Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-02-15
STORM DEATH TOLL
IS Placed At %;
THIRTY ARE Injured

GARDNER, Ga, Feb. IGNORE
than a score of collins arranged on
the platform of the railroad station
here this morning give mute evidence
of the fury of the tornado which
! swept the little settlement of the
Thursday afternoon, killing twenty
nine persons and injuring thirty
others. The burial of the victims
probably will take place this after
noon, although some of the bodies
are being sent to relatives in other
sections of the state under the direc-
ton of the American Red Cross,
which sent representatives to the
scene within a few hours after the
tornado struck.
The work of rescue and relief has
at last brought a semblance of peace
and quiet to the little settlement, but
the grief-stricken. pitiful faces OF
stunned by the suddenness of the
disaster, bear witness of after eff
fects of the catastrophe.
The bodies of the twenty-nine vic
tins were sent to Sandersville Thurs
day night, placed in collins and re-
turned to Gardner for burial or ship
ment to other points, while the in
jured are being cared for at the San
dersville hospital or in house that
o oaS t been very erT"s SCENE 'o Of s
Two Red Cross nurses, Miss Matilda
Stabler and Miss Virginia Gtbbes,
working under the direction of Vic
rector for this division, are in charge
of the temporary hospital and are
assisted by volunteers from among
the survivors.
The work of clearing up the debris
and wreckage that is strewn in the
path of the tornado already has been
put under way. Damage to the prop
pany is estimated at $4,000. while
that wrought at Oconee,. four miles
away, is placed at $4,000. All the
houses wrecked by the terrific wind
were owned by the mill company.
Mill Untouched
Twenty-eight Of the victims are
negroes, while one white boy, Ben
jamin Frank Orr lost his life when
the commissary collapsed with a
died last night at the SahoersVille
The mill itself was untouched by
the storm and according to officials
OF the company, Will Des:n 8: once
to turn ut lunber to rebuild the
devastated settlement. Ordinaril.,
the plant handles nothing but hard
wood but for the next few weeks
it will saw pine lumber to be lSed
in rebuilding the houses . the OPP
eratiVeS.
The surviving families are MAX
ing temporary homes in army tents
brought to the scene in big trucks
Friday noon from Atlanta. Colonel
NJ Gray Zalinski and Major G. H.
Ellis commanded the convoy. which
was hurriedly assembled Thursday
night when news of the disaster
A nYaf0 n hn
relief convoy did much to relieve
suffering, while the Red Cross work
ers, taking charge of the situation,
brought order out of chaos.
standing at the edge of the path
cut by the tornado. Piles of debris,
twisted timbers, household effects
and similar evidences of destruction
litter the ground for the space of
half a mile and show where stood
RACED. Groups of workers are busy
gathering up the bodies of mules,
dogs, cats, rats and other animals
killed by the "twister," for scores
of these cadavers were strewn over
the path of the tornado as it crash
ed through the settlement.
Five or six negro orphans are be-
ing cared for by the Red Cross I'M
til arrangements can be made for
their relatives to take them. The
ladies of the Sandersville and Ten
mile cha pters of the Red Cross came
over Friday and took charge of the
relief kitchen, where mea s lwere
served to the demoralized survivors
Impronptu Service Held
Last night a negro preacher held
an impromptu service at a house
near the temporary hospital where
many injured negroes are being civ
en- treatment The service was we'll
attended by negroes from all over
this section who flocked in when
news of the disaster began to spread.
A negro man. badly hurt internalG
ly and cut about the face and head,
sat for Sc hours beside the bed of his
wife, whose sight had been Temporal
rily destroyed by flying sand, and