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Old Series—Vol. 25, No. 122.
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THE CONSTITUTIONALIST
TUESDAY, May 4, 1875.
We publish enough to-day to make
the stoutest heart bleed. Persons
wishing extra copies can get them at
the office, 43 Jackson street.
We surrender our paper almost
wholly this morning to the details of
the great cyclone which swept over
Georgia and South Carolina last Sat
urday afternoon. In spite of employ
ing every idle printer in town, and
monopolizing the telegraph wires till 2
o’clock this morning, we could not
get all the new r s ready to be sent us in
this issue. To-morrow we will resume
the story of this great and appalling
disaster, and endeavor to bring it to a
conclusion.
NORTH AND SOUTH.
A Confederate General’s Response to
Gen, Bartlett’s Speech.
The speech of Gen. Bartlett, of Mas
sachusetts. at the Lexington centennial
banquet, iu behalf of peace and union,
has elieted the following response
from Gen. Fitzburgh Lee, who was a
distinguished Confederate cavalry com
mander during the war:
RrcHr.Aso, Stafford County, Va., I
April 27, 1875. j
tJc.ii. (V. F. BartleV:
My Dear Sir: In common with many
other ex-Confoderatesoldiers, with un
feigned pleasure I have read the re
marks recently male by you at the
Lexington-Concord celebration.
Just such soldierly sentiments, gen
erously l'elt and expressed, will do
more iu a brief space of time towards
lettering good feeling, fraternity and
fellowship between the two sections of
a common country than all the recon
struction eloquence of political parti
sans delivered doing these past ten
years—a period which you so truly
say should have been sub liberate
qwelano.
Your words iu reference to Federal
soldiers are equally applicable to the
Confederate soldiers, for they too
“have a prejudice in favor of peace,”
and I fully agree with you “between
the soldiers of the two great sections
of our great .country fraternal rela
tions w'ere established long ago,” and
we fool that if such a felicitous com
panionship of sentiment could have
found a resting place iu the hearts of
other classes of people, the rehabilita
tion of the South would long since
have been assured. Its speedy redemp
tion from poverty and desolation'would
have followed, and once more, as in
years ago, the North would have had
the active co-operation of the South in
working out a glorious destiny for the
republic.
The science of government has been
but little understood by those who,
holdiug the reins since the w T ar, have
sacritied public prosperity to maintain
party supremacy. * * 1
By carefully fostering the meaner
men for whom power is only a synonym
for plunder,” because, having aban
doned principle for expediency, they
could be added to party strength; by
counseling harsh measures towards
prostrate citizens to gratifying an un
worthy vengeance; by refusing to listen
to the voice of an impoverished people,
accepting the result of a trial of arms,
and asking to resume a condition of
peace and subordination to tho laws,
our rulers have retarded the material
progress of all sections of the country
and nli classes of its citizens.
As in the human body the soundness
or decay of a limb will in time extend
to and correspondingly affect the whole
person, so must the political body be
touched and moved by the condition of
its component parts.
Therefore, when we hear such utter
ances fall from the lips of one who so
bravely bore himself as a Federal sol
dier, we begin to look forward with
new hope and confidence to the day
when the American flag, which now
floats over the blue and the gray, shall
in truth be emblazoned with the em
blem: “Peace on earth, good will to
m.^a.”
Tl?od, indeed, will fraternal feeling
be everywhere restored; then, indeed,
will trade and commerce be revived be
tween all portions of the country; then,
indeed, will there exist in the hearts of
the people that more perfect union
which the founders of the Republic in
tended, and to which we, the descend
ants, now renew an affectionate alle
giauee.
With high respect, I have the honor
to bo your obedient servant,
Fitzhugh Lee.
Invited to Peel Off.— We had a
little fun in town this evening at the
expense of three gentlemen who went
out last night on a fishing excursion.
They expected to be absent a few days,
but came In to day dressed iu a paper
collar, a pair of spurs and a blanket,
aud on being asked why they were
crowding the season, explained that
last night about 12 o’clock, while they
were quietly sleeping, they were
awakened and told to peel off them
stove clothes. They did wake up, and,
finding themselves confronted by two
escaped convicts, with double-barreled
shot guns' pointed threateningly at
their heads, they concluded that It
was too warm to wear clothes, and did
pull off in double quick time. The con
victs immediately changed thelrstriped
suits for these, and went on their way
rejoieiug. —Galveston News.
