The storm seemed to be gathering in the west and northwest, a greater part of the afternoon, the clouds hanging low, and slowly approaching against a terrific wind from the southeast. At Blair the ball game with Martha was called in the early afternoon because some of the players lived quite a distance away, and desired to be on their way home. Many of the local people paid little or no attention to the clouds until a short time before the storm, and none realized that a cyclone or tornado was fastly approaching, because the heavy cloud of sand in the sky which cut off practically all view of the storm. About 6:10 o’clock the wind calmed down and changed to the northwest with the cloud, and a light sprinkle of rain followed. People watching paid little attention, thinking that a light rain was the climax. In less than two minutes the sky grew dark and the tornado struck the community without any warning whatever, and was not even accompanied by the usual roaring as is the nature of storms of this kind. Hundreds were unable to reach the storm caves, many were trapped in buildings, others were caught outside trying to reach safety. Several families were caught in the streets trying to get to storm caves.  The most miraculous part of the storm was that not more were killed than were, while so many were without shelter.

                Two storms seemed to gather north and northwest of town, both traveling in a southeast direction. The one to the east seemed to hit the earth about one mile north of town where it destroyed the big new barn on the G.T. Roberts farm which was only last week completed. All that was left of the barn was the lower walls and they are wrecked so that they will be of no value in rebuilding. This storm traveled a due southeast course, going across the country until in reached Headrick, and practically demolished that place, and sweeping clean most everything in its path, taking a heavy toll of livestock, farm houses and barns, fences, cars, wagons, and farm machinery and silos. One of the heaviest property damages was that of the Farmers Gin, in Blair. It was practically demolished. Little was left save some of the machinery, motors, etc., which in all probability is damaged beyond repair. The structure was covered by tornado insurance, but as yet no adjustment has been made.  All the gins and all the business houses with two or three exceptions were covered by insurance, not enough perhaps to pay over fifty per cent of the loss in most cases, yet in others it will take care of most of the loss.

                The McDonald Gin also suffered a terrific loss, while a part of the gin building is standing, yet it is twisted out of line considerably and may be rebuilt entirely. The Morgan & Farr gin was also damaged considerably, the seed house, engine room and office were practically demolished, also the gin building damaged. The Tinsley gin was more fortunate than the others as it suffered little loss, with the exception of the seed house being blown from the foundation and wrecked considerable, and the framework of the gin building somewhat wrecked and out of line. The adjustments have not yet been made, but it is conservatively estimated that the loss to the gins will run above $50,000.The Orient Depot was demolished, only a part of one side remained standing, and it is past repair. Thousands of records, office supplies and equipment were lost. A temporary office was opened up In a day coach, using a boxcar for a freight room. A new building will be constructed in the immediate future, on the site of the former station, according to agent W.F. Rather. The present quarters are very comfortable and will serve nicely until the new station is built.         In the west part of town all transformers, light poles and wires were torn down and almost a total loss.

                 The Zinn Bros. Feed and Seed store was totally wrecked. Thousands of sacks of grain were in this building, but suffered little loss, owing to the lack of rain after the storm. They have moved most of the feed and undamaged stuff to their warehouse north of the elevator. They will rebuild with brick and tile, and work will start on this building within a very short time.The west wing of the old hotel was torn from the building and blown across the street in front of the elevator, the other part of the hotel is standing but in a tottering state.This was a very old building, and has not been used for a hotel in some time.

                The Rogers service station was completely blown down. It is stated that Mr. Rogers and his two daughters were in the station at the time of the storm and they were uninjured. When the station blowed away, while across the street the wife and mother was killed by falling brick after her milliner shop had blown away. The Greer Boyd tailor shop was housed by the same building, as was Mrs. Rogers’ Millinery store. It was wrecked and the only things of value rescued, was the clothes press and boiler. Mr. Boyd ran out of his building and seeing the storm upon him fell to the ground and held on to a small tree. He escaped injury. The next building on the south side of Main street in the path of destruction was that of Elmer Castles’ Grocery. It was in this building that Mr. Castles lost his life, when the front and a part of the west wall fell in when the tornado struck the building. He was crushed through the floor by the weight of the brick. At the time of the storm Otis Dennis, Earnest Boyd and Byrle Coston were in the store. Just prior to the storm, while the dust was blowing, Byrle went up on the front deck to place a cardboard over a broken window, and felt the front giving in, he started to jump to the floor but was caught by the deck and hurled to the floor near where the other three were standing. He escaped with a badly cut arm and minor body bruises, while Otis Dennis was thrown to the floor and partially covered with brick and timber, but escaped injury. Earnest Boyd, who fell partially across the body of Mr. Castles was cut and bruised severely. It was reported that he was paralyzed at first, but upon examination at the City Hospital in Altus, it was found that his limbs were badly bruised. He is rapidly improving.

                The Leader store’s roof and front was demolished at the same time. Mr. Aboussie, proprietor, received cuts and bruises. He states that the only thing that saved his life was that he put his head into one of the shelves when the bricks were falling. Miss Thadwa Aboussie and Jimmie were also in the building at the time, but neither was injured as severely as their father. They were all taken to the hospital at Altus where they received medical aid and returned home. Sam Aboussie was at the rear of the store and seeing that he was unable to reach safety, fell down by the side of a car and held on to one of the wheels, thus escaping injury, but badly frightened, as bricks from walls, timbers from roofs, and other flying debris covered up the car where he sought refuge. In the Roberts Grocery there were 15 or 20 people, but none were injured as the roof was torn off the building only about a third of the way back, and the front blown in, but everyone was far enough into the rear that the falling timbers did not reach them. It is stated that some visitors at the store sought shelter in the huge refrigerator in the building.

                The P.O. Barber Shop was badly damaged as was the interior of the post office, when the front blew in and considerable of the roof tore away. Mr. Tennyson was in the barbershop, but escaped with slight injuries. No one was in the post office at the time of the storm. The Dearing Hardware likewise suffered a loss of a part of the front roof, the store front, and the interior damaged considerable. Mr. Dearing was in the building alone when the storm came but sought refuge in the rear of the store and was uninjured. Mrs. Dearing was painfully injured in their home when it was blown down. She received to the hip and minor flesh wounds. The daughters were in the home with Mrs. Dearing, but escaped injury. The house was a six-room cottage in the west part of town. The Jameson Bros. Barber Shop also lost about one-third of their roof and the entire front. No one was seriously injured in this building.

                The J.K. Jones Hardware building suffered the loss of its front, with some damage to the showcases and other fixtures, but the roof was not damaged seriously. The Palace Theatre front was damaged less than any other building to the west. The ticket office was damaged to some extent, and considerable glass broken, but will be repaired and ready for the usual Friday-Saturday program this week, according to Mr. Aldridge. The First National Bank lost the large plate glass windows in front, some smaller ones on the sides, and some bricks blown from the top walls, while the Masonic hall in the second story lost several windows. The two-story building known as the Zinn building on the corner of Zinn Avenue and Main Street, was almost a total wreck. All the second story and most of the lower walls of the front of the building were blown down, with only a few feet of the east wall, the south wall, and about 35 feet of the west wall still standing, but likely to fall anytime. This building was 50x100 feet and the upstairs used by the I.O.O.F. Lodge. Practically all the furniture and most of the paraphernalia were blown away and badly damaged. In the west room of the downstairs was the Walker Grocery. Rev. Brock received severe injuries when the building fell, and it was thought for some time that his injuries would prove fatal. Ralph Pryor and Dilmus Walker were also in the building but escaped with minor injuries. The fallen wall left only a small opening near the rear, there the men made their escape. The east side of the building was occupied by the Boston Store. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and Mr. and Mrs. Moorad were in their store when it collapsed during the storm, covering them most up with timbers and brick, but they miraculously escaped with minor cuts and  bruises.

The Harper Grocery and Bakery building also collapsed during the storm. Mr Harper seeing the debris in the air sought protection behind his mixer. A Negro customer was in the store, and he too was partially sheltered by the mixer, but the east wall of the Zinn building fell with such terrific force that the Harper roof gave way, crushing everything to the floor, except the mixer and the oven. Mr. Harper was caught and help had to be summoned before he could be loosened from the wreckage. He suffered several body bruises and cuts. The Negro escaped uninjured. A portion of the remaining wall fell Sunday afternoon about 7 o’clock.

The Barnett Service Station came in for its share of damage also. The building is practically wrecked, to such an extent that Mr. Locknane vacated the building Monday. No one was in this station during the storm. Francis Bros. Motor Company’s loss was not so great, part of the roof was damaged considerable, and practically all the plate glass broken from the show windows. Nothing inside the building was damaged. About ten or twelve persons were in the building but none of them were injured. To the north of Francis Bros, the Roland used car garage was a total loss. The Roland family also lived in the building, and nearly all the furniture was ruined. They were in the building when the storm came, but escaped through the east door and started for a storm cellar, but were unable to get to one. They were unprotected from the elements, but fortunately escaped unhurt. The Red Ball garage and service station was a total loss. Ray Fogle was severely bruised on the head and rendered unconscious. He was taken to a Mangum hospital where he received medical attention and returned home the next morning, and is now reported out of danger. There were four in the station at the time of the storm. They were J.M. Reed, Roy Allsup, Sam Atkins and Orval Perrin. All of these men received severe injuries except Orval Perrin. Work started on rebuilding the filling station and garage Monday morning and Mr. Allsup states that it will be bigger and better than before.

                The Milburn Chevrolet Garage was another total wreck, the building collapsed with 9 men and boys in the building at the time the storm struck the garage. L.C. Milburn was the most seriously injured, he being yet in the Altus City Hospital, where it is reported he is still in a serious condition, but his chances for recovery are excellent, according to the attending physicians. Mr. Milburn received cuts on the head when the north wall fell. He was partially under one of the cars, and only in this manner escaped death. The others in the garage were in the back part and in some manner were unhurt. There were 15 cars in the garage and most all of them were wrecked badly.The Bear Grocery just south of the Milburn Garage was badly wrecked. Four persons were in the store, but all escaped with minor cuts and bruises. The building and stock were badly damaged. The store is about rebuilt and business will be resumed shortly. The frame work of the new Taylor Hotel was torn to the ground and most of the material ruined. Work was resumed Thursday morning on this structure. The Hawkins Drug store was practically uninjured, save a few bricks being torn from the rear of the building. There were ten or twelve people in the store, and all of them crowded into the vault until the storm passed.

                Dud Tinsley fortunately escaped damage to his business, but one of his trucks was badly damaged. Bellows & Walker’s office was not damaged, and neither gentleman was injured, but both of them together with John Aldridge and Marshal Huling have been night and day helping get their policy holders’ interest cared for.The roof of the Blair Grocery was partially torn off, and rear of the store damaged considerably. Dennis Lowrey was alone in the building and took refuge in the refrigerator. The Lockhart Dry goods store lost most of the north part of the roof and the north end caved in. Manager Fullerton was in the building waiting on three Negro women when the storm came. He stated that when the back caved in he ran out the back and ran for shelter, but does not know where the Negro women went, except they  left the store by way of a front window. The Lollar Drug Store also lost a great part of the roof and most of the north end. Dr. Taylor and J.K. Jones in Dr. Taylor’s office on the upper deck. When the back caved in they were both covered with brick and timber. Dr. Taylor was unconscious for some time, while Mr. Jones received severe injuries to his left shoulder and side. Both of them are reported as being in good shape again. Albert Taylor found protection under the soda fountain.

The Robert Avery Barber Shop lost a roof as did the Sutton Café, and the north end of the building was badly wrecked. There were four persons in the barber shop, but all escaped unhurt. In the café there were perhaps a score of people. When the storm struck the building they tried to run out of the front door, but could not get it open, hence had to remain in the building, but in spite of the roof caving in they were uninjured. This building is practically rebuilt at this time, and both businesses lost but little time in re-opening.

