Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-04-13

row gauge lumber affair. ter
minating ut Ca m pw 90 d,
where a theater has been
turned into a hospital.
A Southern Pacific relief train at
noon was still at Uvalde. ~ miles
south Of Roeksprings. Ambulances
piled back and forth between the
two towns while the branch track up
TO Campwood was being sounded out
with a view 10 running the train up
within minimum distance.
san Antonio Sends Nurses
Every hospital in San Antonio
that sent nurses and doctors last
night. sent more today bringing the
total 10 nearly 100. counting those
sent from the American LEGION hos
pital at kerrville, 3S miles east of
RocEsprings.
Struck by violent blast early last
night. RocksprinEs suffered the
brunt Of vicious twistcr covering
n space about four miles square.
Less than 10 buildings in the town of
about 900 population were left stand
irg.
Rain -doused fires this morning
that threatened to add misery to the
situation.
Last nights story of horror was
carried To the outside world by
Gladys Lowery, telephone operator,
who stuck by an improvised tele-
phone hooked onto broken line
near town.
List of Dead
Following is a revised list Of the
dead. j. ri. CrOwder and wife. Emory
Willis and his mother. Mrs. William
Phelts. David Mckinney, Mrs. Fer
ris and her son, Mrs. Ola Penning-
ton and her daughter Nula Mae. III.
II. Griffith and daughter Mona. Gus
Henderson, wife. son Raymond and
two other children. ". Dollahitc. ed-
itor of Edwards County Leawer. and
daughter Matte. Charles Baker. Mrs
r. RI. Wittenburg and son. Peter
! Burnett Babh. Two children Of Joe
Billings. Mrs. Walter Adams and
son. Rev Spiers Of the Rocksprings
Methodist church. wife and two
children. a child OF the Renfro fam
ily. Charles McMain,
A blustery wind that came from
The northeast about O'Clock Tues
that Rocksprings had Of the tornado
Even then no one paid any atten.
tion to the wind and the darkeninp
sky.
Storm Drops On Town
Suddenly the black funnel dropped
upon the town. "A clock found IN the
wrcckage undamaged. but stopped
told the hour OF the tragedy. Its
hands we're M 7.50 o'clock.
The storm area was about four
miles square with the town in the
center. lFverv part CT the town was
IN its path. Houses snlintered: trees
were rammed through brick build
irps and people were hurled through
tho air 70 death or injury
For n little more than five min
u--s The ni-ht demon smote az the
heart Of Rocksprinrs.
g. NJ. Carson. surrounded by
friends and his family. was about q
cut the cake Of his seth birthday.
A splintering roof above their
heads ended the party.
1he aged man was blown from the
house and more than 100 feet from
the wreckage He was found stun.
ned but otherwise uniniurpd.
Cries Of Dying Fill Night
After the storm had gone. there
was only the blackness ~ night and
the cries of the dying and wounded
The dazed survivors stumbled among
ne ruins their cries NJ daliriun
drowning IN many instances the calls
of the loved ones they sought.
Final!v Dick Perkins. county
commissioner Of Edwards county
crawled - spof left clear by the
storm. and shouted Then others toOl
up tbe call and rade their way q
the sound Of the first voice.
At the central spot the men di
vided into groups Of thee or more
Street By street the silent groups
/ stumbled with the rrins nOw and
then hrisflv caught VA the faint
/ riaw 0f matches. All ovrr the towT
the grouns spread attempting suceoi
fo- the injured.
The first resrus wurkerE rcachet
Il Ra-iSrrinrs shor+ly before mid
right inht w. fire thrrAtrrrd t0 make
fha towns bier one MI ashes.
The usual sardurie prankE of iht
twister were Fn evidence. "A bnbN
wns hurled fifty feet through the
rir and landed safely. almost gent
TN.
Operator Calls for Aid
The towns telephone operator
(Continued on page two.l