Five daughters of a family in Mc-
Nair county, Tenn., were all married
one day ‘recently.
That family ought to have beeu well
taken care of during all the time court
ing was going on. Ten people sitting
up in one house every night was sure
protection from fire and robbery, and it
must have been pretty tough bn the
old man’s fire wood during the cold
weather. —Savannah Advertiser.
©l}i' Mu Constitutionalist.
TUB MAT CVMH.
DEVASTATION, RUIN
AND WOE,
THE SCENES oTtHelp OF MARCH
RE-ENACTED,
Twelve Georgia Counties in
Its Track.
HARRIS, UPSON, MERRIWETH
ER, HENRY, BUTTS,NEWTON,
MORGAN, GREENE, OGLE
THORPE, WILKES, LIN
COLN and BURKE.
It Rolls Through South Carolina.
DETAILS OP ITS RAVAGES AT
COLUMBIA.
And in Edgefield; Lexington and
Richland Counties.
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION BY OUR OWN
CORRESPONDENTS.
The cyclone of last Saturday after
noon, a brief account of which was
published by ua Sunday morning,
proves to be in every respect as bad,
if not worse than the one of the 20th
of March.
As near as we can get at it, it entered
Georgia in Harris county several miles
north of the point where tho one last
March crossed the Chattahoochee from
Alabama. It then swept with desola
tion aud ruin through Merriwether,
Upson, Henry, Butts, Newton, Morgan,
Greene, Oglethorpe. Wilkes and Lin
coln, and then crossing the Savannah,
entered South Carolina, and over Edge
field, Lexington and Jvichland counties.
The telegram which we’ give from
Waynesboro’, in Burke county, de
scribes what we fear was another cy
clone. As bad as the details are we
fear the sequel will be much worse.
We have detailed Mr. John D. Carter,
of our editorial staff, to follow the track
or tracks until every particular has
been obtained.
First Drops of the Thunder Cloud.
[Mr, John D. Carter’s Report ]
Rutledge, Ga., 4 a. m., May 3d, 1875.
From information thus far gained,
necessarily inaccurate as collected from
divers parties who have observed or
beeu told by witnesses of the track of
the fearful tornado of last Saturday, it
seems that its course has not differed
greatly from that of the terrible cyclone
that swept over the same sections of
country last March, although the line
of its pitiless progress appears to be
something southward of the path of its
recent destructive predecessor. How
far its devastations may fall below or
go above the desolating achievements
of that hurricane, too, the sequel must
disclose.
First Sufferers.
On the up night train from Augusta,
which has just steamed away towards
Atlanta under direction of that clever
gentleman and prince of conductors,
apt&ln W. J. Branan, fortune threw
me In the company of Engineer Wil
liam Blackburn who has faithfully
served the Georgia Railroad and the
public In ills responsible position for
eight years, Mr. Blackburn being ac
companied by his wife, a bride of four
months, on her first return to the pa
ternal roof Bhe so joyously and so re
cently left, summoned by the mourn
ful tidings of ruin and probable death
from the havoc of the storm at her
home near Covington. A letter from
Mr. R. W. Jones, of that place, received
by the young husband and wife in Au
gusta Sunday morning, had brought
confirmation of the uncertain news
caught from lips that the plantation
and residence of Mr. John Norton, fa
ther of Mrs. Blackburn, situated about
two miles to the west of Covington,
had been iu the whirling
walls of the cyclone, the dwelling
house lifted from its pillars and hurled
to the ground a mass of debris, the
outhouses demolished, fences carried
away, every tree on the place uproot
ed, and ail but one member of the
household severely and some fatally
injured, among these Mrs. Norton
herself so badly recovery was
pronounced doubtful. These two
young people were the first of
the cyclone sufferers your cor
respondent saw, aud a sad augury of
the heartrending and frightful scenes
before him their mournful fate sug
gested. The disclosures of my pro
posed visit to Covington and its vicin
ity to-day will inform you of the mag
nitude of this domestic affliction.
Demolishing a Justice’s Court.
While the train paused for a few
minutes at Union Point, I had the priv
ilege of a brief confab with Gapt. lieu
ben McAlpin, the polite conductor on
the Athens branch, and from him
learned that the cyclone crossed the
line of that road at Brightwell’s store,
some mile and a half south of Maxey
station, which is fifteen miles from.
