis
tricts, from its appearance as the
writer saw said cloud seemed to
breathe and started hurridly in the
direction of Chesterville, about one
quarter of a mile in short space of
time she seemed to go back just as
far in the opposite direction, then
she made the speed of cyclone
cloud and made its way almost in an
eastern direction in an air line. The
storm left destruction and devasta-
ton in it's path to an unknown
amount of damage to the writer.
Said storm struck the dwelling
house of Willard Bryant and Willie
Wilder on the farm known as the
John Simmons place due south of
the store at Endville, demolishing
completely Bryant's home, barn and
orchard, blowing Willie Wilder's
house off of the pillows about 20
feet north, tearing away all of the
verandas and warping and twisting
the house out of unreconizeable
shape The next in it's path was the
we'll built hose of Mrs. Rachel Sam
pies tearing the roof and veranda
off of her home, blowing down an
unoccupied tenant hose east of Mrs.
Samples and piling it upon the
ground upon which it was built. The
next was the home of Sam Brandon,
tearing up and blowing away all of
his out buildings and completely de-
molishing the south half of his
home. The next in it's path was the
home of Jinning on the farm of Fra
zier Ray, completely tearing his
house down and blowing away the
same with a part of his garden in
cluding vegetables destroying almost
all fthe orchard of Frazier Ray
and demolishing his barn. Blowing
down and twisting up an uprooting
house and that of Innings. Then it
made its way with greater force than
ever crossing the road on the north
side and there while at supper of the
family of Marcus Grant striking his
house with such force tearing it
completely down, injuring some
members of the family painfully, so
much so that DR.. Roy Carruth was
called from Chesterville to see one of
the children, which was painfully cut
about the knee with some of the
dabris. Also tore the barn all to
pieces, killing yearling calf. Then
making its way back on the south
side of the road and there almost
wrecking and running the beautiful
and well built home built by Carl
Ray now occupied by Mr.. Rush
Witcher, demolishing one of the best
barns the community afforded Also
wrecking and running or nearly so,
towit, Parron Lilly and His brother
Eylmer. Then striking the outer
buildings on the Jim Lilly place, de-
stroying all except the dwelling house
The next on it's path was the old
home of the writer there uprooting
as is known the Robinson county of
Texas Pecan tree hich was planted
there by the mother of the writer
sixty one years ago and which has
been bearing fruit for about for or
five decades, tearing off at the ground
all of the large oaks in the yard and
the old family oak known as the ''old
gamblin tree" the name given it by
the father of the writer, Silas M.
Cochrane, blowing it south Is feet
striking small room on the west
end of my veranda and destroying
the same tearink to pieces the
barn and Dixon Cochran's new paled
garden. Then making itsc way at
the same speed striking the old home
as it is known built by George w.
Grissom, more than sixty years ago.
This home is now owned by colored
Baptist preacher by the name of
Burl Eads, completely destroying his
barn and out buildings and blowing
away kitching and dining room, also
unroofing a part of the house.
AS it is often said those storms
bounce as if rubber ball, which
said storm seemed to bounce about
one half mile east and the last home
destroyed, it's destination or its end
is no farther known by me.
B. M. COCHRAN. N