February 4, 1924 Birmingham-Rocky Ridge-Jefferson County F3 Tornado

From The Birmingham News, Feb. 5, 1924, pg. 2:

Cyclonic Winds Raze House And Injure 4 Others

  Three Are Dead

Five Others Injured in Cyclone Which Wrecks Preacher’s Home

Mrs. Dora Carpenter, 36, and two of her sons, Clarence, 17, and Earl, 13, were dead, while her husband, Rev. Wallace M. Carpenter, and four other children were in a serious condition at St. Vincent’s Hospital Tuesday, the victims of a terrific cyclone, which late Monday afternoon completely demolished the Carpenter home, located on the Rocky Ridge Road, a short distance off the Montgomery Highway, about 12 miles from Birmingham.

             Mrs. Carpenter and Clarence died instantly, while Earl lingered between life and death from the time of the cyclone until Tuesday morning. Funeral arrangements for the three will be announced later by Johns.

             Members of the family, according to rescuers, had just finished dinner and were sitting about the dining room, talking, when things suddenly became dark. After only a moment, Mr. Carpenter is said to have arisen from his chair and walked to the window, and after looking at the dense clouds, ordered that all lights in the home be extinguished immediately.

             After this had been done, it was reported, the family gathered in a small circle in the room. By this time, however, the wind is said to have been blowing with terrific force, and it was only a moment before the roof was lifted from the home and members of the family blown into the underbrush outside the yard.

             “The last thing I remember, until I awoke in the yard,” Mr. Carpenter stated, as he lay in the hospital Tuesday morning, “is that the lights were extinguished and my family and I gathered in a small circle in the dining room to await the outcome of the approaching storm. I knew that something was going to happen, as the black clouds bore bad signs.

             “After forming a circle with my family in the room, I next awoke to find myself under a considerable amount of rubbish on the outside of the yard, and members of my family strewn in various directions, all unconscious. Although I was seriously injured myself I had no time to lose, so I immediately began calling for help, which came after what seemed a long time.

             “Upon receiving an answer to my distress cries, I immediately began working to rescue members of the family, who were also covered with rubbish, several of them being pinned beneath fragments of the demolished home, which was torn to splinters before the cyclone ceased. Mr. Phillips, our nearest neighbor, who resides about a quarter of a mile from my home, arrived upon the scene with his son in a short time, and an ambulance was summoned by them.

             “Within a short time other neighbors arrived and the injured children were given first aid treatment, while my wife and son, who were apparently killed instantly, were removed to the house of Mr. Phillips.”

             Due to his weak condition Mr. Carpenter was able to give the statement only in broken bits. Throughout the interview he complained of his chest and was unable to speak higher than a whisper. Although a thorough examination had not been made early Tuesday morning, hospital attendants were inclined to believe that he was suffering from internal injuries, as well as severe lacerations about the head, face and body.

             Ambulance drivers answering the call to the Carpenter home, according to George Jones, a brother of Mrs. Carpenter, were forced to carry the injured persons more than a quarter of a mile on cots, as the road leading to the home was blocked by fallen trees, so that it was impossible for a vehicle to come any nearer.

             The Carpenter home, according to reports, is located on a steep incline, and it is believed to have been due to this fact that it was the only place seriously damaged by the cyclone. One or two small outhouses on the farm of Mr. Phillips, the closest neighbor, are said to have been blown down, but no serious damage was caused.

             In addition to Mr. Carpenter himself the following children were in the hospital Tuesday: Woodrow, 2, several broken ribs and severe lacerations about the head and body; Matthew, 6, a broken leg and severe lacerations; Mildred, 9, possibly internal injuries and lacerations; Harvon, 11, broken arm and severe bruises. The injured persons were removed to the hospital in Johns’ ambulance.

From The Birmingham Age-Herald, Feb. 5, 1924, pg. 1:

Cyclonic Gale Fatal To Family

Two Dead, Five Injured As Members Sat At Supper In Wallace Carpenter Home

Windstorm Hits Cahaba Region

Ambulances Struggle Through Mile Of Fallen Trees To Reach Scene Of Tragedy

House Is Lifted Bodily And Dashed To Pieces

Emergency Aid Rendered By Neighbors Whose Homes Were Slightly Damaged

Two persons were killed and five others injured, all members of the same family, by a cyclone which completely wrecked the home of Rev. Wallace Carpenter, 11 miles from Birmingham, on the Rocky Ridge Road, near the Montgomery Highway, at 6 o’clock Monday afternoon while the family were at supper.

             The dead:

             Mrs. Dora Carpenter, age 36, body mangled.

             Clarence Carpenter, age 17, badly mangled.

             The injured:

             Earl Carpenter, age 15, hurt internally, probably fatally.

             Mildred Carpenter, age 11, sprained back.

             Herman Carpenter, age 12, broken arm.

             Matthew Carpenter, age 7, broken leg.

             Woodrow Carpenter, age 2, broken hip.

Ambulances Called

Ambulances from Johns answered emergency calls shortly after 6 o’clock and were forced to cut their way through more than a mile of the road which was blocked by fallen trees and strewn timber from the Wallace home.

             According to a report from ambulance drivers, the cyclone struck the vicinity with terrific force, cutting a path probably 150 feet wide and several miles long. The Carpenter home is reported to have been lifted bodily from the ground and dashed to pieces by the force of the wind.

  Emergency Aid Given

Emergency aid was rendered the dead and dying by neighbors, whose homes were reported practically untouched by the winds.

             Great difficulty was said to have been experienced in getting to and from the scene of the catastrophe by reason of the blocked condition of the road.

             The injured members of the family were rushed to St. Vincent’s Hospital. Earl, hurt internally, was not expected to live through the night.