oi» riiTl 1,1 iji "TWTrai i.i 11 T| T"fc , I Jtllli ftJN 1 rjKr KlksiL - - -- - ■- •- ■ - : ' VOLUME XXV—NUMBER 23 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, May 2.1924. ~, , = | 500 HOUSES DESTROYED, IKV AND MANY INJURED IN TORT"- - iMSTOX. X. ( Storm Going East Sweeps Martin County Resulting in $1,000,000 Damage TORNADO WINDS ITS WAY THROUGH SEV ERAL STATES AND FINALLY ENDS IN BERTIE COUNTY, WEDNESDAY The most destructive Tornado that ever passed through this section of the State, struck Martin county Wednesday at 2:30 P. M. The storm enter ed the county at Flat Swamp church which stood near the Martin-Pitt line, and demolished the building, scattering it in every direction. From this point the tornado, causing complete destruc tion of all houses in its path, crossed the county, finally crossing the Roanoke river into Bertie county near Spellar's Ferry. The storr. covered a space of about 300 yards in its main path of fury and force, extending out in a featheredged manner, doing much damage even out of its main path. The course of the storm was an air line one, traveling north 65 degrees east. The exact amount of damage will never be known but it is thought it will go over the million dollar mark for Martin county alone. Reports received here at noon today place the total injured at seventy-five and one dead. It is estimated that 500 houses have been torn asunder or wrecked so badly that rebuilding entirely will have to be resorted to. Though there are several persons not expected to live only one death is known, that of a colored child on a Conoho farm near the Roanoke river. The scene is so imlencribable that j it i> something inure than a task to I attempt to say how the objects in its path really look. You approach the spot where once stood a dwelling and outbuildings to find them scattered to the four winds with not one tim ber standing. YuU rush to a spot lie re and then there to find a family pined down and who are suffering broken limbs and other serious wounds After going through the waste of the home where there is scraceiy a thing Recognisable you wonder how its oc cupants escaped sudden death. Then to the farm building where you find horses, mules and cattle killed and terribly wounded. The pets, the dogs, the cats and the poultry killed and scattered in most every direction. Tnily when you behold the scenes, it sets the mind to wondering of what it means to be Master of the storms. All See* to be Unable to Describe It Those who were caught In the midst of the storm are all too feeble to de scribe it. Th y know, and in the twinkling of an eye they scarcely know, in a moment to realise that they have been in the midst of a great force that has swept home and friends away. Even the furniture gone and at the farm of Mr. Herbert Ward's at Conoho nothing save the pump remains. Many of those in the worst of the path say that even the voice of the thunder was hushed by the fury of rushing wind which had the shape of enormous funnel and the appearance of fire and smoke, and the light of day shut oat by the density of things. The number of wounded in Martin county, as reported this Horning, reaches the 74 mailt, most of whom woe colored, though a goodly num ber of white people were also badly hurt. Mia. Whitehurst who lived on tbe Thomas Andrews' farm at Flat Swamp church suffered a broken back and her condition is considered very serious. Not far from the Andrews farm a score or mora tenants on the Gray farm were injured, several very badly. Just a short way on from the farm the e of Mr. Noah U(|*u destroyed and he and wiftnrtgrfe botit wounded, he suf fering a broken leg. Neighbors of Mr. Leggett also lost their premises. A copy of the Progressive Farmer was carried from Mr. home to the Indian woods in Bertie county, a distance of more than 20 miles. It is also said that his Bible was also found in Bertie county. The storm crossed the Roberson ville-Oak Grove road just south of Robersonville and destroyed the build ings oit the Dr. Hargrove farm. Mr. James H y man Wynn and wife who occupied the home were each badly hurt. The next road croised by the tor nado was at the home of Mr. W. L. House. At this point the '*»rm lock for its toll evsry building on Ihe place, hardly a piece of furniture coukl be found afterward. Mr. B. A. Houses residence was stripped and torn considerably and •very out building and tenant house on his farm was destroyed. '1 he spot where one of his tenant house., stood looked as if it hail been cleared for a tennis court. The buildings on the Jesse Hawls farm were practically all destroyed, also those on the Dennis Hawls farm. Koad Crew in Storm The storm struck the road crew where the new road crosses the rail road about a mile from Robersonville. There a truck was blown around, turned over and smashed to pieces. While the truck was battling the cyclone a tiny Ford car stood in the midst of the circle and was run around several times by the big truck and it suffered the loss of a top only. The large crew of men working on the road made for the ditches and es caped the fangs of the tornado, no one being hurt. "Mesas of CMNtintiw Shut Off Immediately after the storm this part of the county was completely shut off from the out side work! as far as telephone and telegraph ser vice w»s concerned. Out of one mile of telephone poles three were Jeft standing and the wires were threaded and woven in the trees similiar to a spider web. The damage to the tele phone lines alone amounting to several j hundreds of dollars while the wires lof the .Vyewtei n I nion Telegraph Co. ' were torn asunder and will run the damage up to thousands of dollars. The next place in the path was the farm of Mr. G-o. W. Keel. Mere every building was destroyed. Mr J. T. Powell, the next neighbor was a little bit oc.t of the main path, but lost most of his out buildings. From this [mint thv storm headed straigli for and crossed Collie swamp, striking the old Wilson farm, where Mrs. Charlie Mobley resided. All the buildings on that farm were destroy ed and Mrs. Mobley herself was seri ously injured. Several small farm.- owned -and occupiei! by co'ored people were then caught in the wake of the storm anil all were flattened to the ground, but no one was seriously in jured. When the storm struck the Wilson Chapel road one colored-residence wa.- carried away and a colored churrh nearby was blown into the woods The J. K. Harnhill home, the big oak giove around it and all the out buildings were laid want*. A-abm child on this farm was seriously in jured and some doubt as to its recov ery is expressed by doctors. The Noah Hoggurd and Ed Peel farms were then struck and the buildings scattered in every direction- Mr. Peel's horse was killed and a mule caught under a building, was p?rhap» ruined. The farm belonging to Anderson and Harrell was next visited by the sweeping tornado and one or two dwel lings were destroyed along with the outbuildings. James Hodges o.ie of the colored tenants had his leg brok en and suffered other injuries. Nine Home* Destroyed in /Spot I Including the dwelling on the An«lei-- son and Harrell farm there were tune homes to be completely destroyed in sight of each other. The house - cupied by Mack Itaker was n ii pletely swept away save the flo«.r of the house. Maker's wife was ill