The McGinnis Hardware which occupies a building 50 x 100 lost the roof, both ends, and left nothing but the two bare walls standing. There were no people in the building at the time of the storm. Those seeing the roof leave the building declare that it rose into the air and remained together only for a short time and was then torn in two and both sections blown south of the Rounds & Porter Lumber yard, perhaps two hundred yards south of the store, but was torn into thousands of pieces before the clutches of the storm released it. The furniture stock was almost all ruined and much of the hardware is a hopeless wreck. It is protected from rain by wagon sheets, tents, etc. The Cozy Café met disaster the second time in five months. It will be remembered this café was lost by fire a few months ago and Mr. Smith had rebuilt and was comfortably located again, only to have his building wrecked completely and most of the interior ruined. No one was in this building at the time. Rounds & Porter Lumber yard lost most of their south shed, and much lumber. The roofs of most all the balance of the sheds and houses were badly damaged and material blown around and considerably damaged.

The Happy Jarnagin grocery building lost and awning, and some window glass. Mr. Jarnigan received an injury to his right side from falling timber.The Vernon Service Station was damaged to the extent of about $200. according to Mr. Vernon, who made an estimate of the damage Tuesday. The Blair Produce also had a small loss. The north wall was damaged, and windows broken up. The front otherwise broken up. The warehouse was badly damaged. The Woodall Blacksmith shop north of Francis Bros., was also a total wreck. No one was injured however when the building collapsed. The loss to city homes was indeed great. There was untold damage in the town proper, many houses lost porches, some slid from their foundations and otherwise damaged. It is impossible at this time to give a complete list of all the houses damaged, but a survey of the town reveals that few houses escaped without some damage.

All of the ones blown down so far as is known to the writer follows:

Emmett Perry, mechanic at the Francis Bros. Motor Co., lost his home, all the furniture and household goods. Mrs. Perry was in the house when the storm struck it and was blown in a ditch. She was not seriously, but painfully injured. Their two children had just gotten into the storm cellar. The M.M. Klepper home in the northwest part of town was likewise blown down, and all the furnishing ruined. Mrs. Klepper was painfully, but not seriously injured. W.H. Hawkins home in the west part of town was unroofed and otherwise damaged. Mr. Hawkins lost two Jersey cattle in the storm. Uncle Buck Hawkins’ home also was unroofed, and the building badly wrecked. The John Aldridge home in the east part of town suffered heavy loss. The roof was practically all blown off, the walls damaged and the lawn garden, just east of the home, one of Blair’s beauty spots was badly wrecked by the tornado. Mr. Thompson who lives south of McDonald gin lost a part of his home and most of his furnishings. No one was injured at his home. The C.D. Silvester home in the northwest part of town was completely demolished, and all the furnishings lost. B.L. Roberts who lives in the northwest part of town likewise suffered heavy loss when his house and household goods were wrecked and blown practically away. R.F. Brooks’ house was moved out in the street and literally ruined, and the furnishings were damaged beyond repair. The Bert Mayfield home was partially turned around, and moved from the foundation. The west side of one of the rooms was blown entirely out, and quite heavy damage resulted to the household furnishings.

The W. G. Daniels home in the southwest part of town was partially destroyed, and practically all the furnishings ruined. A house on the E.W. Nipp farm southwest of town occupied by M.S. Blackmon was blown down and all the household goods lost. The S.H. Atkins home in the south part of town was moved about thirty feet off its foundation and wrecked badly. The home of Joe Allsup was moved about twenty feet. Mrs. Allsup an children were in the house, but none of them was injured. The Church of God church building was a total loss. The building was blown into atoms. All the others churches in town were damaged considerably. The Methodist church escaped with less damage than any of the others. It was repaired the early part of the week. It is probable that most of the other churches will have to be rebuilt. It is suggested that one or two may be moved back on their former foundations and straightened but it is yet problematical as to how they will be handled. The large school building suffered a terrific loss. Hundreds of brick were blown from the second story of the structure, and while no definite action has been taken it is thought that the building will have to be torn down and rebuilt. This will be decided upon in a very short time. It is impossible to give a complete story of all the farmers who had losses in the storm, but a survey of the stricken areas discloses that nearly every home in the storm’s path suffered to some extent. On some, minor damage is reported, while on others everything was a total loss. Some lost farming tools, windmills, and other farming equipment and the homes were spared, still others, lost livestock with little property damage, but in a great number of cases everything was lost.

No personal injury has been reported so far as The News had been able to learn. Going east of Blair the writer spent several hours endeavoring to get an accurate account of the storm losses, ad if any have been overlooked it was not intentional. At the Mart Hall farm everything was a total loss. Ed Schnorrenberg likewise lost his home, household goods, most of his farming equipment, and one cow was killed. He also lost a new Chevrolet car. J. D. Bush and Jack Portwood were equal sufferers with the other, as it is reported they lost everything. The W.H. Funderburk place is reported as virtually wrecked, with heavy losses to household goods, barns, shed, etc.The Merrill Biddy house was blown from the foundation and wrecked considerably. T.F. Biddy lost a porch, flues, and a part of the roof from his home and the top of his car ruined. The Cecil Biddy house was wrecked, and others losses to barns suffered. The Gabe McDoniel house was wrecked so badly that it will have to be torn down and rebuilt. Mr. McDoniel sustained other losses also. At the F.M. Biddy place a ban was blown away and feed ruined. Everything is reported lost at the Ray Taylor farm. At the Norman Capps’ farm, the house was torn down and the car ruined. Elmer Ard who lives on the Elmer Biddy place, lost all furnishings, when the house was demolished. At the Grandma Portwood farm the top was torn from the house, and the big barn erected last year was almost a total wreck. J.E. Pierce who lives on the Albert Biddy farm, lost all furnishings, when the house was demolished. A Victrola was blown a half-mile from the house and only the doors were torn off, otherwise it was not damaged.

Bud Capps, who lives 3 miles east lost his house, barn and household goods. There were 8 people in this home when it was torn down, but none of them were injured. Elmer Biddy lost practically everything when his home was torn down and blown away. The barns and sheds were a total loss. Roy Farmer, living in the same neighborhood lost his barn and the home wrecked badly. Browder Ladd suffered a total loss. Everything movable was blown away, including the house, barns, etc. The same report comes from the Ernest Smith home. Jess Starr lost his home and furnishings, also barns and some machinery. A new piano in the home had not been found Tuesday afternoon, according to his neighbors. A.M. Furrow is reported as having lost nearly everything as did scores of the other unfortunate Neighbors. On the Roy McDoniel farm not only the house and barns were lost but a new wagon was a total wreck At the Arthur Saunders farm the house and barns were badly wrecked, and other damage to other farm property. The Tom Vaughn home was blown 30 or 40 yards, and badly wrecked. Not only did Page Portwood lose his home, barns, etc., but the implements were twisted and mangled beyond repair. The big barn on the P.W. Walker’s farm south of town appears to be almost a total wreck. Not only have the farmers suffered property and stock loss, but most all crops and orchards have been wiped out, in many instances the back yard gardens were utterly ruined. Scores of teams and men are in the fields replanting their crops, and living in tents, not making any pretense at restoring their homes until their crops are replanted. The state highway teams and men between Altus and Mangum have been put to work in the farmers fields, assisting in the replanting. This is most commendable in the state highway department in donating this much needed work.

                Telephone and electric light wires between Blair and Altus were masses of ruin, but in spite of this the Southwest Bell Telephone Company had phone service into Blair within seven hours after the storm. Scores of workmen for the Southwestern Light and Power Company, labored Saturday night and Sunday, and service was restored early Sunday afternoon, to a part of the town. Wires and lights were strung over the debris filled streets and the wrecked business houses. Both of the above organizations are to be congratulated on meeting such a crisis as they did in such a short length of time.