Trenton, TX Tornado, Apr 1919

One Death and Great Property Damage at Trenton.

Special to The News.

Trenton, Fannin Co., Texas, April 9.—A tornado struck Trenton at 12:30 o’clock this morning, killing one and injuring several. A Mexican living south of town and working for J. C. ELMORE, was killed and his daughter so badly injured it is thought she can not recover. Mr. ELMORE, his wife and two children were also badly injured. Mrs. ELMORE sustained a broken leg and was crushed about the chest. S. T. WILLIS, superintendent of the Trenton public school; Mrs. WILLIS and their 2-year-old son, were badly hurt when their home was blown away.

Surgeons, fear Mr. WILLIS skull is fractured. He was removed to a sanitarium at Greenville this afternoon for treatment. The property loss is estimated to be at least $500,000. Fully 90 per cent of the residences in town were damaged, some of them being completely blown away. Every business house in town was damaged. Among the largest property losses are the M. G. DAVIS garage, 80 x 120 feet. Mr. DAVIS’ cotton gin was also blown away and the top of his grain elevator lifted off. He estimates his loss at $35,000, with no insurance. G. W. HILL and the J. W. WILSON Gin Company lost their gin plants and had no insurance. The front and frea of the J. C. MILLIKIN furniture store was blown out and the damage to this brick building will amount to $[illegible],000. The north wall of the public school building was badly wrecked, entailing a loss of at least $[illegible],000.

The residence of S. T. WILLIS, Alfred J. HUGHES, E. G. BLADES, John NEWMAN and John LONG were completely demolished. Y. B. REED’s home was badly damaged, the roof being torn off and several windows blown in.

At Delba, four miles south, twenty-five or thirty residences occupied by farmers were blown away.

At Callis, near Delba, Miss Rene PRYOR, aged 50, was killed.

Several homes northwest of Trenton were wrecked.

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