Union Point aud twenty-five from
Athena. When the cyclone struck the
place, a justice’s court was in session
iu Brightwell’s store. The hour was
between 3 and 4 o’clock p. m. The
edifice was at once wrenched from
its foundation, the stock of goods
witldn it being scattered to the four
winds of heaven. The falling timbers
caught and crushed to death Mr. G. W.
Maxey, a negro man was lifted in the
arms of the tempest and borno fifty
yards and his brains dashed out against
a huge pine stump. Quite a number of
pereonß were more or less seriously
wounded, some allege at least twenty.
The breadth of the cyclone was from a
quarter of a mile to a mile and one
fourth when It. crossed this railroad.
Eveiy building but Mr. Brightwoll’s
dwelling house was destroyed.
Destruction of Fontenoy Mills.
Fontenoy Mills,formerly Scull Shoals,
on the Oconee, was very seriously
damaged, it is asserted. The residence
of Mr. Redmond T. Anbury, near Fon
tenoy, was blown away, the fences and
houses on his plantation scattered, and
immense injury inflicted by the wind,
liaii and flooding rain. At Fontenoy
all tbo houses of the factory hands are
said to have been ruined, with one ex
ception.
Dr. Wm. Durham, of Maxey Station,
was untiringly engaged In calls to at
tend the wounded at Fontenoy, Maxey,
Bairdstown and adjacent districts.
It Sweeps Through Baiidstowu.
Bairdstown is seven and a half miles
from Union Point on the Athens branch.
From Mr. Joues Quills, a native of that
place, but now residing at the Junction,
1 gained the information that the hur
ricane arrived there at nearly 4 o’clock.
A black cloud had been noticed in the
West, and rain had been falling for
three-quarters of an hour, an impres
sion prevailing on a cessation of tho
shower that the troublo was over. Mr.
Quills was making a yoke in the car
riage shop of Neal, Newton & Cos., when
the wind shaking the building caused
him to approach the door. Face to
face with the suddenly bursting ele
ments, he advanced into tho street for
safety. Several oaks fell near him. He
retreatod into tho portico of Wilson &
Co.’s store, where a number of persons
had gathered, but the quivering of tho
edifice in the wrenching of the tempost
made him doubt the security of
this retreat, and jumping over a
fence ho took refuge in an adjacent
apple orchard. No sooner there than
down came one after another of the
fruit tress, aud in desperation rushing
to the centre of the grove, Mr. Quills
then clung to a young sturdy suppling,
and thus anchored withstood the force
of the elements. As the hurricane ap
proached, the clouds hung low, ami
lambent lightnings played over them.
The lumber shed of Neal Newton &
Cos. went to the ground in the terrible
tornado, the gin aud outhouses of Wm.
R. Wilson followed suit, and duriug
the five minutes’ prevalence of the
hardest blow shingles, twigs, limbs,
sand, planks and other debris danced
and scudded through the ,angered air.
Mrs. Suusford, living on a place of Mr.
John Armstrong, some two miles from
Bairdstown, had all her outhouses and
fences prostrated.
A Heroic Girl.
The shade trees in the church yard
at Bairdstown were destroyed. Mr.
James Lloyd’s residence was terribly
shaken, the bricks from the chimney
falling inside, through it, and on the
top of tho edifice, and scaring the
frightened inmates to a loftier acme of
terror. Mr. Wm. It. Wilson, being a
man of extraordinary nerve, whftn the
tempest enveloped his home, placed
his entire family In the cellar, with the
exception of his eldest daughter, Miss
Belle, a dauntless lassie of eighteen.
Her he posted against the front door,
while he took charge of the second
story. At one time the fierce fury of
the tornado broke the fastenings and
pushed the door open, despite the un
remitting opposition of the brave girl.
At the critical moment of danger her
father came to her reinforcement., the
door was reshut, and t.lie house saved
doubtless from instant destruction.
At Greensboro and Vicinity.