with pneumonia and was being nursed b> l.ithu Koberson another colored wo man. The Uoberson woman was serious ly wounded, she receiving a danger ous skull wound, while Maker's wife was unhurt by the storm. The Mar) Cherry farm was next swept and prac ticully every' building on 'it was torn down, the dwelling occupied by Mr. Charlie Cowan damaged less than to others, but was almost ruined. The teams on this farm had been rushed to a large shelter.where one mule was thrown under the failing mass .but came out without serious injury. John Purvis an old colored man had his ankle crushed and suffered many other cuts a||i bruises. Purvis' son was l.uit internally while attending the teams. No less than half a dozen dwellings on the Cherry, farm were destroyed. Some of Mr. J. E. Harrison's out houses were damaged but r.ct des troyed. On Mr. Herbert Ward's Conoho farm every building was swept away, also some of the buildings owned by Mr. J. K. Itoberson on the adjoining farm were torn entirely down, one of them recently having been built. Hen derson Norfleet, the colored tenant on Mr. Ward's farm and his wife were literally blown away. Child Blown Away The one day old infant was taken out of its parents arms and carried away and was discovered about dark in a piece of a bed mattress and a pile of feed hay. It was living when found but died shortly afterward. The only thing left standing on the Ward farm was the pump Another tenant on a Conoho farm, Peter Casor had his skall crushed but is still Irr ing and an aunt of Cason's, Maggie Ward and who lhrad with him knd her leg broken. -—^ CITIZENS AND COMMISSIONERS MEET JOINTLY To Render Aid To Vic tims of Tornado Wednesday W-ilfniay afternoon at the Court HOIIJ* at four o'clock a joint meeting of th» citizen* and the County Com mbsiunm was Ml to itetermiiie upon mrthwLc to Itliwt '.he xictim- of the tornado which ami tied the .la) be fore. The coun> cowni!- sinners approprt ated one thousand dollar- a> an im mediate rel:ef hmi to render medical assL-tanv to the >uffrrtr - and for food and shelter far tho-e wthout !"»■.« i aixl shelter lh Birv- «a- -elected a chairman of a relief committee ami he is to call upon anyone that he needs to determine the greate-t -needs «»f those who were victim- in the vicinity around •Villiam.-.ton ami to finl all lho~e who are in need of medical and hospital treatment and see that they are rami for- A chairman and a com mittee from'the town of Koher-on ville has been selected by their peo |Je to take care, of the situation up there anal the Count) will see that they are remleted the proper assist ance At the meet in* it was also deci>lel that althooeh the county is takinr care of the -ituamn for the present, a roniinitti ■ will be named in a few lays who will pi around anal solicit •U ftmtuc and ilatku« for those who sustained total 'losses. And for the next few (tars if the people of the .*our.:>~ woabl fit»l something that Id he Used for either purpose it nill Knatl) bri.rtit those who have nothing left of either their wearing ap |>arel or their household poods. * For the next few miles the course of the tornado was through the liisi i.oke river >oiup and huge trees were torn alown ami the) Covered tlie ground for Hiilro It citt..j«l the nver at Sp.l lar's ferry unl b'ew •town four houses •>ii ihe farm and several ex I iirnl Iriunb were wounded (Gordon Uuugta.-, a c-doied man got his hi broken and so badly lacerate-i that he wa.> taken to the Washington Hos pital where it was found to be nec. sary to have bi> leg amputated l>r. l»ave Tayloe. who did the ampu tating. UMpureu uf the man something of die effects of tlie storm and I tow h.s patient was hurt and to wh.cli I* ■ e pne>:, "he U.)