The State

The State, Columbia, South Carolina, April 21, 1920, Page 1

TORNADOES CAUSE MANY CASUALTIES

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Three States Swept by Series of Storms

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TWO SUFFER GREATLY

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Mississippi and Alabama Especially Hard Hit While Tennessee is Less Seriously Hurt.

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Reports of series of tornadoes that swept Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee show the following casualties:

Mississippi: Bay Springs, Jasper County, 7

Aberdeen, Monroe County, 21

Amory, Monroe County, 3

Philadelphia, Neshoba County, 3

Noxubee and Winston Counties, 5

Rose Hill, Jasper County, 6

Meridian, Lauderdale County, 21

Runnels Bridge, Lauderdale County, 2

Deemer Lumber Camp, near Philadelphia, Neshoba County, 14

Egypt, Chickasaw County, 5

Glen, Alcorn County, 16

Keownville, Union County, 2

Gomar, Union County, 6

Baker, Union County, 5

Starkville section, Okitibeha County, (several)

Alabama: Nehama section, Colbert County, 4

Gutley, Madison County, 3

Little Cove, 2

Killingsworth Cove, Madison County, 15

Waco, Franklin County, 1

Marion County, 20

Tennessee: Williamson County, 1

Maury County, near Burwood, 2

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Birmingham, Ala., April 20 - A death list which tonight stood at more than 140 and a property loss of many millions of dollars, was the toll exacted by a series of tornados which today swept a score of towns, villages and isolated farms in eastern Mississippi, northwestern Alabama and the southern counties of Tennessee.

Communication with many of the stricken districts was difficult but fragmentary reports agreed that the tornadoes swept down with deadly suddeness, obliterating everything that lay in their path. In at least one case - part of Rose Hill, Miss. - practically the entire town and several instances members of a family were reported to have been caught in the debris of a home. Striking first apparently in Lauderdale County, Mississippi about (?) o'clock this morning the storms swept a narrow path across the remainder of the state, carrying destruction to a dozen or more communities. About the same time effects of the same similar circumstance were reported from counties in the northwestern corner of Alabama, the extreme force of the wind being expended before the Tennessee line was reached in Williamson and Maury Counties.

Meridian, Miss., the heart of a rich farming district, suffered heaviest, according to late reports with a death list of 21. The village of Glen, Alcorn County, reporting the dead at 12: Aberdeen, 10; Ingomar, six; Egypt, five; Baker, five and _____, seven. A lumber camp near Philadelphia, Neshoba County, lost 16 workers killed and 30 were injured, several of whom may die.

In Alabama, the rural districts around Wakefield, Gurley, Little Cove, and Waco sustained the full force of the storms and with some sections still cut off, a ___ of deaths have been recorded.

Across Tennessee line, 160 miles ____ blasted Meridian, tornadoes cut ___ath through forest and orchard. Only three deaths are known to have occurred in he state, however,

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Hamilton, Ala., April 20 - Sixteen are known to be dead, scores injured, many so seriously that others will die, and property loss estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars a the results of a tornado which swept over the northwestern part of Marion County this morning at 9 o'clock.

The dead and injured were brought into Hamilton during the afternoon and the court house had been converted into a temporary hospital.

The stricken community will undoubtedly have to call upon the outside world for aid. Hundreds of homes have been completely leveled. Scores of people even though uninjured are without shelter. Their barns have all been destroyed. Dead cattle, horses, and mules are found everywhere. Hamilton is the county of Marion County, but is off the railroad, and the worst storm area is between seven and ten miles west of this place.

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Aberdeen, Miss., April 20 - One white man named Brewer and 20 negroes living on Frank Whittaker's plantation were killed near here today and three deaths were reported near Amory, in addition to a hundred of more persons injured as a result of a tornado which swept Monroe County today, according to meagre (sic) reports received.

Property damage was estimated at $500,000, a large number of buildings being demolished and Harthold's hog ranch, one of the largest in the South, being wiped out, 500 hogs being killed. Loss of the hog ranch alone was estimated at $75,000.

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Meridian, Miss., April 20, - The southern suburbs of Meridian was struck by a disastrous tornado about 10:30 o'clock this morning, the known dead at this time being 17, while the number of wounded more or less seriously is 75. The property damage is impossible to estimate tonight.

The tornado extended for a distance of many miles. From Savoy, five miles west of the city to Russel (sic), eight miles east not a house directly in the quarter mile path of the wind was left standing.

Many country homes owned by citizens of Meridian were demolished at Bonita, a small village east of the city.

Hundred of narrow escapes were encountered, the injured in many instances digging their way from the debris.

Hundreds of homeless tonight were being cared for by the people of Meridian and the situation is considered well in hand although it will be some hours yet before an accurate list of the dead and injured and the property damages can be secured.

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Jackson, Miss., April 20 - Nearly 100 persons killed and property damage estimated at $1,000,000 was caused by a tornado today which swept the state from Bay Springs in south Mississippi to Glenn, near the Tennessee line, hitting points in a patch wider than that usually taken by such storms.

Meridian reports the number of known death at 21 with probabilities that more bodies will be found.

Deemer Lumber camp in Neshoba county, reports 15 killed and 30 injured, a number of whom may die.

Aberdeen reports 10 dead and 100 injured.

Glenn reports ten dead; Ingomar six; Egypt five; Baker foive; Bay Springs five. Others are reported killed in outlying districts throughout the path of the storm.

Starkville, reports several killed at a settlement seven miles from there with great property damage.