Evening star., 1927-11-18
ALEXANDRIA LOSS
SET AT $5O0,0DO
100 Treated for Injuries.
Tornado Lays Waste to
Western Section.
Special Dispatch to The star.

devastated cOnulllOH tOuHS. OdIfldSe
to 100 factories, warehouses, stores
and homes, has been estimated at
$500 900.
In contrast. the entire city east of
Washington street is untouched and
persons in that section were unaware
of the tornado until ambulances, fire
engines and automobiles bearing
police, marines and volunteer firemen,
rushed to the western section to take
charge of relief work.
Approximately 100 persons were in.
jured, but only a small percentage Of
that number was treated at Alex
andria Hospital. Doctors at the scene
administered relief to many who re.
ceived minor ailments.
No Deaths Listed.
No fatalities have been reported, but
William Carter, years old, and
Phoebe Sorrell, both colored, Of La.
mond's lane, are in a serious condition
at the Alexandria Hospital. The in
FAINT is suffering from skull fracture,
while the woman is suffering from
shock and probably a fractured hip.
Telephone and telegraphic commun.
ications were cut off when cables,
wires and poles were torn down.
Electric light and power lines suffered
a similar fate.
Roofs were torn from factories
warehouses, private dwellings and
stores and in many cases Were
wrapped up like huge balls by the
twisting air current and blown far
away. Many buildings, especially In
the colored section where frame struc'
tures predominate, were blown OFF
their foundations. Garages were lifted
into the air and carried away. Poles
and trees were twisted off at their
bases like match stems.
The tornado, jumping from spot to
spot and travelling in an irregular
course. spread havoc wherever IT
touched. The tornado was described
as a huge, black funnel from the
base of which spread two whirling
currents. A hot breath Of air famed
back from the tornado as 1t cut its
course across the city.
Three Schools Escape.
1t wrought little damage to three
Of the public school buildings which
were in session at the time. The
Alexandria High School. Jefferson
Graded School and Parker-Gray School
for colored, We're all within the belt
the tornado traversed.
Paues in the windows Of the schools
were smashed and the high wind
rocked the buildings and frightened
the pupils. but order was maintained.
Martin Cohen, student at the high
school was cut by flying glass.
The tornado struck and disappeared
within a space of three minutes It
first appeared in the Southwest and
in a twinkling was upon the CITY be.
fore eye.witnesses could escape from
it's path. The first sign of any damage
was at Mount Eagle, the home of F.
H. Duhay, between Fort Humphreys
and Alexandria. Half of the barn ut
that place was demolished. The home
was untouched.
1t swept i'm its narrow path across
Duke street, stripping homes Of roofs
and walls. and through a grove of
willow trees near Stone Bridge on
Duke street. The willows were strip
ped of their branches.
Hits Row of Homes.
the tornado brushed through the
Southern Railway Co.'S yard south of
Duke street, plunged across Duke
street and Diagonal road toward the
residences on the 1900 block King
street, all of which were damaged
considerably. A colored hotel run by
Washington Jackson. colored. 1901
King street was robbed of its front,
leaving its rooms exposed.
The walls and roof of a welding
shop run by II. Il. Howdershell, III
South PeytOn street. were blown away
just after HOwdershell and two Gus.
toners had run outside to determine
the source OF the terrific noise which
they heard. They escaped injury. A
huge welding machine in the shop
was blown through the side of the
building and was later found $50 feet
away.
A garage in the rear of the 1900
block of King street was lifted into
the air and placed over pole in the
middle OF nearby field. 1t narrowly
escaped hitting Motor Cycle Policeman
Mullen of the Alexandria Police De.
partment. Another garage in that
section was uprooted and stood on end
against the back of the adjoining
house.
Windows Are Smashed.
The huge plate glass windows of
Wells drug store, King and Peyton
streets, were torn from the frames.
One was broken Immediately, but the
other was blown for half a square be-
fore it finally smashed against pole.
Window panes, steps, roofs and
porches OF the residences on the 100
block OF North Peyton street and Pot.
terfield's store, located at Peyton and
Cameron streets, were badly damaged.
The tornado leaped into the air at
that juncture, damaging only window
panes in the Alexandria High School
and the Jefferson Graded School, and
caused only slight damage until 1t
reached the northwest section of the
city. where 1t razed everything within
its sweep. Many frame dwellings were
blown down. leaving only splintered
piles of debris.
Valuable personal effects, furniture,
automobiles and other articles were
destroyed. Many billboards were de.
moiShed.
several colored churches and many
small stores We're blown from their
foundations and toppled against other
puiidings. The old Industrial School
az montgomery and Henry streets was
piled over the house next door.
Inc storehouse Of the Hoge Grain
&C Feed Co, 50S-51s North Henry
street. probably suffered the most
damage. The roof was torn away and
lhe north wall demolished, leaving
great quantities OF grain and feed. val.
tied at thousands OF dollars, living ex-
posed to the heavy rainfall which fol.
lowed shortly in the wake of the twis-
ter.
Stone Wall Blown Down.
The former home of Mayor William
Albert Smoot, adjoinging the grain
Storehouse on the Oronoco street side.
was damaged badly and stone wall
was blown down.
The Southland Battery Co.'S plant
at Henry and Madison streets was
barred when the roof blew off and the
damage at that factory Is also great.
The warehouse of Janney Brothers at
Columbus and Montgomery streets
was unroofed ad valuable stock ruin.
ed.
The Washington Terra Gotta Co.