Home   Search   What's New   About Us   Contacts

Lauderdale County History

 

The Great Meridian Cyclone of 1906

A Lauderdale County Web Exclusive
by Bill White

Cyclone!
 

The Great Cyclone of 1906
Businesses Damaged

 

A conservative estimate places the number of buildings destroyed completely at between thirty and forty. The dollar values reported below represent the estimate damage incurred by the various businesses.  Where no dollar value is listed, the amount was not announced or is not available.

  1. The Meyer and Neville Hardware Company, 2209-11 Front Street, seven stories, building $100,000, stock $150,000.
  2. The Meridian Cement Company, totally destroyed, $250,000
  3. Thomas F. Lyle Grocery Company, 2311-17 Front Street, a wholesale dry goods and grocery store, building $305,000, stock $40,000
  4. Josh F. Moore, Druggist, 2300 4th Street corner of 23rd Avenue, wholesale dry goods and groceries  
  5. The New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad Freight Depot and other buildings, 25th Avenue, corner of Front Street, buildings damaged
  6. Queen and Crescent Railroad Depot, Front Street near 25th Avenue, buildings destroyed
  7. Union Railroad Depot, 22nd avenue at the corner of 1st street, destroyed
  8. The Grand Avenue Hotel, Front Street and Grand Avenue locations, hotel on Front Street at the Northwest corner of 22nd Avenue, this building was brick four story, $50,000, no estimate of the damages to the other buildings including those actually located on Grand Avenue
  9. Elmire’s Restaurant, 2204 1st Street opposite Union Depot, $10,000
  10. The Meridian Fertilizer Factory, 2335 Front Street (Office), destroyed
  11. Meridian Cotton Oil Company, 2811 A Avenue, destroyed
  12. Thornton’s Transfer Company, 2211 Front Street, $10,000,  H. Thornton (Livery, Feed and Sale Stables) 518-20-22 25th Avenue, destroyed.
  13. Culpepper Hotel, northeast corner of 22nd Avenue opposite Grand Avenue Hotel, $15, 000
  14. Mobile and Ohio Railroad Freight Depot, 25th Avenue near Front Street, partially destroyed, freight damage
  15. The New Southern Hotel, 508 23rd Avenue, minor roof damage only
  16. The Railroad Y.M.C.A. Building, two upper stories, $15,000
  17. Meridian Chair Company, on M&O tracks near 28th Avenue
  18. Meridian Light and Power Plant
  19. W. J. Woodside and Company
  20. Pearce Compress Company, damaged by fire and wind
  21. Gulf Compress Company
  22. C. M. Rubush Lumber Yards, buildings lost, stock swept away, value of stock only $150,000
  23. Meridian Oil Mills and Manufacturing Company, on A street, between 28th and 29th Avenue
  24. Meridian Mills, 407 25th Avenue, Corn, Meal, Oats, Bran, hay, cotton seed meal.
  25. Armour & Company, 2331 Front Street, plant left standing but the roof destroyed
  26. The Western Union Telegraph Company , 309 23rd Avenue, reported having lost 15 miles of wire
  27. The Postal Telegraph-Cable Company, 402 23rd Avenue, reported losses of an indeterminate amount of wire, believed to be similar to that of  Western Union's reported loss.
  28. Meridian Gas Light Company, 2319 4th Street
  29. The European Hotel, 2219 4th Street
  30. Southern Railway 22nd Avenue near A Street
  31. Mobile and Ohio Railroad, 26th Avenue near 1st Street
  32. Alabama Great Southern Railroad, Front Street near 25th Avenue
  33. Alabama & Vicksburg Railway, Front Street near 25th Avenue
  34. Meridian Street Railway and Power Company, Meyer Building, 23rd Avenue
  35. Ormond Building, 22nd Avenue, northeast corner of 4th Street
  36. Mississippi Broom and Mattress Factory, 2506 Front Street
  37. Meridian Transfer Company, 2215 Front Street
  38. Meridian Bottling Company, 2506 Front Street

Return to Part 3:  The Storm Strikes

Return to Part 4:  The Aftermath

Return to Part 5:  The Long Morning After

Continue to View References and Research Materials

 

Page Last Updated:   Sunday, 23 April 2017

For comments, suggestions or questions concerning the content or format of this web site, please contact the .

By accessing this web site you agree to the terms and conditions set out in the Copyright and Disclaimer statement.  COPYRIGHT © 2006/2007 W. L. White.