1920Mar18

TANEY COUNTY REPUBLICAN

March 18, 1920

THE TORNADO

Later reports of Taney County Storm

    The toll of death extracted by the devastating storm which passed through Taney County Thursday March 11 has reached eleven. They are; Mrs. Cora Howard, 38; William Mahnky, 5 and the following Box children: Mearl 12, Oleta 9, Budge 6, Hubert 13, Jessie 10, Baby 5, and John 2.

    Four of the Box children belong to Randolph [sic] Box and three to William Box. Mrs. Frances Jackson 45, died Sunday from injuries received. Her skull was fractured and she suffered concussions of the brain. Mrs. Randolph [sic] Box gave birth to a dead child Friday night. She is still in critical condition having had several severe injuries; two or three ribs broken, jaw bone broken, one eye knocked out, and two or three holes in the head. Mrs. William Box is still suffering from the injuries she received.

    When the tornado struck the Howard home they had a big fire in the cook stove and were ironing and cooking dinner. Mrs. Howard grabbed her baby boy, three years old. The wind caught them and carried them up into the air, the baby in its mother's arms. When they came down she still held the child, falling on top of him and the other children were likewise thrown in the same heap. The mother had coals in her shoes and was otherwise badly burned. The baby was practically uninjured. Nezzie 15, had her mouth torn, 5 stitches were taken. Ruby 10, collar bone broken and back injuries, practically helpless. Edith 13, collar bone broken.

    What was not blown away was burned-up. Of all their belongings, only two pillows were found.

    Mr. and Mrs. John Gross reported missing later came walking into what had been Melva, in a dazed condition with no recollection of the events of the previous 24 hours.

    Miss Mable Morse's sight is not lost as at first reported. An emergency hospital was established at Branson under the direction of Dr. Guy B. Mitchell assisted by Miss Margaret Keat and Miss Betty Manly, special nurses from the Red Cross chapter at Springfield.

    The funeral services for the dead were held last Saturday at Branson. Mrs. Howard was buried in the Edwards cemetery. A relief fund for the sufferers was started by the business men of Hollister and Branson. The property damage is estimated to exceed $250,000.00.

    The storm seems to have originated in Kansas and moved down into Arkansas, turning north-east after passing through northern Arkansas. It entered Taney county in the south-western part and continued a north-easterly direction throughout the county.

    The path of the storm was reported to be 200 to 400 yards in width along the greater part of its course. It hit at several points in crossing the hilly Ozark country and little of the valley land was damaged, the worst damage being done when the twister dipped into the Melva district.

    Several following the path of the storm report many freak incidents. Rubber roofing was found wrapped around and around an oak tree. A large barn on the farm of Allen Cogburn, south of Hollister, was blown from its foundation and wrecked. Six horses tied in the barn were left standing unharmed in the stalls.

    A dog was blown away uninjured through the window of Jesse J. Whorton's farm near Branson. The dog was in a pasture near the house when the storm broke and was carried more than 100 feet.

    The house and barn of Jim Rose in the Pleasant Hill district near Forsyth was entirely blown away. The family remained in the house until it was blown away from them but escaped injury. The horses in the barn were also uninjured.

    A chicken was reported to have been discovered in a tree with its neck distended and wound twice around a small limb. The body of the chicken had been stretched after being blown into the tree.

    An oak joist was found driven through a concrete wall a foot thick. Much timber was destroyed along its path.

    This is the first storm of its kind for many years.   Tornados are almost unknown in this section of the country but this will be long remembered.

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