... tell them to check this out:
from weather.com, the 10 biggest natural disasters, 8 of which occurred before 1914:
Great Hurricane of 1780 (Barbados, St. Lucia, 22,000 dead)
Peshtigo Fire of 1871 (Wisconsin, Michigan)
Wellington Avalanche of 1910 (Washington)
Mt. Pelee eruption of 1902 (St. Pierre, Martinique, 30,000 dead)
Tri-State Tornado of 1925 (Since this occurred after 1914, I guess Satan gets credit for this one)
Great Blizzard of 1888 (Massachusetts, Connecticut, NY, and NJ)
Galveston Hurricane of 1900 (8,000 dead)
San Francisco Earthquake 1906 (3,000 dead)
Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 (again, after 1914- that wily serpent!)