1840 GREAT NATCHEZ TORNADO: RISE NATCHEZ! BEAUTEOUS "CITY OF THE BLUFF"

In 2021, the City of West Monroe held a benefit concert for Hurricane Ida evacuees. Our culture was on full display. Local artists performed, the crowd danced and enjoyed spirits into the evening hours. Josh Madden gave us his best on acoustic that night. I want forget, "Another Brick in the Wall" echoing down Trenton Street. This community presentation of goodwill remined me of another catastrophe from the mid 19th Century. In 1840, a violent tornado struck Natchez, Mississippi. A benefit concert was organized to help the sufferers.

The Natchez, MS tornado of May 7,1840, is well known. The tornado began in Concordia Parish, Louisiana causing property damage including the destruction of the courthouse. The tornado moved over the Mississippi River into the City of Natchez. Hundreds of people were killed on the river in boats and barges, and dozens more killed in the City of Natchez. At least 317 were killed.

After the skies cleared a relief committee was formed and presided over by Col. James Wilkins. People from the Towns of Grand Gulf, Rodney and surrounding towns sent contributions of clothing, provisions, and wine. New Orleans raised an initial two thousand dollars. This amount was increased with additional supplies being forwarded to the city.

On May 20th a benefit performance was given at the Camp Street Theatre in the City of Natchez. The committee under whose direction it was given included the Honorable William Freret, Mayor of New Orleans. In one account it is stated “the theater was packed with the best people in the city, to show their sympathy for the distressed people of Natchez.”

Following the play, Mr. M. C. Field of the Picayune, recited an original poem composed for the occasion:

“Hark-Behold! The sky is black, and crash-

The roaring thunder and the lightning flash,

The shrieking winds and blood- congealing tones

Of frantic agony and dying groans

Tell of a city hurtled to decay,

And throngs of human beings swept away!”

“Twas not the warlike engine’s dreadful Rattle-

“Twas not amid the bleeding ranks of battle-

Nor centuries, nor years, nor e’en a day

Brought the proud city tumbling to decay.

An instant only – fanes and temples nod,

And man expires beneath the hand of God!

***********************************

Rise Natchez! Beauteous “City of the Bluff!”

The storm is pass’ d and you have mourned enough:

And like the Phoenix, upon golden wing,

Rejuvenated from your ruins spring.

Natchez. arise, and waft your happy paeans

On gentle breezes back to New Orleans.”

Source: Jackson National Weather Service, The Times Picayune, Newspaper.com

- Tom M.

Photograph by Tom Malmay - Natchez Under the Hill

                                                                                                                                  ©2022 Tom Malmay

Springtime in the Southland: The business case for family and business severe weather plans

Springtime in the south is a beautiful time of year. When we see the daffodils bloom, we know winter is almost over. Thoughts of the first family picnic, fishing our best spot or sitting on the riverbank listening to the radio comes to mind. One of my favorites is the South Franklin Catfish Festival in Wisner, LA. All part of our culture. This is who we are.

It is also our primary storm season. Some of the region's most infamous tornadoes, high-wind and flooding has occurred this time of year. The Great Natchez Tornado of 1840, 1920 Eros Tornado, the 1927 Flood, 1932 Flood, 1933 Minden Tornado, 1945 Flood, the February 1971 Mississippi Delta Tornado Outbreak, and there is more spring storm history, much more. Recent storm history includes the Great Flood of 2016 and the 2020 Monroe-West Monroe Easter Tornado. 

The Baby Boomers, Generation X and the Millennials have seen loss of life and billions of dollars in losses and costs incurred to mitigate future damages. Every community in the United States is required to have a hazard mitigation plan under the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. Our local and state hazards have been analyzed. As demonstrated below, the National Weather Service (NWS) products being used to warn the public are the best they have ever been. 

A solid business case for families and businesses to make severe weather plans has been made.  

After several years of repeated hurricanes, winter storms, tornadoes, flooding and a pandemic more adversity has visited upon the Gulf Coast States. The March 21 – 23, 2022 outbreak of severe weather brought death, injury and damage to Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Prayers for all the families as they rebuild and recover from these storms.

As of late, I have noticed the KNOE-TV Weather Team’s hard work to educate the public on weather. The Weather Academy was pretty cool. I was not surprised when KNOE Meteorologist Lucy Doll posted an illustration of the tornado warnings issued following the most recent severe weather episode. The illustration really told a story.

The National Weather Service (NWS) tornado warning layer was placed above the Storm Prediction Center’s Severe Weather Outlook layer. The tornado warning layer consisted of one hundred fifty warnings. The tornado warnings layer lined up perfectly with the Severe Weather Outlook map published before the storms.

