Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-29
GEORGIA STRICKEN
|. BY RAGING TORNADO
La Grange and West Point Are
Heaviest Losers in
"Twister."
DEATH TOLL REACHES 40
Wires and Railroads Practically
Paralyzed by Force
of Gale.
DEATH TOLL REACHES 40
tny Associated Press

ATLANTA. GA. March 4s.-At least
twcnty-one lives were lost. with an
estimated death lis; of thirty-six. lon
or moro parsons. were injured. and
property damage probably runnine
into the millions WAS caused by tor
nadocs that swept through Georgia
and Ala bama late today.
La Grange und West Point. Ca.
towns near the Alabama. corgia bur-
der. suffered the heaviest. the csti.
mated dead at La Granr, running as
high as th:r:y-si Twcntv-onc bodies.
six of whites. aud fifteen negroes
We're found. Wcs; Point. which lost
heavily last December from the
flooded Cnattanoochcc. reported tea
dead and severe damage in the nusi-
ness section
Ten persons were killed in West
Point. according to Information re-
ccived here tonight. From twenty
live 10 thirty persons were injured.
twelve OF them seriously. - Sa id
Death Toll Uncertain.
The business part Of the town was
SAID 10 nave been almost destroyed.
hardly building escaping damage
and many being badly wrecked. Loss
Of life was chiefly in the destruction
OF stores and buildings. The known
dead were given as: l.. y. Askcw.
lsham STANLEY; r. L. iiornc. Blake
negroes. whose names wcre not known.
Stanley was killed in tho wreck OF
the, i,resbyterian Church, and Horne
tanrant roof was blown in.
The town was lrft in darkness to-
night and cut on from communication
with that Part OF H. across the chatta-
hOorhce River. as the pOntonn bridg.
thrown up by army engineers after
The floods OF last bcccmher. WAS put
oUt OF commission.
Dnmasc Estimate Impossible.
No one tried 10 make an accuralc
estimate OF property loss In the dark :
ness and confusion attendant upon try
ing 10 Succor the injured.
The tornado also Was felt in Macon
where property damage ran thigh. ani
some persons were injured. Washing
ton. (;;t., town near Augusta. ais"
felt he effects ~ "a storm hut APP
parrrtly no lives wcrc lost. The tor
mad" in Alabama took it's chief toll.
according to repuris tonight. ~ AEri,
inrcd. Heavy property damage was
caused near Opciika and high winds
and rain wrc genera! over Eastern
Wire service both telegraph ana
telephone. was partially paraiyzcd
tain exact damage. or 10 get reports
FROM many sections Of the state that
NIGH, have felt tn. effects of tho
storm. Heavy raius fell throughout :,
day. and il was feared Noodcd rivers
might add To tho suffering
lted Cross To Rn>h Help.
The Rcd Cross here was pvcpar!nS
hy army motor trucks as the Atlanta
and West Point Railroad reported /,
could mot dispatch relici train be
cause It's wires were down early in the
night. but later the road was enabled
TO locate !ts passenger train No. ~
from New Orleans. which was reported
due here ~ l2:4" \. NJ.
Manr engineers were preparing 10
80 10 Nest Point 10 rebuild II pontoon
h:ids" thcy 'hr"w across the Chntta-
huocir. River last December.
Most of tin. damage in West Point
was s.. I'D 10 be III the business section
and its effects on merchants and 9th.
the heavy losses last D"ceinher. We're
expected 10 be almost Impossible for
then 10 bear. Half dozen business
structures were said to br severely
damaged
Town In Darkness.
In Ia Grange the chief loss 10 life
and property was said :" be in tiic
into darkness as the electric lighting
plant was partially wrecked III addi-
ton to tiiis the water works plant was
N Cos plant was reported wreck.
Hospitals were uIlcd with injured in
la Grange. according 70 telcphonr re
ports. and the courthouse had been
made into AN emergency hospital The
injured had not been counted tonight.
"rt apparently their numbers van into
tho hundreds.
Damage il Macon and WASHINGTON.
Ga. was chicily confined 10 plate glass
windows and roots OF buildings. WITH
property .oSs rather heavy IN Macon.
Loss resulting from tail and rain
storms was rcportcd from GraI.vilir
and HoeanSviiir towns in the West
Point-l.a Grange section. y smlil tor
mad" STRUCK Williamson. 'iI. unroof-
,Continn,d on Second rascD