Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1924-05-01
MANY HOUSES
ARE DEMOLISHED
Unusual Storm Clouds Watched b.
Many AS They Approached citv

The cyclone which struck orr
city at 1000 o'clock Wednesday
morning attracted first notice Of
occupants of the upper floors of
the tve-story building. It's course
was limited and though #
only tarried but a few minutes
the damage done was considera,
BILE. ei@
! An AN electrict storm, hail and heavy
uoyWnpour OF rain preceded the "twist- ,
81. reople In the town generally were
unaware OF the unusual nature of the
storm, as it's path was narrow anN it's
9auInage SO quickly done, heavy raif,
loiloWing to complete the ruin in
many places. 'll -
The cyclone came from a south wes-
terly direction and on Palm Street
denoiishing the home of John Nc.
SS,owan and the Primitive Baptist
Church, took off the roof of the buns
gaioW occupied by Mrs. A. H. Thur
mond, practically laid low the resi-
aence Of ii. Bruner, corner Jessamine
and Gordon Streets and damaged the
High School to- some extent.
Many homes including that OF Mrs
H. j. Prentiss and Mr.. w. G.. Broad
hurst had damage to the interior much
worse than outward appearances show
ca. Holes in the roofs and trees fall
ling across the porches or outbl1i1d-
ings did serious damage. MANY auto
mobiles were crushed or broken in this
way.
Numerous porches, fences and gar
ages besides hundreds of shade trees
IN that part of town show the severity
OF the storm. In the eastern part of the
city 1t took off the south wall of the
| compress and took slice out of the
| Cotton Oil Mill, utilized as hull house
| in season.
| The negro section of the eastern
part OF the city was severely struck
and among the heavy losers there are
| w. u. Broadhurst, who reports about
fifteen of his tenant houses laid low.
Three colored churches in the path
OF the storm were demolished. Trees,
telephone and electric light poles were
strewn all over east Magnolia and
Jessamine streets. The storm played
havoc with the shade trees in its
course through the city, several bun
dred of these besides many rose BUSH
es and other attractive shrubbery,
which it will take years to replace Re-
ports from the rural districts through
which the storm passed are to the eff
4 feet that a number of barns and some
dwellings were blown down, trees up
rooted and some damage to the grow
ing crops by the hail and wind
On the Carol farm west of town,
tenanted by Mr.. Gaines, the barn is
reported demolished and five mules
caught under the debris, were later
found uninjured and released On the
Joe Parson place, Mr. Parson seeing
the storm coming took refuge in the
well along with his son and thew saw
the house blown down but escaped
themselves in their improvised storm
cellar. The Ed Whitman place was al
so considerably damaged, the barn and
porch being blown down and shade
trees demolished, while Mrs. Whitman
in fear, watched the storm from a safe
distance in the yard.
East OF the city as far out as Ros-
coe Kimballs farm the storm did more
or less damage however following a
very narrow channel, uprooting trees,
levelling barns and taking cabins off
their foundations.
Among the freak happenings report
ed was the damage to the roof OF the
Christian Church, which was pierced
by a stick of flying timber as was
also the second story of Mrs. Chovin's
home on east Magnolia street, other
wise leaving the premises uninjured.
: The ice wagon making the rounds
III the fourth ward was turned over
near the high school, the driver be-
ing seriously injured, the attending
boy less SO and the horse was rolled
over along with the wagon but es-
capped without scratch
One colored employee of the Cot
ton Oil mill was reported seriously
injured, these being the only personal
injuries reported.
} Col. Griner who was on his farm
east of town during the storm was
witness to the lowering of his farm
house and other buildings on the place.
The school children in the four ward
buildings were much frightened though
none but the High School were in any
way damaged. When tire roof of the
latter was being damaged and window
Ipanes broken, the pupils and teachers
| all retired to the basement
Slight Damage in Business District
In the business section, only small
| damage was sustained. The Watt &
Holmes Hardware Company lost one
of it's show windows and had part of
it's roof torn UP.
The Grigsby Grocery Company lost
one of it's plate glass show windows
and the roof of the Home Furniture
Company was partially torn UP.