I have to believe injuries and fatalities were mitigated by these NWS products. Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi were well served by these NWS forecast products.

Make your severe weather plan.

1. Make your family or business severe weather plan on a blue-sky day.

2. Make sure wherever your family members are, there is a severe weather plan.

3. If something happens, your phone may not work, the internet and cable might be down, and roads will be blocked. The only thing you will have to hang onto, is knowing there is a severe weather plan in place where your family members are.

4. Creating a disaster supply kit and communication plan is very important also.

5. For more preparedness information contact your local Office of Homeland Security or visit ready.gov.

Also, the Texas storm reports reminded of the May 27^th 1997, Jarrell, Texas tornado. Many died in that storm. Most storm history associated with the Jarrell tornado includes a reference to “dead man walking.” I will leave it to our meteorologists to describe the phenomena. Or you can do your own research.

If you live in Ouachita Parish, the May 27, 1997, date might sound familiar. We experienced a severe storm and high-winds that night. The damage was widespread in a corridor from Southwest Ouachita Parish through North Monroe. A Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster declaration was awarded.  Low interest loans were made available to homeowners and businesses.

Enjoy the spring.

Sources: NWS, FEMA, USGS, Newspaper.com and the Smithsonian

Tom M.

Tommy and Gina are in Ukraine

An American cultural reference from the music of the 1980s, Tommy and Gina represent the spirit of our unalienable rights and pursuit of happiness. Tommy and Gina have always lived in America as part of the middle class. They shouldered our tax burden, built America and defended us time and again. This mix of youthful spirit and adolescent angst is not bound by time, geography, race or ethnicity. If you look closely, you can see them in Ukraine.

On February 24, 2022, Russia unjustly invaded Ukraine attacking its population centers with impunity. The world bore witness to the dead, dying and defiant civilians in the streets. Heroism in the face of hatefulness and disregard for human decency. Russian President Vladimir Putin has twice threatened the global community with nuclear weapons. A developing axis of evil now taunts the civilized world.

Wearing a green t-shirt and using modern technology, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inspired the globe with his declarative statements and resolve. Under his leadership, the Ukrainian Civil Defense/ Territorial Defense Force mobilized their people to fight, survive and repel the unwarranted invasion. As of mid-March 2022, Ukraine’s history is still being written. I never believed Adolf Hitler’s occupation of the countries he invaded would have been successful. Over time, the entitlement of certain unalienable rights and pursuit of happiness by all men would have prevailed.

Will the war spread to other European countries? Will it come to American shores? Will the developing axis of evil strike preemptively? America has faced this quandary before in the 20th Century.

Originally created in 1916, President Franklin Roosevelt reestablished the Council of National Defense in 1940. The war in Europe was raging. Adding to the tensions, Americans were seeing reports about the civilian bombing campaigns. They were worried about attacks on U.S. Cities. In a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt, New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia wrote:

“There is a need for a strong Federal Department to coordinate activities, and not only to coordinate but to initiate and get things going. Please bear in mind that up to this war and never in our history, has the civilian population been exposed to attack. The new technique of war has created the necessity for developing new techniques of civilian defense.” – Source U.S. Homeland Security

President Franklin Roosevelt responded to these growing concerns creating the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) in 1941. Local offices were established across the country. The local partnerships were the strength of this program. This program was a force multiplier for local governments. It created groups of resources that could be activated in response to an attack or natural disaster. Across the country, people from all walks of life got involved to fulfill their civic duty.

At the end of WW II, most officials agreed the threat of an attack on the continental United State had receded. The office was abolished by President Harry Truman. Then, following a series of reports that studied the bombing campaigns during WW II, Congress enacted the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950. The Civil Defense programs would continue to evolve and change through the 21st Century.

The Cuban missile crisis in 1962, validated the need for ongoing programs to prepare the population for an attack or natural disaster. In 1965, Hurricane Betsy struck the Louisiana coast. In 1969, Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Wade Guice the Director for the Harrison County Civil Defense and his team are credited with saving thousands. The hurricane evacuation plans developed by the Harrison County Civil Defense and their partners were successful.

The 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear accident demonstrated the need to improve intergovernmental communication, coordination and planning. In response, President Jimmy Carter established the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Following the September 11th attack, FEMA was integrated into the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as was the United States Coast Guard and other agencies. These domestic programs have served the nation well though some of the greatest disasters of our time.

Made-up of people from all walks of life, the Ukrainian Civil Defense has reminded the world who Tommy and Gina are, what they stand for, and what they bring to the table.

Sources: FEMA, Homeland Security, Declaration of Independence and John Bon Jovi

- Tom M.

Civil Defense