> run to lidp gel fatlui »Jt of U»e house and I was cau _• :.t under the falling timbers.'* 1 hat jW!.«i i-d .alher «|deer to tl.e .v lor, Ji-Ug—ri . rum Ilk- ap|n.«raitr 01 h>> lu.vrii. i, .i>e nay, so He asked tun. h..- i.c .aid uai k was njM) lour and Uol iiu lather was 00* iMwiica and hU Vi hen Uk l'aht ot » JuV Hm snoUarr vi*.t. we will wit It.ln t.»» o.d no subjects get before the) ilk. Morm I di in Her tie The for) ol Ibe .torn aecmM *0 break soon after i>llf| litrlie a.ii little aas alone .11 U~at couo ty t MIX AD Storm lhe general course of the storm seemed to tan- commenced in Ala bama, pa»ibg through * «eorgia, South | Ca.oUa. Vet this particular tornado apparent!) m ip a few miles toalh of bethel, atoing considerable dam age in Pilt court) before reaching Martin. I mfwrmM) ia Width OM of the remarkable things a-1 bout the storm was it* extreme am ' formity in whltn ami force, apparent ly maintains as much uniformity as a piece of ribbon I'ropif m IkdrtH The local pro pit. are really in dis tress. everything gor-e. i.othing to eat. nothing to wear, no' bed upon which to sleep and mm sM'« for themselves nor for thew stock IMUtag Alrewd) Commenced - Neighkers by the hundreds from 111 i).hk»imn communities are Kockine to the icrre> of detraction with .caws and hammers, and helping to get to gether the touted timbers and build mj» sheds for the corn and sarfc scat tered hay and feed »"-fs as may be (Continued on Page 4) ITRI-COrNTY MEDIC AH SOCIETY MEETS HERE ! : ;Two Local Doctors Made Officers of the Society The n.rtmt of tin- Tr»-cv»untv • M»il ica! Svx tv for l«-ju:Vr5 - l"itt aiuj I Martin counts M l*re last i cvemn* in tiie Masonic llall. Tin-1 nvwiiac wt- the !ir*r-i «\ er he!.! j hew of :t> kind. there besns; present i ! j!»ut sivty •toctors 1.1 J. II Saunders, a local iWtur, * a j ma«le I*re-:d.iit ars-1 W K \V..rr»;;i |another of \\ doctors via- I f-l«ie>l «-r. tarv of ttr ,>wNf\ at | the inertia-; last ni^-ht. All the lbUv>iaKs ai«! |uprr- wen well meiv r.i. The talk ot l»r I'leketi on »i- or hw>pita!- anii (rntol to make a Martin r>*nt) rituni think that we, to«». need a hu>pital. ai>! that * e can have one if mr «>1! The Society a f -«lu! :on in vitini; the doctors of IVrtr a n>j Wa-h count>es to join the As>vmtiuii The new ollscer- f« i the cominc year are, J H. Naur»lei I*n-s*leni. V«il liamston. X- C.; IL» I- lailoe of VV a-hint: ton. \ ir>f -kkm and |tr Win. K. V. ar ren .f VV lUianistoii. Secretary. The (iroKiam for tSae niertUiK fol lows:. . Innvocauon. Krt h |» lv-1.1 A»ldre>s of Welcome. Mayor J. I. Haurll. Ho|MU* U AiUirw of Wrlmur. |»r ("has. OTI. laiij(fciaghuUM', of lirwrnvillf. The i:manil of Sore l/r- ai»l I I cer>, l»r. W. 11. Ih&un of AiUrt.. V C. Iritis, |»r. 11. W l atter. U ashington, N. c. InKUienal Hernia. I»r l» T la) loe. Jr., Washington l'a|»r, Subject muiuwuntol. I»r K. T I 'irkm oii. l.rm.i ille A mo-t nwmi was icnol NOTT(K> LATE TO ENTER CONTEST lite niLsinK word cor>te>t which is Uin« !>} tills |u)Tt Coll tiiiur- to be a -o«u e of iiilrrr t to many. Out of th* -eveial huxjrr i be giniters on!.. Ifeltt !_.« fail* 1 to ketp the faith At j-lrvrl tbeie are thirty ronte?>;ant tir>i for AM Hac-, ail having i.u hi me t>r iih.!- w: nl>. The cinte.-t nuu.'.r -tile, that if tiicre .-he aid tr a Io- of not more than two person, eact. • ... ncrivr |l«, aixl ih.it this wi:l hate bo rffrrl o,j th other priies— thi> l>. cf uu. -r, jiro v. 'nl there to iw a tie TtiU iiiW marks the fwitlh 11. 