Storms Strike Texas Towns; 3 Persons Killed

Alvord and Farmersville Report Severe Damage.

Alvord, fifty-two miles north of Fort Worth on the Fort Worth & Denver, was visited by a violent windstorm at 3:30 p.m. that inflicted thousands of dollars of damage upon residences and business structures. There were no seriously injured in Alvord, but several persons were painfully bruised by flying timbers.

$20,000 Damage at Alvord.
Alvord, Texas, April 20.—Forming a mile and a half southwest of the town, in plain view of the residents, the most severe windstorm that ever visited this locality swept down upon Alvord at 3:30 o’clock Saturday afternoon, slightly injuring several persons and damaging residences and business houses to the extent of nearly $20,000.

In a vast funnel-shaped swirling could the storm was seen approaching the city an hour before it arrived. The citizens, most of whom have cyclone cellars near their homes, fled to these places of refuge, abandoning their homes and property to the mercy of the winds.

Buildings Torn Down.
The few who remained above ground saw stout canvas awnings ripped like tissue paper from their frames; windows blow in and buildings lifted off the grounds as the whirling funnel reached the business district on the south side of the tracks.

A few seconds later it passed over to the residence section on the north side of the Denver tracks. Where it attained its greatest fury, a dozen houses flattened out as though struck with a gigantic hand. Porches were carried away and the air was full of flying debris. Two heavy timbers were blown into the roof of the depot and remained there, their ends sticking out.

Freight Car Overturned.
A heavy freight car, partially loaded with lumber, was lifted from the tracks and turned upon its side as easily as though it were a toy. The Baptist church structure, built scarcely a year ago, was practically destroyed and the roof was partially blown from the hotel. A gin. Belonging to the Fort Worth Cotton Oil Company, was a total wreck and heavy scantlings were blown through the rear door of the Frensley & Mullins’ general store.

The town was full of farmers, who had come to the city for their usual week end shopping Most of them found shelter but their teams and wagons could not be protected.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Ft. Worth, TX 21 Apr 1912
__________________