Port Arthur, Texas, USA
1897 - TERRIBLE TORNADO. THE GULF COAST SUFFERS. The New Town of Port Arthur Nearly Wiped Out of Existence Sabine Pass Also Suffers.

Port Arthur, Tex., Sept. 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.

The dead:
FRANK ALBRIGHT, Kansas City, employed by electric light company.
FRITZ MICHAEL, laborer, residence unknown.
GEORGE MARTINS, bricklayer, residence unknown.
UNKNOWN MAN, aged 38.
MAY AINSWORTH, 13-year-old daughter of WILLIAM AINSWORTH.
INFANT SON of W. H. JOHONSON, blown from his mother's arms and drowned.

The injured:
MRS. ROY STAFFORD, right leg broken near hip.
ROY STAFFORD, legs badly bruised.
LITTLE DAUGHTER of MRS. STAFFORD, seriously injured.

Many buildings were blown down, including the railroad roundhouse, where MAY AINSWORTH was killed: the natatorium, the bank building, townsite company's barns, Hotel Hayden, Strong & League's building, shifted off foundation: Brennan building, Colonnade hotel, C. J. Miller's grocery store, Spence & Lyons' buildings, several barns, Kanadis saloon, the Herald office, Alfred Wolf's saloon, the Hayes building and M. M. Solluski's grocery.

From early morning the sky was threatening and a stiff gale blew. No rain or consequence fell until 4 p.m., and then it was accompanied by a heavy wind that increased in intensity until it reached the enormous 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 cemetery having as yet been started here. Advices from Winnie, Texas, 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.

ED KIRSEHERNER, a prominent citizen, was on a Gulf & Interstate railroad train on his way to Beaumont when the storm struck this section."Everyone one the train thought we would be blown from the track." said he tonight. "It was pitch dark and raining and the wind was blowing like it never blew before."

It is known that much destruction was wrought at Sabine Pass, with probable loss of life. Everything possible is being done to establish communication with that place.

Later - The following telegram has just been received from MR. KIRSCHERNER, at Beaumont:

"The relief train has just returned from Sabine Pass. It could not get nearer than eight miles from Sabine Pass. It is reported that the new town is completely gone. Nothing heard from the old town. From reports things look bad there."

New Orleans, Sept. 13. - A dispatch from Beaumont tonight said the Southern Pacific at that place received a dispatch from the agent at Sabine Pass, who walked from Sabine Pass to Port Arthur, stating that the track for eight miles is washed away and that about thirty people are missing. He reports the sinking of two tugs and the drowning of GREEN MOORE and LEWIS BETTES, prominent steamboat men at Orange.

A later message says that the loss of life at the Pass will not be so great as reported, probably not more than six or seven.

A later dispatch from Sabine Pass says that the loss of property inshore is slight. The tug GUILLOTE went down in the storm.

New Castle News
Colorado
September 17, 1897

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