1923 — April 4, Tornado, Rapides Parish, especially Pineville area, LA — 15
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-9-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–20 Evening Tribune, Marysville, OH. “Score Dead. Toll of Tornado…” 4-6-1923, p. 1.
–14 white
— 6 black
–15 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 783.
–15 Tornadotalk.com. “On This Day: April 4.” Accessed 4-9-2025.
–14 Little River News, Ashdown, AR. “14 Killed In Storm At Pineville, LA.” 4-7-1923, p. 2.
Narrative Information
Grazulis: “LA Apr 4, 1923 18:00 15k [killed] 150inj 200y 12m F4 Rapides [Parish].”
Newspapers
April 4: “Alexandria, La., April 4. – The known dead in the tornado which early tonight struck Pineville and vicinity, across the Red river from Alexandria, reached 14 with the arrival here at 10 o’clock tonight of a train bringing bodies of eight persons killed at Pineville and a sawmill settlement one mile east of that town. Among the dead are:
Harry Marrus, merchant;
Enoch Williamson and his 15-month-old infant;
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Gates;
- M. Morace and
Mrs. Alvin McCann,
Miss Belle Jenkins,
Mrs. Ed Smith,
Mrs. Burnett and
four negroes.
“Pineville bore the brunt of the blow and suffered heavy property damage….
“Fifty or more persons were reported injured. Search was being made tonight of the wrecked homes in an area of approximately a mile square in the eastern section of Pineville for dead, injured and missing.
….
“It was estimated that 50 or 60 houses were either demolished or badly damaged. Several mercantile buildings were also destroyed….The main street in Pineville is strewn with wreckage from destroyed houses and telephone and telegraph wires….
“Report reached here late tonight that the towns of Boyce and Goodpine, near Alexandria, were damaged by the tornado, but details could not be obtained as wire communication was cut off.”
(Little River News, Ashdown, AR. “14 Killed In Storm At Pineville, LA.” 4-7-1923, p. 2._
April 5: “(By Associated Press)
“Alexandria, April 5. – A revised list of the dead in yesterday afternoon’s cyclone placed the number at thirteen.
“Whites dead: [We place names in separate lines.]
Mrs. F. E. McCann, 46;
Mrs. Willis Turner, 68;
Mrs. F. O. Burnett, 22;
Wilber L. Williamson, 16 months ole;
Enoch Williamson, 23;
- H. McDonald, 76;
Harry Marrus, 45;
Bell Jenkins, 13;
Mrs. Minnie Smith, 46.
“Negroes:
Silvia Nelson, 20;
Silvia Nelson’s three months old infant;
Charlie Davis, 30;
Frances Kimble, 55.
….
“A check of the damaged buildings, houses and stores this afternoon, shows 142 were struck, twenty in Alexandria, forty-six in Pineville, twenty-four in Ruby addition, fifty in Mill town and the athletic house and power plant at Louisiana College.
“All the dead and injured were on the east side of Red river, either in or near Pineville.
“It was probably the worst cyclone in the history of Louisiana, zig-zagging for more than two miles sweeping everything off the earth in its path. One automobile was found in a tree near Pineville today, two others were under the wreckage on Main street of that town. Many considered it remarkable that the number of dead and injured is as small as it is.”
April 6: “New Orleans, April 6. – The tornado that wrecked the village of Pineville, La., killed 20 persons and injured more than two score. Fourteen of the dead are white and six are negroes. All of those killed were residents of Pineville and a nearby sawmill settlement. Doctors in Alexandria and Pineville, assisted by citizens of the two places, searched the ruins of the 50 or more houses razed for the dead and injured. Both Alexandria and Pineville were without electric lights last night as a result of damage to the power plant at Alexandria. The tornado came from the northwest and crossed over the northern part of Alexandria, damaging a half dozen houses. Then swerving to an eastward course, it swept up the main street of Pineville, tearing away the fronts of a arow of houses in two blocks, demolished several stores and then moved in the southeast, ripping its way through another section of the town.” (Evening Tribune, Marysville, OH. “Score Dead. Toll of Tornado…” 4-6-1923, p. 1.)
Sources
Evening Tribune, Marysville, OH. “Score Dead. Toll of Tornado That Wrecked Village in Louisiana.” 4-6-1923, p. 1. Accessed 4-9-2025 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/marysville-evening-tribune-apr-06-1923-p-1/
Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.
Little River News, Ashdown, AR. “14 Killed In Storm At Pineville, LA.” 4-7-1923, p. 2. Accessed 4-9-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ashdown-little-river-news-apr-07-1923-p-2/
Monroe News-Star, LA. “Red Cross Told 2,000 Homeless in Pineville.” 4-5-1923, p. 1. Accessed 4-9-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/monroe-news-star-apr-05-1923-p-1/
Tornadotalk.com. “On This Day: April 4.” Accessed 4-9-2025 at: https://www.tornadotalk.com/april-4/