The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-21
Devastation in Path of Tenn.
and Miss, and Ala. Twisters.
Death Toll Grows Larger as
Complete Reports Arrive.
RED CROSS HURRIES HELP
National Guard May Be Sent to
Assist Rescue Work.
One Storm Crossed Mountains
in Fury of Its Drive.

Birmingham. Ala. April 21-Re-
vised reports today from the tornado
stricken areas of Mississippi, Alabama
and Tennessee placed the number OF
fatalities resulting from yesterdays
storm at 155, nine less than first re-
ported today. The later reports told
of hundreds injured and estimated the
property damage at more than a.
000. 600
Communication with the stricken
areas was being gradually restored but
latest reports did not add to the death
toll.
Appeals for aid were received from
many small towns and settlements and
! Red Cross relief parties were organ
lied at many points to carry food and
tents into the storm swept districts.
Alabama Hit Hardest.
The greatest havoc apparently was
in the three Alabama counties north
OF this place. The tornado apparently
struck first at Guin, Ala, and zig
Jagged thru northwestern Alabama,
and eastern Mississippi into southern
| Tennessee.
A partial list of dead collected early
| today contained the following:
Aberdeen, 20; Bay Springs. Z:
Amory. 8; Meridian, 20; Rose Hill. 3;
Neshoba county, 19; Clayton, 5: Egypt,
.; Glenn, 10: Ingomar. 6; Baker, 5.
Alabama reported losses: Colbert
county, 4 Madison county, IS; Mar
ion county, 20. and other scattered
losses
Were Two Storms.
According to reports today, there
were two separate disturbances. One
appeared at Meridian, Miss, and
worked northward. The other struck
at Mckenzie, Tenn, one hundred and
sixty miles north of Meridian.
Only three deaths were reported
from the Tennessee storm, most OF the
casualties resulting in Mississippi. The
Lpath of the Mississippi storm was less
than five hundred yards wide. At
places it narrowed down to less than
100 yards.
The wind started shortly before
noon and increased to terrific force.
Rose Hill, Miss. suffered large prop
erty damage, according to reports to-
day. No figures on the number of
dead there were obtainable.
The highest casualty list was re-
ported from Meridian, The number
of dead there was placed at more than
twenty in messages received here.
The storm. which originated at
Meridian, spent its force over north
western Alabama. Several bodies
were reported recovered in Sheffield
and Waco.
Calls for Help Made.
Birmingham, April 2l.-Assistance
from the outside world is urgently
needed for the relief of tornado sur
vivors in a dozen counties of Missis-
sippi. Alabama, and Tennessee, reports
today from the storm swept district
said. With a death list of 1853 already
i reported and a property loss which
will run into many millions. the tor
nado has taken rank as one OF the
most disastrous as well as most wide
spread in the annals of the south.
! Hundreds of injured require medical
attention. and the forces of physicians
and nurses available locally are made
quate to cope with the situation.
Tents and other temporary structures
must be erected for numerous families
whose homes were obliterated, and a
shortage of food is foreseen as a result
of the destruction of barns and ware
houses. coupled with the complete OBJ
struction of communicating roads. The
storm apparently struck in the rich
farming belt lying around Bay Springs,
Jasper county, Mississippi. and moved
northeast across the remainder OF the
state. to vent its fury upon the extreme
northwestern tier of counties in Ala
bama before moving into Tennessee.
Boys School Demolished.
i Laurel. Miss, April 21.--Fifteen
persons are known to have been killed
and property valued at million doll
lars destroyed in the tornado which
swept thru Jasper county. fifteen miles
north of Laurel, yesterday. The two
main buildings and the boys dormi-
tory of the Jasper county agricultural
high school at Bay Springs were de-
molished. Professor Bryan, one OF the
principals, and Miss Moore. music
teacher, were killed. The building ana
plant of the Boy Springs News were
wrecked and a dozen more structures
| occupied by leading citizens were
swept away.
special train was sent to Bay
} Springs, carrying physicians ana
nurses, but most of the injured and
number of the homeless have since
been brought to this city.
Rcd Cross Sends Aid.
New Orleans, April 21.-The Gulf
division of the American Red Cross
, has sent a carload of tents. blankets
and medical supplies together with
nurses, workers and physicians to
Meridian to aid In relief work among
) the storm sufferers.
May Send National Guard.
!, Jackson, Miss, April 21.-Acting
Governor Castel was in conference
. with National Guard officials relative
|, ito relief work in the storm-swept sec
tion today. The governor states that
the state would render every assistance
, to tornado sufferers.
Advices from Meridian state as ad-
ditional reports come in. the death list
! and property damage in the tornado
which swept eastern Mississippi in
crease and that the havoc created IN
, the storm area is the worst in the his
tory of the state. Late estimates state
that 100 are dead and several times
= that number injured between Deemer