 The Fort Worth Gazette Tuesday, May 9, 1893 pg. 1 BAD REPORTS Continue to Arrive of the Storm of Saturday Two Little Town Wiped Out Southmayd in Grayson and Alto in Cherokee County Southmayd Suffers Very Severity from the Storm - The Pretty Little Village Almost Wiped Out Southmayd, Grayson County, Tex., May 8 - (Special) - Saturday at p.m. the worst cyclone that ever visited his part of the state struck the peaceful little village of Southmayd, and at one fell swoop almost wiped it from the face of the earth. Not a house but shows the effect of the storm. It first struck Pittman and Harrison's large hay house in the western part of the village, unroofing it and throwing baled hay in every direction. It next struck S.N. Mayers hay warehouse and almost made kindling wood of it. Then it seemed to toy along with the house of John Carey and Dr. Estes by simply tearing a part of the roof and knocking down the flues. But this sort of destruction did not suit its fancy; the whole heavens became dark and the clouds seemed to drag on the earth. About this time it struck the beautiful residence of J.R. McElroy and with one twist of its serpent-like tail, picked it up from its foundation, carried it some 20 feet, tore the entire south side out and set it down, breaking out the doors and windows and passed on to his barn. This is struck square in the end, broke the planks off about 8 feet above the ground, twisted the planks and roof in every imaginable shape, and threw it in a pasture over a half mile from here. It next struck the Empire Grain company's large warehouse. This it completely demolished, even the floor being torn up and twisted to pieces. From here it went to J.A. Bahrer's large hay house and barn; this it tore up and twisted, not even leaving a piece of timber in its proper place. It next struck J.A. Welch's new store building, which was only opened to the public Friday; this it completely wrecked and passed on to the Texas and Pacific railway section house, which it lifted from its blocks, twisted out of shape and then passed on to 2 box cars, which it blew off the track. From there it took a southwesterly course across the country, strewing it path with the wreckage from the buildings it had destroyed, as far as the eye could see. No one but an eye-witness can have any idea of the damage; it is simply awful. And to add to the destruction by wind, a steady rain fell, which will damage all the grain, hay and feed that is laying out unprotected.  Dallas Morning News Wednesday, May 10, 1893 DAMAGE AT SOUTHMAYD Southmayed [sic], Grayson County, Texas, May 7 To The News Rain commenced falling about 5 o'clock in the evening. Soon a cloud appeared in the southwest. It veered to the north until it was directly west. Here it seemed to crouch like a lion before leaping on its prey. Then it came with terrific force and barns, warehouses, residences, cars, stores and in fact everything in its path seemed but chaff before the gale. The two-story residence of J.R. McElroy, just finished, was blown from its foundation, the south end crushed out and a bed standing two inches from the wall was left with covering undisturbed, while a cook stove in the same room below it, had one door blown off with two hinges broken. The new store of J. Walsh, opened for business on Thursday, is off it foundation and badly twisted. The Empire grain company of Sherman had just completed a large warehouse which would now do for kindling with very little preparation The section-house, a two-story building is wrecked. The 1000-ton hay barn of Pittman & Harrison lost the west end, while the hay barn of S.N. Maeyers is covering the adjoining ten acres. Two barns, 30x60 feet, belonging to the writer, one a stock barn and empty, was unroofed and the other containing hay, oats, corn, saddles, harness, buggy and farming tools are one miscellaneous mass, while the cow barn, wagon-sheds, wood house, smokehouse and henhouse are included in the mass. Several other smaller barns and outhouses are scattered promiscuously. No person was hurt and no loss of life, except one or two hogs belonging to the writer. The loss will probably amount to $3,000. A number of cars standing on the sidetrack were unroofed and started toward Texarkana at a Nancy Hanks gate. It has rained for four hours this morning with the prospects for good rain the entire day. ---John A. Boheer Southmayd History Elaine Nall Bay ©2021 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |