09/02/2026
Update on the Storm damage from 1913.
We found an image shared of a building that had major storm damage from 1913. It looked a lot like our building so we did some research and found out indeed it is. So then we went up in the attic to see if the brickwork back on the damaged area was different, and it was! Finally we found this newspaper talking about an incredible storm from 1913 and it talks directly about the segal warehouse (Our building at the time) and where the damage was located. It was a direct match. Here is the entire newspaper article for your enjoyment.
"Jefferson has always claimed to be cyclone proof, but that record was lost Thursday, March 20th, when following several heavy rainfalls during the afternoon, and a lull, a cloud seemed to form Southwest of the city while a full moon shown in the east. It came down on the city with a loud roar very much like a heavy railway train, striking the resident section near the T. & P. bridge crossing Big Cypress, it whirled its way up and through the business section, passing out Northeast and on to the big plant of the Clark & Boice Lumber Co., where it blew down the smoke stacks on the planer and mill, the roof off part of the boiler room and doing much damage to the plant generally.
When the roar of the oncoming cyclone was first heard, many thought it was a heavy freight train passing on the T. & P. railway, but as the cloud drew nearer and noise grew deafning, many were attracted by its peculiar whirling shape. Some sought shelter for safety and others watched its oncomingβnot realizing the force and destruction it was bringing.
The storm struck the city at about 7:45 p. m. with a deafning roar, accompanied by a heavy rain and some hail. The greatest force came twice, one following the other in a few seconds, both forces of only a few minutes duration, but that time the noise was terrible. One could hear the crashing of brick buildings, breaking of glass and striking of flying missels against buildings. The air seemed thick with debries the wind force had gathered up in its path. Many going home had narrow escapes from the storm's force until they found shelter. At the first cecession of the storm the district where the greatest force had swept was filled with people carrying lanterns to find out the extent of the damage. The light plant was forced to close down on account of the storm blowing down so many wires.
The greatest damage was done in the business section, beginning at the U. S. court house and postoffice, where the storm seemed to divide, one part coming down the alley at the back, and damaging buildings in its path, the other going around front and damaging buildings all along the southeast side of Austin street for four blocks. Many of the slate shingles on the postoffice building were torn off and hurled through the air in large and small pieces with great force breaking many window glass in their path. For hours citizens visited the storm section to see the extent of the destruction wrought by the wind, but it took daylight to disclose the devastation caused by the cyclone or high gale of the night before.
A full report, or as near as can be had, is given.
The storm first struck in the residence section in the southwest leveling fences, shade trees and setting many small houses from their blocks. Mrs. J. W. Sims, on Alley and Taylor street, had her kitchen blown down. Dr. T. E. Speed, Taylor and Friou street had his house damaged, also several tenant houses and the colored Masonic lodge hall, property, blow from the blocks and leaced over, while the Macedonia Baptist church, colored, was damaged. Hardly a residence in the path but lost fencing and trees. The city school building had part of the tin torn from the roof. I. S. Schluter's residence suffered from the storm. G. Kistenmacher's store, on Lafayette and Marshall street had the awning and part of the roof torn off, carried over the building and thrown in the yard. Mr. Kistenmache, in trying to hold the doors from the force of the storm, was overcome from the effects, but soon recovered.
The residence of R. I. Lathrop had a tree blown on it and several uprooted in the yard. At the residence of Dr. J. I. Moseley several large cedar trees were blown down and the house damaged. Mrs. J. H. Culberson had several trees blown down and a chimney or two lifted off. T. L. Torrans' residence, which was in the track of the storm suffered no damage other than a few trees blown down in the yard. Arch McKay had his back porch torn off and a large tree blown down falling against a window. Thos. Markus had his kitchen blown off the blocks and only a teacup broken.
The Federal building caught the full force of the wind; much of the slate shingle roof was torn off, the awnings at the windows were torn to tatters and several of the large glass blown from the windows and some furniture hurled about in the building. The loss is placed at several hundred dollars.
The Excelsior Hotel had much glass broken out and a small water tank blown off the building, while a stable had all the roof torn off and timber hurled a hundred feet away.
The Chesterfield Club Rooms felt the ful force of the wind and several windows were blown out and many glass broken with roof damaged. A piece of scantling was driven into the brick wall near the top of the second story.
The wareroom in the Hussey & Whelan block, Vale street, occupied by J. J. Segal Co. as a store room for flour, had part of the brick wall crushed in at the top and tin torn off the roof. Water poured in and the flour was move to the building across the street.
The wind made a jump here to Walnut street, where it tore off all the brick front of the second story and part of the roof of the old Citizens Bank building, property of J. H. Rowell, and occupied as a restaurant by Mr. Larkin and wife.
All the awning in front of the Commercial National Bank was torn off.
Spellings & Kennon's market, Polk street, has a section torn from the front above the awning and set out in the street.
The new Sherrell and Rives buildings on Polk street, occupied by G. T. Haggard, furniture and C. W. Carlson, groceries, each had a large plate glass window blown out.
The new Rowell building, Lafayette and Walnut streets, had all the window glass broken out at the back in the second story.
The Rives building, walnut street, occupied by the Torrans Mfg. Co., hardware, had the front above the second story blown back on the roof, causing it to sink in a foot or so.
The J. J. Segal cotton ware-house, Austin and Dallas streets, had the second-story crushed in on Vale near the Dallas street end, and much of the roof fell on furniture stored on the second floor. (Jefferson Palace hotel)
The Masonic hall, on Dallas street had the roof torn off and the lodge has moved to the Stutz building adjoining.
At the residence of Ward Taylor, part of the fence and back gallery was blown into the street. Mrs. W. S. Haswood had the doors blown out on the lower floor, roof torn and much fence blown down.
The court house had the brick top and roof damaged. The new court house, in course of construction, had much of the window frame work on the third story blown down and the large columns at the east entrance were blown down. One piece was caught in the large wires of the concrete steps and some of the brick work badly damaged. The damage and delay to the building estimated by the contractors, is some $1,400.
W. J. Sedberry's building, Austin street, roof damaged.
The Jefferson Ice & Light Co. had roof damaged; C. W. Langenstine had all the tin roof torn off his building on Austin street.
J. M. DeWare's building, on Dallas street, used as an ice house and storage room, had the walls crushed in and roof torn off the building, practically ruined, with loss placed at $3,000.
The Torrans building, used as warehouse by I. L. Goldberg, roof damaged.
W. S. Terry's boiler room at gin was damaged.
The Marshall Cotton Oil Co's. cotton seed house was blown from the pillars, front about ten feet and back five feet.
W. R. Kennon's wagon yard fence was blown down.
The seed house of Erambert, Vaughan Co. was partly unroofed.
The storm came in by way of the Southwest and passed out Northeast. The greatest width of the storm force was about three blocks, but it reached out and did destruction to many trees and fences.
Christ Episcopal church and Presbyterian church both suffered damage, but the Episcopal church received the most; the plastering was broken off and doors hard to open. Easter services were not held on that account.
The First Methodist church was also in the storm path and several window glass and sash were broken. In the south residence section M. Rosenfeld lost fencing.
It is almost impossible to secure a list of all who had fencing blown down during the storm.
Several small houses were set off their blocks.
The storm nearly wrecked the Clark & Boice Lumber Co.'s Mill plant. The mill of F. L. Mundy, near Little Cypress 3 1-2 miles east of the city, had a smoke stack blown down.
The Cypress Lumber Co.'s mill on Big Cypress, five miles east, was damaged some by the storm.
The full estimate of the loss by the storm in the business and residence section can hardly be given, but it can be placed at between $30,000 and $40,000.
Many minor freaks of the storm still come in out as far as Broadway and near the T. & P. depot, W. J. Sedberry's residence and at Tom Dodd's and Col. A. B. Blevins' all were slightly damaged.
This storm was the most severe since the storm that swept part of the residence section west of Broadway near the T. & P. depot in 1905 and the dates were almost similar, both coming on Thursday at about 7:45 p. m., one April 20th, 1905, and the other, March 20th, 1913."
