Port Arthur, Texas Tornado
September 12, 1897
A TEXAS CYCLONE.
WRECK AND RUIN AT PORT ARTHUR.
Six Persons Killed and Many Injured – Hotels and
Buildings Blown Down.
PORT ARTHUR, Texas, September 13 – A
tornado, terrible in its intensity, struck this
city at an early hour last evening. Six people
are known to have been killed, while many others
were injured. Buildings were blown down and
great damage was wrought by the cyclone.
Dead FRANK ALBRECHT,
employed by electric light company.
GEORGE MARTIN, bricklayer, residence
unknown.
FRITZ MICHAELS, laborer, residence
unknown.
UNKNOWN MAN, aged 38.
MAY AINSWORTH, 13 year old daughter
of William Ainsworth.
Infant son of
W. H. Johnson, blown from its
mother’s arms and drowned.
May buildings were blown down, including the
railroad round house where
May Ainsworth was killed, the
Natatorium, the bank building Townside Company’s
barns, Hotel Hayden,
Strong & League’s building,
Brennen
building, Colonade hotel,
Spence & Lyon’s building,
C. J. Miller’s
store, Ksusdi’s
saloon, Alfred Wolf’s
saloon, Hayes’
building and A. A.
Sohnski’s grocery. Several residences
suffered severely, that of
Dr. W. A. Barraclough
being carried across the street. Many other
buildings were completely blown away.
From early morning the sky was threatening
and a stiff gale blow. No rain of consequence
fell until 4 p. m. and then it was accompanied
by a heavy wind that increased in intensity
until it reached the velocity of eighty miles an
hour. Every building in the town is of frame
construction except one brick, the Port Arthur
Banking Company building, the far end and roof
of which was blown away.
The bodies of the victims have been sent to
Beaumont for interment, no [illegible words]
here. There were many acts of bravery and the
suspense during the severity of the storm was
terrible.
Advices from Winnie Tex., say that nearly all
the houses there have been blown down and torn
away.
At Webb all of the barns and one house were
demolished and scattered over the country.
Nothing can be heard from Sabine Pass, as all
telegraphic communication has been interrupted.
A relief train left Beaumont tonight for this
place and Sabine Pass.
It is known that much destruction was wrought at
Sabine Pass with a probable loss of life.
Everything possible is being done to establish
communication with that place.
The relief train has just returned from Sabine
Pass. It could not get nearer than eight miles
of Sabine Pass. It is reported that the new town
is completely gone. Nothing heard from the old
town. From reports things look bad there.
Fresno Weekly Republican, Fresno, CA 17
Sept 1897
Transcribed by
Jenni Lanham. Thank you,
Jenni!
 Search
for more information on the Port Arthur Tornado and other disasters in the Historic Newspaper Collection on line at ancestry.com
Search
over 1000 different newspapers. Use this Free Trial
 to search for your ancestors.
Search
for your ancestors from Port Arthur, TX among the billions of
names at ancestry.com
Find birth records, census images, immigration
lists and genealogy other databases for your
surnames. Use
this Free Trial
to search for your ancestors.
Port
Arthur News, Port Arthur, Texas
 Read
it on line at
ancestry.com. Use
this Free Trial
to search for your ancestors.
|
