Rice, TX Tornado, Apr 1908

Rice, Navarro County---Farmhouses two miles south of town destroyed. Three negroes probably fatally hurt. Many people escape by refuge in storm houses, but number reported injured. Wires into Rice went down late last night.

Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX 24 Apr 1908

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LOSSES IN NAVARRO COUNTY

Cyclone Strikes Two Miles South of Rice and Demolishes Everything in Its Path.

Special To The News.

Rice, Navarro Co., April 23.---A cyclone passed about two miles south of Rice about 6:30 p.m. taking everything in its path.

It was first observed about six miles south of Rice moving northeast and bore a terrific appearance of death and desolation.

A hard rain had fallen for about two hours prior to the cyclone and many observes had time to get in stormhouses. It has been raining hard since the storm.

Information is very meager.

Will Kennedy, manager of the Thompson farm, and others there saved their lives by running into a cellar. The storm took every vestige of his house and barns away. Will Reeves and family who live close to the Kennedy residence, saved their lives in a like manner, their residence being blown entirely away.

Charles Chenalt had his house blown away, but escaped in a stormhouse.

Caroline Cookesy, a negro tenant on the Thompson farm, had both legs broken, was otherwise injured and will die. Two of her daughters were also seriously injured and will probably die.

A searching party was formed here soon after the storm and is now endeavoring to see what further damage was done. It is evident many were injured and some fear a number were killed.

All wire service between Rice and other points was cut off about 9 o'clock Thursday night. The wire that carried the above message to The News was evidently the last one and that was soon out of commission. Corsicana was reached via another circuit, but that town could not get a wire into Rice.

Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX 24 Apr 1908
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!