The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1919-03-23
rIlE DELTA CYCLONE.

A cyclone. cutting = swaen three
quarters OF mile wide. this after
noon al La o'clock swept over a
course southwest to northeast, from
point two miles south OF Grace. IS
miles north of Vicksburg. northeast
OF Pantherburn, a distance OF eight
miles. killing J. W Johnson. a
wealthy planter of Pantherburn, and
seven negroes. injuring a large mum.
Der OF persons, and live stock, and
razing large tract of-yaluablc tim
Der land
Hundreds went from Vicksburg in
automobiles To render assistance
The names of the negro dead could
not be ascertained.
f. p Green. white. manager of ].
b. Sinai's plantation. two miles south
of Grace. ana Amelia Frazer. ne
eress. living on the Sinai planta-
ton, both seriously injured. were
brought to the Vicksburg Irdrmary
for treatment.
Mr.. Sinai. who lives near ny. was
notified and accompanied the in
jured to vicksburg.
Green is single man. and mid
die aged. He has bad hole in his
forehead a mole on the right side
of the nose. with several cuts on
the face. right leg broken and in
ternally injured
Green's home. five negro cabins
and the barn, housing 25 valuable
mules on the Sinai place, were blown
down.
Mr.. Sinai did not wait to inquire
into the damage on his place, but Is
sued instructions to look after the
injured. and accompanied Green to
Vicksburg,
Rushed 10 Vicksburg.
Green and the Frazer woman were
placed in a cabcose and rushed to
Rolling Fork, where the southbound
passenger train on the Y, ana y V,
took them aboard Tor Vicksbure
CONDUCTOR J. r. Hoke had his train
oseked over on the Riverside Ill
vision track to get Green and the
Frazer woman He had no authori-
~ for leaving the main line with his
train, but he answered the call of
humanity and the passengers colA-
mended his act.
The Johnson home, handsome
frame structure, was RACED 10 the
ground
valuable cypress brake, tor
which Johnson had refused more
than quarter of million, was
swept from the earth.
Telegraph and telephone wire,
were blown down, but connection
with Nitta Yuma was made at q
o'clock by the Postal Telegraph
Company At that hour 200 persons
were searching for the body OF
johnson and the wounded.
AS soon as the service was re-
stored the wire was crowded with
messages announcing the death OF
Johnson.
Conductor lIoke said that the cy-
clone swept across a stretch OF coun- |
try three-quarters of mile wide.
ana left it bare of even stick.
In this tract were great. large gum
'rees which mad been torn lear OF |
the ground
j. b. Sinai S loss viii be heavy. |
lie carried some storm insurance
hut none on his live stock.
JohnSOm'S Body Found.
The body of Mr. Johnson was /
loum late this evening under some |
timber of a corner of his house.
-Four negroes. all dead. were unde,
me timber as though all had sought I
shelter under that part of the house.
Efforts are being made to get a spe-
cial train on the Y & NJ. V. road to
send to Pantherburn for Mr.. John
sons remains, to bring them tc
Vicksburg, his city home. but as
The wires to Greenville are down il I
IS feared the arrangements cannot
be made. It was further stated no
rains could run through the devas-
lated district tonight
Mr.. Johnson was about 60 vearg
of age. very wealthy and married.
but had no children. His widow is
At their home in this city. She is
one Of the most charita Bile women of
he state, and about six weeks ago
gave two large city lots to be used
rs public Fairgrounds for white chill
1ren One of the lots was given to
he Civic League, to be known ms
ne Clara Thompson Hackett Me
mortal Park. Mrs HacSett was not
related to her, but had always been
devoted to cabse o; the same ma
uFe and had been president of the
eague for several years In addi-
hon to the four negroes killed in the