'ail ment of the contest pa/e arid u >ou have fa:letl to -«J1 l> answer in, are of *:n.Rj» Ten lol lais is wo: th readitbe after, then if y"t»«i should Lappen m r*.r hr>t , rcr.MllUr It is fulklo! by a five I >poi an i >o on down e TJOSK MAIDI.N i:\iCilil U\ ALL WHO AiIEMiKU The Km Xaifcu, (lira !•> the Mcltoweil • l'it> of W under the direction of Mrs. Kark wnj enjo>«.-»l by ad- uvur who l>ear«l It was a cantata that would ..ppeal to ail nikK fevers. Several of the aoloc anal duet: were remitted beau t.fully Mrs. J. S. Ktaales of Wtlliams ton sang very well a -do jw*t alter the prelude The duet of Mr. aid Mr*. Swingle) was especially piwj and as were the sofes of Mrs. Cox. Mrs. Car ter and Messrs. Swnrley and Canl'- Mr. - The follow ia|r WilltamioTi member, of the club appcaitO f. the choi-u-, Mrs. Wheeler Martin. Jr, Mrs. V.. H. Bins, Mis*e» \eila A»ln-w- ai.d Curie Dell White. Mrs, I. (' |!en nett an.) Mrs J S. Rho-les. Many W ill>aant(- people a'.l'-nled Mr. L I! •'■ilpepper of Elizabeth City was in ten this raorninr in th« interest of the Calpepprr Hardware Company of that eity Messr- Julnt> S Fed and Miles Wolff attend*] the he Maiden la t 'night in WashhHrton. . r Hardware Store To 1 1- Open Here June Ist. i. I- , S. S. MANN Si'EAkS at court iiorst: ■ Hon. Saniufl S Munn. cia>tk'-kEf I for C«n|o*s> s|»>k," in (hr t Vnitt | last uiit h t Mr Munn comes fun | gocol county of ll>tie. which ha. W»r iu.se. I in the [oust ntost!v for it- r>*w*i | I supplies It has never ha-1 £«•» ->©• , j port unity to rie in tk.' pviitnt J Hyde county has been a. | t«oin«r the smokr hou.-.-- an. I eon eri» of North Carolina, bat .t ha.- »»*• furnished a conirressman it t- t-*.-. , 4 on the outskirts of the liNtra." iitw lias Iwn an iobtnl Urrtl. t'm oiae time but t> now pfufp >r/ rapi.liy. It cannot be a»l. that Hyde hai not pruiliKwl -.a» very fine citizens. Mr Mann h»» never heot any u&r other thaw acting a -rutin c 'thf Seiiate of the Statu lei»Utaf ll* is by profession a l.:»yer an.l a f»-» er. I'-t: on a farm ami t'.j* ■ 'k* nr>-i of the citizeni of Hs rfc-lr rt Mr. Mann is 57 year - ol!. active in tuie ami well poi -e«l M . Mann's tin- as irathT-si ?"«*»■ hi*, speech are that the riwußntfi h >ull not only continue leit enlarge its activities in risul b«' . extension of the nuctl -em ace. thr re ctaitualMMi of the »z4r l---* »f Sa« nation, irrigation andliranaxr lie stands square on t*-e pein.- | ! e* of the democratic [>artv m>l kk» «if inairila.nrd its principles ll» k m iM iiit hi» own can>paw. awl t mat (•ratifie.l at the support k« w ceivmir in every part of the ilt tt rt JHe says however, that r»—af*tUr «{" whether or not he t- ■t* I a democrat. Mr Mai:n will in a ville tonight at eight it'ctw'lt KING IIKZAHI K TO Moll. HII KT lONIt.Hi VI ET WOK 111 IE \t.l I. MEEti%«. \n Hour's Pua ia s| W , lw ik-M Who \lteud. Small i Fee to he I kai cnl ll* l.pvcorth I . ajrurr- oC "ike Methodist church havr an hour »i «n ' in .store you th„. evetuny at ■»' o'clock when kimc o«ta curt. The Km* ha- art atta*ll 4 Melancholia re-ultmr from ha- 1 aas executive II- f « the merry makers. fh.- b«.#e.- stunts which follow wiil »tri*e a-. a-i. our kl'wiu a-s It (lues that «•' U« Ki!i»r. All tree .tunt are ;au ft the admission of ten mb After ;K* •l»?e peifurntances «» rinui csi' 1 tea, cattily ami saiulw aches mit IW sold in an attractive little tea iw>e!. V«»u are sure to Ami jttt the , centerpiece or other •(•»me~-t.c ar? .*• V! >«u have been wanting ia tk- var-.»?" booth This evening ebtriyrw a> ajv an J tempt to make our treasury pun. ; clothe our adopted orphan «tuh: theii sei»l two delegate* t* tile jl»ce j hml conference m Jane %»a ■ I*l.'! your change more than at tl>e Ma - nic Halt Till. LCAaKCSL BAPTIST (HI MM MIMIS SuZMlay School 'J IV Morninir worship 11 w Kvemnjr Service 7:4 a Interest ami attcmtance iap»n aB lb services has been in rieuac A «w- j shipful .