The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-04-01
MANY DEAD AT LA GRANGE.
Property Damage From
Cyclone.

Atlanta, Ga, March 2S-At least
thirty-six lives were lost, hundred
or more persons were injured and
property damage possibly running
into MILLIONS was caused by lorna
does that swept through Georgia and
Alabam late today. LAGRANGE and
West Point, Georgia, towns near the
Alabam- Georgia border, suffered the
heaviest, the estimated dead at La
Grange running as high as thirty
six. Twenty-one bodies, six of whites
and fifteen negroes were found, 1t
was known. West Point, which lost
heavily last December from the flood
ed Chattanoochee, reported ten dead
and the severe damages in the busl-
ness section.
The tornado also was felt in Macon
where property damage ran high and
some persons were injured. Wash
ington, Georgia town near Augusta,
also felt the effects of a storm, but
apparently no lives were lost.
The tornado in Alabama took its
chief toll, according to reports to-
night, at Agricola, where five per-
sons were reported killed and dozen
or more were injured. Heavy proper
ty damage was caused near Ojelika
and high winds and rain were gener-
al over Eastern Alabama.
Wire Service Paralyzed.
Wire service, both telegraph and
telephone. was practically paralyzed
and it was almost impossible to as
certain exact damage or to get re-
ports from many sections Of the
State that have felt the effects OF
the storm. Heavy rains fell through
out a great portion of Georgia dur
ing the day and it was feared flood
ed rivers might add to the suffering.
The Red Cross here was preparing
tonight to rush supplies to La
Grange by army motor trucks as the
Atlanta and West Point Railroad re-
ported it could not dispatch relief
train because it's wires were down.
Its passenger train, New Orleans to
Washington, No. SO, was not located
late tonight.
Army engineers were preparing to|
60 to West Point to rebuild pom
toon bridge they threw across the
Chattahoochee river last December
when floods that inundated the town
and caused $7,O0O,O00 property dam
age.
Business Men Hit Hard.
Most of the damage in West Point
was said to be in the business sec
ton and its effects on merchants and
other business men just struggling
from the heavy loses of last Decem-
Der were expected to be almost i'm
possible from them to bear. Half a
dozen structures were said to be
greatly damaged.
In LAGRANGE the chief loss to life
and property was said to be in the
mill section but the town was thrown
into darkness as the electric lighting
plant was partially wrecked. In addi-
tion to this the waterworks plant was
said to be out of commission and
Swift & Co.'s packing plant was re-
ported a wreck.
Hospitals Filled.
Hospitals were filled with injured
in LAGRANGE, according to telephone
reports, and the court house had
been made into an emergency hos
pital. The injured had not been count
ed tonight. but apparently their num-
bers ran into the hundreds.
Damage in Macon and Washington
Ca, was chiefly confined to plate
glass windows and roofs of buildings
with property loss rather heavy in
Macon.
Loss resulting from hail and rain
storms was reported from Granville
and Hogansville, towns in the West
Point-LaGrange section. A small
tornado struck Williamson, Ca, un-
roofing some houses. There were no
injuries or loss of life so far as
known tonight.