1940 — Feb 10, Tornado, Albany, GA                                         —     19

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 10-21-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–19  AP. “Albany Boosted by Offers of Outside Aid.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise.” 2-13-1940, 1.

–18  Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 264 and 889.

–17  AP. “Revised Tornado Death Toll Placed At 17….” Thomasville Times-Enterprise. 2-12-1940, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Grazulis: “GA  Feb 10, 1940  04:20  18k  300inj  400y  2m  F4  Dougherty [county] – Moved NE in SE Albany. About 1000 homes had some degree of damage. The tornado first touched down among old homes SW of the downtown area. There was $3,200,000 damage to a 32-block area, 10 blocks of which were stores, warehouses and offices. Most of the deaths were in poorly constructed homes along the Flint River.” (p. 889)

Newspaper

Feb 10, AP: “Albany, Ga., Feb 10 (AP) – A tornado killed at least 15 persons – a white woman and 14 negroes – and did an estimated $5,000,000 property damage in this south George winter resort and industrial city before dawn today. At least 450 were injured, 250 of them critically….

“The white woman found dead was Flora Belle Shiver, 32, of Albany….

“The storm struck about 4:25 a.m. while most of Albany was asleep. Details of the destruction came out slowly because the storm broke both telegraph and telephone communications, and the available circuits were clogged with hundreds of messages….

“The city’s one regular hospital was overflowing with patients and four emergency stations were opened.

“In the southwest part of the city, principally on Highland and Oglethorpe avenues…several blocks were completely swept away…practically every business house was destroyed or damaged. Stocks of two large stores (A&P and Big Star) were damaged by water.

“One locomotive was blown off its truck and the railroad station was unroofed….

“Rescue workers took over the high school gymnasium, the First Methodist Church, the city auditorium and a negro high school building for emergency hospitals.

“Several blocks of dwellings were swept clean, and practically every business building in the city suffered some damage….

“A crew of 500 men was put to work by the city clearing debris from the streets. Scattered bricks, roofing, trash and glass blocked traffic except for lanes cleared for ambulances.

“A negro section near the railway station was struck the next worst blow, with scores of frame dwellings flattened. A number of bodies were taken from this wreckage and it was feared there were many others. Ambulance drivers were ordered to pick up only the injured, leaving the bodies for later, and no check on the casualty list was available immediately….

“Three companies of national guardsmen were ordered to move in from Cordele, Tifton and Thomasville and the state highway patrol concentrated 60 men from nearby cities.

“Statewide mobilization of relief similar to that extended in the Gainessville disaster several years ago [April 6, 1936, 203 deaths] began early in the day. Doctors, extra ambulance units and welfare organizations sped aid from nearby communities and started the machinery to increase their work if the need developed. Francis F. Shurling of the National Emergency Council, was directed to make a survey of damage in the city to determine what federal aid might be required….

“Debris littered streets of the city, with a 1930 population of 14,900….” (Assoc. Press. “15 Killed in Albany Tornado.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. 2-10-1940, p. 1.)

Feb 13, AP: “Albany, Ga., Feb. 13 (AP)…the Red Cross announced the death toll had climbed to 19. Two negroes, Viola Jordan, 40 and her son, George 22, died at the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital today from injuries in the tornado of last Saturday. Previously 17 other dead were listed….” (Associated Press. “Albany Boosted by Offers of Outside Aid.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise.” 2-13-1940, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “15 Killed in Albany Tornado.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. 2-10-1940, p. 1. Accessed 10-21-2024 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-feb-10-1940-p-1/

Associated Press. “Albany Boosted by Offers of Outside Aid.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise.” 2-13-1940, p. 1. Accessed 10-21-2024 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-feb-13-1940-p-2/

Associated Press. “Revised Tornado Death Toll Placed At 17 by Red Cross Officials.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise. 2-12-1940, p. 1. Accessed 10-21-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-feb-12-1940-p-1/

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.