Greensboro, the cyclone was kind
euough to give the go-by in a great de
gree. It touched the place upon the
north side, doing its work vigorously
and severely and marking its visit by the
prompt and ready uprooting of many
of the venerable and ancient oaks that
have made beautiful and lovely its
shady cemetery, its private residences
aud its public streets. The chimney
of Dr. Win. L. M. Harriss tumbled, and
the pale-cheeked members of his
household thought the house was
falling and it was too late for the phy
sician to heal himself. Mr. Lawrence
Wheeler, a well known resident
planter of Greene county aged some
lifty-fivo years living eight miles
north of Greensboro near Scull
Shoals, had been to Greeneshoro, and
having started home iu a buggy drawn
by a pair of horses, lmd gotten two
miles on his return trip home when
the storm broke upon him. He took
shelter on the east side of the gin house
of Capt. John Branch. The huge build
ing was precipitated upon him, cover
ing Mr. Wheeler, his horses and his
vehicle. Mr. Wheeler managed to ex
tricate himself, having miraculously
escaped with oaly a severe cut on the
head and some bruises, and cut loose
his horses. The vehicle was hopeless
ly smashed. The gin house of Capt.
Daniels was also blown down. Tor
rents of rain fell, succeeded by a hail
storm.
In the fork of Apolochee and Oconee
rivers, Mr. Adams’ plantation was de
vastated, houses demolished, fences
scattered ami trees laid low. Other
sufferers are there. A little negro girl
on Mr. Adams’ place was carried two
hundred yards and returned to mother
earth unscratched.
The cyclone passed some four miles
north of the town of Madison, on the
Georgia Railroad, and hence no damage
was there inflicted.
The Cyclone at Covington and Be
yond.
(Special to the Constitutionalist.)
Covington, Ga., May 3d.
Your correspondent Is enabled to in
dicate, with some degree of accuracy,
at tliia hour the track of the cyclone
through a port ion of Georgia. Whether
it gathered its fearful forces in the
Gulf of Mexico or called them from the
mountains beyond the Mississippi val
ley is the question to be determined by
the Meteor logical Bureau. It is cer
tain though that even unscientific peo
ple thus early know a considerable part
of it,B direction in our own State.
Its Entrance in Georgia.
It came from the west of us, be
yond Jonesboro, in Clayton county,
may be from beyond West Point
and the Chattahoochee. Passing
through Clayton county with local
damage, now not ascertained, it en
tered Henry county, aud traversed it
with remarkable devastation as re
ported. Edging Rockdale, a small
new county, it demolished the dwelling
and outhouses! of Mr. Thos. Oglesby,
killing cows, horses and hogs, and in
juring fencing aud destroying trees on
his place. The limits of
Newton County
were entered at Judge Joseph Regan’s,
on South river, blowing everything
away in Its path.
Loss of Life and Limb.
A man and two negroes are re
liably reported to have been here
killed and Mr. Treadway, living
on Cotton creek to have been
caught up and carried away, and to be
yet missing in spite of search. Widow
Holloway’s house was blown down aud
that lady very terribly wounded,
several of her ribs being broken and
torn from her back by falling timbers ;
aud several of Mr. W. F. Harden’s
children were seriously hurt. Mrs. E.
M. Melton was badly injured by broken
rafters. On ibis west side of the coun
ty the appearance of the cyclono.is de
scribed as that of
* Flaming Fire,
for five or ten feet from the ground
while higher up it lowered black as mid
night. Six miles west of Covington, Capt
G. M. Cunningham suffered the totai
loss of his mansion aud its contents.
His wife aud four children, in the
building at the time it fell, escaped un
hurt. It is said this pious lady left
her children iu one room and repaired
herself to an adjoining apartment to
AUGUSTA, GA.. TEUSDAY MORNING. MAY 4, 1875
pray to the Ruler of the elements
when the tempest burst upon her
home. Cats, chickens and guineas
were killed on the place by the furious
blasts. A board from the wheat house
was found three miles from its point of
departure in a roverse direction to the
course of the storm, and letters were
blown seven miles to Covington, which
were picked up and returned to Capt.
Cunningham. Bedding was lodged in
tree tops half a mile away, and a heavy
twelve inch timber plate, sixty feet
long, was lifted to an adjoining planta
tion. A negro named Andrew Tillman,
in an out-house, was struck on the
forehead over the left eyo by a de
scending rafter, the skull fractured,
and several pieces of bone driven into
the brain. These woro extracted by
I)ra. E. V. Branham, Hendrick and
Yancey, aud
A Tablespoonful of Brains
taken out; and tho negro is doing
well. Near this placo the house of Mr.
