Italy & Ellis County, TX Tornado, May 1909

Tornado Destroys Many Buildings

Causes Considerable Damage In Italy And Ellis County.

Special To The News.
Italy, Tex., May 21.-A cyclone swept over Italy and surrounding country last night at 10:30 o’clock, doing considerable damage.

A very angry cloud appeared in the northwest and soon it was found that a cyclone was upon the town.

The following is an account of the damage done here:

The large cotton warehouse belonging to the Farmers’ Union was completely demolished.

The residence of R.A. Green, which stood near by, was damaged by pieces of the warehouse blowing upon and against it.

The Italy water and light plant had its large smokestack blown down.

The Italy Cotton and Oil Company had its seed house badly damaged.

The Mosely gin plant was wrecked pretty badly.

The negro Baptist Church was blown from off its blocks.

The residences of T.B. Lusk, editor of the Italy Herald; W.H. Oneal, M. Richards, W.J. Holley and The News correspondent were partially wrecked.

A small house was on the campus of the public school was blown from its blocks.

Several residences and barns in the county around Italy are reported blown away.

Mrs. Horton, who lives a short distance from town, was hurt by falling timbers of her house that was blown away.

The southbound Katy Flyer was delayed, a mile north of town, about two hours by a small house blowing upon the track.

South Ellis County Affected,

Special To The News.

Waxahachie, Tex., May 21.-The southern part of Ellis County was visited by a severe windstorm last night, which caused a property loss of several thousand dollars. The storm seems to have struck with great force at Italy, and in that vicinity a number of residences, barns and small outbuildings were completely demolished. Other houses were blown from their blocks and a great many chimneys and flues were destroyed.

In the town of Italy the big corrugated iron warehouse of the Farmers’ Union Company was demolished and the timbers scattered a distance of fully half a mile. The building contained 125 bales of cotton. The seed house at the Italy Cotton Oil Company’s plant was unroofed and the walls baldy twisted. The smokestack of the oil mill was blown down. The residence of Lige Horton was removed from its blocks. The smokehouse of A.M. Trigg was blown down. Bob Wimberly’s house was lifted from its blocks. The residence of J.A. Stewart in South Italy was badly wrecked.

About one mile north of Italy the residence of Charles Horton was completely destroyed. Mr. Horton’s family escaped unhurt, except for his mother, whose ankle was sprained. So fat as learned, Mrs. Horton was the only person injured. Mr. Horton’s barn and outhouse were also blown away.

The residence of Seth Wilson, who lives a mile north of Italy, was blown about ten feet from its foundation.

A negro tenant house on the farm of Mrs. Josie Fudge, about two miles north of Italy, was blown away. The occupants escaped unhurt.

From Italy north sixty-eight telephone and telegraph poles were blown down. Most of these fell across the Katy tracks. The Katy southbound Flyer was delayed about two hours on account of the many obstructions on the tack. Section men had to be called out to clear the tracks before the train could proceed.

All the telephone and telegraph wires entering Italy were put out of commission. Service was not restored until late this afternoon.

At Avalon the schoolhouse was blown off its blocks and a store was unroofed. Several farm buildings in that section were more or less damaged.

Near Maloney three small tenant houses were blown away. One was occupied by negroes who escaped. The other two were empty.

Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX 22 May 1909
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!