MAUD VISITED BY CYCLONE

The most destructive cyclone that ever passed through this section struck this town last Monday morning at 9:48. The storm hit the cotton gin first destroying a portion of it, and then completely demolished the building in which the Maud Telephone Exchange was located. The millinery shop of Mrs. MATTIE SHELTON, with its stock of millinery, is a total loss.

Part of the fire wall was blown from the brick store of RACHEL BROTHERS, the plate glass front blown out, the roof raised and some of their goods damaged.

KNIGHTON and IRBY’s was the hardest hit of any of the brick business houses. All of the top part of the rear wall was blown off, the north fire wall blown off, the roof blown completely away and their goods damaged to an alarming extent.

The morning dawned dark and cloudy and showers fell at intervals up to about 9:30, but nothing was thought of a storm until a dark green cloud began to overspread the sky, and a stiff wind began to blow, when some of the people began to rush for their homes and other shelters.

The worst damage to the residence portion was done in the north and east sections of the city, where every residence was completely swept from the face of the earth. Some of the yards on the hill in the north part of town were swept clean of everything, not even a stick being left.

The saddest incident of the storm was the death of MRS. PEARL WHITE, one of the most highly respected and best beloved women of the town, who was killed when her residence was destroyed. MRS. WHITE was found some two hundred yards from her home, buried under some debris and rubbish.

The injured are:

Boy of J. SHELTON, seriously injured. Baby boy of ADAM SHELTON,
Injured internally, died at sanitarium at Texarkana Monday night.

MRS. SHELTON, head cut by flying timbers and dangerously wounded through the body.
Timbers struck her and drove her clothing into the flesh.

EDWIN SHAVER, jaw cut

JOHN TIDWELL, brother of Judge LEE TIDWELL, of Boston, cut about head.

J. S. TIDWELL, son, bruised about head and body.

HOMER MORRISON, head and arm bruised.

LESTER MORRISON, head and face cut.

Fourteen year old son of MRS. PEARL WHITE, leg broken, internally injured. Last report that he is improving.

WILLIAM MORGAN, aged 90 years; internally injured.

BETTIE MORGAN, daughter, cut about head, right hip, left shoulder bruised seriously.

MRS. FOSTER, Leg broken and probably internally injured.

Two year old son of MRS. FOSTER, skull fractured, arm broken, may die.

Four year old son of MRS. FOSTER, badly cut about the head.

WILLIAM RUSSELL, hurt about head, body bruised.

Mrs. WILLIAM RUSSELL, hand mashed.

DR. HARRISON EVANS, bruised about head and body.

MRS. HARRISON EVANS, hand cut, nose and face bruised.

SAM LAWRENCE, bruised about face and

The following houses were destroyed or damaged:

BARBEREE AND FOSTER, Telephone Exchange, totally destroyed.

RACHEL Bros. Co., roof lifted, plate glass blown from front.

KNIGHTON and IRBYS’ general merchandise, roof blown off, and rear end

And side of building greatly damaged. Total damage to building and stock will reach close to $25,000.

MURPHY Bros. Warehouse total loss, front windows blown from brick.

TIDWELL and Son, drug store, slight damage to front.

MRS. MATTIE SHELTON, millinery store, totally destroyed.

DR. EVANS AND EVANS, office, partly, destroyed.

OLIVER’S livery, totally destroyed.

HOWE’S livery, totally destroyed.

SAM LAWRENCE, meat market, partially destroyed.

WHITE and MERRILL, warehouse, totally destroyed.

Cotton Oil Company gin, partially destroyed.

Methodist Church, totally, destroyed.

Primitive Baptist Church badly wrecked.

Awning blown from Maud National Bank.

The following residences were either wrecked or totally destroyed:

J F MURPHY

A J MURPHY

P S BRATTON

WILLIAM MORGAN

Q SHAVER

JOHN TIDWELL

H H MORRISON

W B SPRINGNR

W H HAIRSTON

WILL RUSSELL

MRS. PEARL WHITE

ADAM SHELTON

J SHAVER

BEN FOSTER

M MURPHY

MACK RUSSELL

WALTER SHELTON

LUTHER BRATTON

HENRY RACHEL

O P MORRISON

R P WEST

JESS WARRINGTON

The home of W H Hairston is aid to have been blown over 400 yards from where it stood and two children, aged seven and three, respectively, were carried the whole distance with the house, and Mr. HAIRSTON, who thought that they had been killed, found them crawling from under a pile of debris and wondering what had happened.

Dr. HARRISON EVANS and wife had a narrow escape. They were caught
under the wreckage of their residence, but finally managed to extricate themselves and escape with some painful though not serious, bruises.

A relief train arrived in the afternoon from Texarkana, and brought doctors and nurses who preceded at once to attend to the injured. The prompt response of the New Boston and Texarkana physicians greatly relieved the situation and was highly appreciated by the people of this storm smitten city.

Dr. H P EVANS and DR. HARRISON EVANS deserve credit for the manner in which they labored with and cared for the wounded. They had more than they could do for a while, and the demand for their attention was great and very pathetic for a while after the storm. They worked heroically and their efforts and skill are duly appreciated by the people.

Miss IDYL RAY, who is teaching a subscription school, kept her little scholars in the school building until the wind had ceased, and none of them were injured.

Another dark cloud gathered in the northwest Monday after noon, which caused some fear and excitement. A heavy rain fell for a short time and added to the discomfort of the stricken people and did further damage to goods in business houses that had been unroofed.

The storm at Redwater is said to have been more fierce than at this place, though no deaths are reported and the list of injured is not so large. The clock in the store of ___ at Redwater stopped _____ 10 o’clock just _____ later than the storm struck here, according to the clock in the editor’s home, which stopped at 9:48, when the editor’s home was blown from its foundation. The two clocks, however, may have been different in recording the time.

The property loss at Redwater was enormous, almost the whole town being swept away.

The list of injured is as follows:

W R FAGAN, cut about head, body bruised.

His Daughter, HELEN, injured about head and arm.

MR. HESTES, two ribs broken.

MRS. HESTES, cut about head; condition reported serious.

LUKE HESTES, their son, shoulder dislocated.

MRS. AIKEN, arm injured and injured internally; condition critical.

FRANK HENLEY, shoulder dislocated, arm broken.

EMIL SPENCER, hand crushed, cut about lower limbs.

J O SPENCER, slightly injured about body.

MR. ELLIDGE, bruised about body and neck.

DR. WALKER, badly crushed about face and head and body bruised Condition critical.

RUSSELL FAGAN, burned by carbonic acid being thrown over left side Of face and neck and shoulder.

E T PAGE, head bruised and hurt about neck.

The depot at Redwater is completely wrecked, and PAGE’S store is said to be the only business house left standing and it is badly damaged.

RELIEF WORKERS ORGANIZE:

In solemn mass meeting invoking the blessing upon us of the Almighty God, the good citizens of Maud, Texas, together with sympathizing visiting friends and relatives, assembled for the purpose of organization and choosing of proper committees, in order that speedy and efficient service might be rendered the unfortunate ones of our vicinity who were injured or made destitute of houses, property and the necessities of life, by the forces of the destructive cyclone which swept clean a goodly portion of our little city, Monday morning, May the 14^th about 10 a.m.

On Motion, the following are appointed as a local relief committee:

M MURPHY, President
REV. M G NELSON
HENRY RAY
W J RACHEL
JOHN MERRITT
LEE MURPHY
L F HARRIS
R L ARNOLD

FRANK HARKEY, JOHN BEDELL of Naples; LEO KROUSE, President Board of Trade, Texarkana, Tex.; DOCK BOSWELL, ELIAS COLLOM, of New Boston; LON McCULLOUGH, H H POWELL, SAM LINDSAY, JAMES TIDWELL, A A ARNOLD, J H HUGHES, L H BEDDINGFIELD, MOSS SPRINGS, C C CRUMP, JOHN CLARK, Dekalb, JODIE SNIPES, A D MORRIS, Douglasville, CLARENCE DALBY, H H SOMERVILLE, Dalby Springs, and W E COLLINS, Chalybeate Springs, by motion, were chosen to solicit aid in their respective communities for our suffering ones here.

Convict labor, placed under the charge of LEE MURPHY, as foreman, has been secured to clear away the wreckage.