-pint prevails i'mo w«La air f »'»! enjoy the fellowship Ym wiH am* j a cordial welcome ami a (tmikne fi>'t in it- Pastor will preach at Kitktk> Chapel at 3*m p b. Swtei K I- SHIRLLT. hblM PHI LATHKAS OF BAPTIST ( HI R( H TO MEET TONIGHT' The Pfcdalheas of the Tfc— il Baptist church will left »—y*a uj the home of Mrs. O. R Aohi.ia «a West Main street. AK Malm are urgently re«|Ue>tnl to atteai Mr. S. S Mann. cajuibfcOe for f* fPfss from Hyde cwooty. Nt ■ torn yesterday. In Tuesday 's :- si-- „i ihc Knter ' sru-*r j »is st„:sl that -t - nardwarv yar-' W U lilianis'i n a- sti 1 ' ut - nrtia Thi> lj«ter »U-ve ■ It'll into a »heri Mr la\ "rice Peel axr*»vi l.tat if llh- I'tiami r of lom "iw i crt h m a | ace in the ►6s « *.» M «•«- tore, t . occupies! fc-y ntw firm, r- Supi»K IV "ipany. that ' » \ m.ive • ami let _ ".5» laj'dmm* >t«r»' ,u«» .j • . »* by l.lt-l Ml- P*»-1 i- k r the 1 han* Sw if * wwimrrrr ai.i ;it>-f«le.| the ! fta-t and tol.t t" ("-.aiiiber : l'«WTy t hat- He k t nee>l »•* a husine - Williams too._ Stial s-ac-i s ,'»u •»!'«•. .vouhi help ' tan. iSvat h> vv ). i pro;>le I'' " ■* Hiat a3l of t !m- f * chants as (■"Hi a tW wither ti'jsi : wti wa>uM *j W fcnt»»*n«v|.- atbi 1 lia. i.. lw woukl a»*«ie Sj.itw Mr P*.' aKo .tat '«« dat tm-,1 mi- tl •. h- certainly woci3.il »I4 IK t ! '«* .%..f -ach a ' jirfa'tfif f«r" t 'ie impri of th-' a»i 1 *.a *>m t> t' » j' -ce in the Fairort t"om:ian> >t»rv wa - j, km. Tv- u r*nve in. * t tfci' k 1 'us i- a vt-r' »t .e att*l ljP*4fi!ll (ji'-f OR i f -1' |K»rt x," V* 'Vei! ni«l i>e is • on . : • i"ula*e>! s for Jlrf- i ulr-t rnansfe ;« P«-»-1 u. n llk jew.-) > \ husine- fiaaMl «jm' a lileol tr»i; i•on. thw -ami -ca*»*»T.iine f:rtiimut"tt'( Hni4*aii UOprn r| to th* latest n*« »o |foo-JtAr Itw V'l|«epp>-r Hir.lv/ar i |"*"»ora any «{ * 1 i7ah-lh ('it; aril! >»» ii LauoJ! lalf T»-Jol > for hi sit;,-s s t hrn. -h -*«.«*• *efe hv l.j-e Ist .'is |ic ler- V t*e- itun » ill jr- '>.»e of »'»» . iiwi-s wf> t*«-late lines of har.lware a- t* ♦» in Eastern Carolina z"l*d to the art lot ti«e Irtcal liaitifx of IV.rtii-ierre m Mnikmr ovt a solutioa to the most crMi itt»j»..«t_ntil proUlrm that has lonjtl U iSamstoti in wme time The w« iiißl 4Hg(«t -ecr«-;arv is to lie c«mitrietMle«i for the iriterr t he *sio»A *ti4l is takii _• in the affairs of •our ®IMI (.HTKKS til TOO \\" STM.%\I» n Bit; PEAT I Ki: |j "I»i.aii"♦ .t• r- of.T* :.v. flames f uli-h i - ii fasitja ti fi .Ik-s," is the * -iii w, of ll»e * 11 iioivn critic- e\- -evil lu«n-«-lf aft. . a | . - \ iew of the j Htneti |>r.«luction, featur mit. Pair) Ituth M !!»r ami a -t.onir l*-ra+t„ mil 1»- -h.wn at the Xaatua IHrt alre oe\t I M .lay ai»l Wtsl «« i«»j , IHi' ji.iuft i> hi X. rf«.!k at the V-fti J iwatte ail tin wi »k ami movie Jfaan t.f tJie town ar>J c :>imunity trill " a to .-ee • riitht :.lonie *Ji» tfc- pstr «is i-f th-> iarifer thea | te-is , Irf I s ,Zr James "ool:c I«-ft Momlay for »*.. at, via Wahiajtox 'siXVKCS At ,HE EPISCOPAI. till Kt'll Sa*4a?. May Uh. Holy eiitsufiioti 6a. m - :4.. -«. li» 4 r . a n IMoaaiair pra.vfr ari'l frmm II a m I- iintiWit |«rayer ar ii t rrt.oti 7:45 p. m Ect-.-j-i.rf4i mek .ee J K Vr\!iXLlt. Priert. STRAND THEATRE * rfltar slo.i. X. C. MOMiAY (One fcijrl t only i ;j, , Mae aii.rray ia "JAZZxAIPA 1 ! 11l ESttAY A V EDI.USDAY HU CHms OF lODAV* ■i U c** on tW the -party"*. Tl»e Jan ; »• pUyißtr and w 'J : oath is hav i ** its tecr ** ft* stranipe rlaaw! Ktsaw ft* «tw*fe lips' Wi\l? youth lifili I wit «r ll iM I flwrriirtaMJpm

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