On motion, the meeting adjourned to meet when necessary.

T M BRALEY, Chairman
R L ARNOLD, Secretary.

RELIEF COMMITTEE MEETS:

At the call of the president the Local Relief Committee met yesterday, the 6^th, in called session at 9 a. m. and transacted business as follows:

By report of several members of the committee, it was found that $148.15 had been received for relief purposes. A motion passed the body that these funds be distributed as follows:

A J SHELTON             $25.00

HOMER MORRISON $25.00

BEN FOSTER           $25.00

W M RUSSELL           $10.00

W J BRATTON           $10.00

CRIT WARREN          $10.00

W H EVANS               $10.00

Q SHAVER               $10.00

JIM SHAVER           $10.00

H H HAIRSTON         $10.00

The secretary was duly authorized to issue checks for the amounts donated as above.

By action of the committee, the president was empowered to appoint JNO. MERRITT, M G NELSON AND HENRY RAY as a committee to make solicitations among our home people for relief supplies.

Tents in which to live will be secured for these:

Q SHAVER                1

HOMER MORRISON 1

MR BRADY                2

JNO TIDWELL           2

H H HAIRSTON         1

On motion the body adjourned to meet at 3 p. m.

M MURPH, President
R L ARNOLD, Secretary.

Articles are to be distributed as follows, those marked "v" having been distributed:

Q SHAVER           one tent  v

BEN FOSTER         1 tent, 2 mattresses, 4 comforts v

CRIT WARREN        1 tent, 1 mattress, 2 comforts v

H MORRISON           1 tent, 2 mattresses, 2 comforts v 

WM RUSSELL          1 mattress

H H HAIRSTON        1 tent, 2 mattresses, 4 comforts v

CLAYTON (colored)  2 mattresses and 2 comforts

W J BRATTON         1 mattress, 2 comforts

J F MILLS                 1 tent, 1 mattress

LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

Patriotic citizens of Maud and vicinity, who escaped the storm without loss of life or property have generously donated the following to our unfortunate fellow townsmen:

JNO MERRITT          $50.00

L F HARRIS               $25.00

P M HOLLY               $10.00

W K FISHER              $10.00

J K WALKER              $5.00

D L BAIRD                 $5.00

O A HOBERLIN         $5.00

R M AUTREY           $2.50

R L ARNOLD             $5.00

J T LEDDY                 $2.00

A F MARKHAM         $1.00

S B NICHOLS             $3.00

? J SPENCER              $1.00

LEO WHITE              $3.00

REX WHITE              $2.00

C T WHITE               $1.00

E S FOSTER              $1.00

C J UNDERWOOD      $2.00

CARL WALKER          $2.00

H CLARK                    $2.00

MISS EBBIE PETERS  $5.00

T F DAVIS                   $1.00

UNKNOWN MAN $.25

TOTAL $43.75

A great more in the way of supplies of clothing and food has been generously contributed. Much more has been promised. Citizens of Maud, whom God in his wisdom has seen fit to spare, let us come the succor of our noble townsmen, who are in dire need.

The relief committee will submit for publication other and all contributions as they are made.

Relief Committee:

M MURPHY, Pres.
JNO. MERRITT
HENRY RAY
REV. M G NELSON
L F HARRIS
W J RACHEL
R L ARNOLD, Sec.

A Soliciting committee:

JNO. MERRITT
REV. M G NELSON
HENRY RAY.

The most conservation estimate of the storm damage places the amount of $75,000 but this does not include damage to fences and out houses.

Texarkana citizens have done their duty toward the citizens of the storm stricken cities near us. Our citizens always help those who can’t help themselves.      Four State Press.

No people on earth could have done more that has Texarkana and New Boston all for which we are more than grateful and we humbly pray that God’s richest blessings may reset upon you all, and that you will never have to suffer as has Maud and Redwater.

The little 4-year-old baby boy of Mr. And Mrs. ADAM SHELTON who was injured in the storm Monday morning, was taken to a hospital at Texarkana, where he died from his wounds Monday night. The remains were buried at the cemetery here Tuesday afternoon.

END OF ARTICLES FROM ‘THE MAUD MESSENGER'