John Lloyd, which had been burnt tho
preceding Friday, was finished by tho
storm. Mr. George McKeon was caught
up, transferred a quartor of a mile and
lauded on a fence, with few contusions.
The wild winds came on and crossed
the Alcovy river, a short distance
abovo and north of Cedar Shoals Fie
tory, at the head of Bear creek, a few
domiciles of the factory hands being
blown down as they passed. At about
2 o’clock p. m. the storm reached its
nearest point to Covington, at the
place of Mr. John Norton, 2 miles weet.
This country residence was located
on an exposed elevation, perhaps the
highest point iu all the adjacent sec
tion, and thus became
A Conspicuous Prey
to tho tierce elements. Mr. Norton
was absent from home. Mrs. Norton
and her two children and a little boy
were in the house. It faced to the
west and was built on brick pillars
some three feet high. Thrown from
its supporters the body of tho house
was utterly demolished, the roof blown
a half mile away aud lodged In a pine
thicket. Tho furniture broke and
scattered provisions and clothing dis
sipated to the winds and hardly
a piece of timber left but was un
wrenched from its fastenings. All the
trees un<l fences were levelled and a
happy and fair home iu a twinkling
made a scene of confusion, terror and
ruin, Mrs. Norton was injured in the
face, head aud arms; her two children
slightly hurt, little Jimmie alune es
caping—all being buried beneat h the
debris of the edifice. The kitehou and
out-liouses were broken to pieces, and
the negro servants,
Panic Stricken,
fled incontinently to Mr. Bailey’s,
the nearest neighbor. The arm of
one of these, named Lemuel Cupid, was
broken iu two places, and two other
darkies were injur* and iu person. The
door of the dwelling was found four
miles away on the Alcovy river.
Chickens and Other Fowls
were carried in tho storm two miles to
the house of Mr. Petty, a neighbor,
some arriving dead aud others still
fluttering. The verandah went in the
air a quarter of a mile before |uuching
the ground. Mr. Norton’s friends made
up a purse of two hundred dollars to
day aud gave him. Next in tho cy
clone current was the house of Mr.
Littleton Petty, which only lost it
chimney tops, while the outhouses were
thrown down. Dr. J. J. Dealing's resi
dence, three miles from Covington, was
considerably damaged, but suffered no
casualties. A mile below McGuire’s
bridge it crossed Alcovy River, and
ravaged the Harriss plantation. Rev.
VV. L. Beebe, editor of the Covington
Enterprise, w T as passing along here
with liia wife and one child in a light
carriage, going to church. Overtaken
by the .tempest, the shelter of a negro
cabin was sought. The arrived party
made eight persons in tho log hut. Iu a
moment its western side was forced in,
the roof torn oil and the rude building
toppled upon its affrighted occupants.
Mr. Beebe was caught by a falling joist
and his left leg fractured below the
knee, both bones being broken. Little
Lee Adams was bruised, but no one
else was hurt. Tho brick store, three
miles furt.hor on and four miles south
of Social Circle, was considerably dam
aged. Mr. John Gibson's place and
plantations along the Alcovy river were
considerably torn up aud there was
a strong blow in the Circle.
The Alcovy was swelled beyond its
banks, the runs wero flooded and im
mense rain washes occurred. Here the
cyclone seems to have sprung up
Towards the Heavens,
leaping along, as it were, far above
the tree tops, which were wrung and
twisted as it rushed over them, and
did not descend to tho immediate sur
face of the earth until It was nearing
the village of
Rutledge.
This is a place in Morgan county, of
some sixty houses, including Its imme
diate environs, and is the lying-over
station for trains on the Georgia Rail
road. Years ago it was a cross-roads
grocery, but lots have been bought and
improved by conductors, engineers and
train hands until this primal condition
has been made a thing of the far past.
It is 115 miles front Augusta aud lies
on a very slightly elevated plat of land
Immediately north of the railroad track.
Its houses are all wooden structures,
iu the vast majority of cases are only
one story in height and are strag
gling. Approaching from the south
west, the cyclone was first observed
while tho up passenger train was
at the station on schedule time of 2:37
p. m. Its dark aud ominous outlines
wero seen creeping up above the dis
tant horizon visibly, like an over
reaching, portentous shadow, over the
green tree tops. Suddenly the far off
rumbling increased to a threatening
roar, and the hurricane, as if just
catching sight of
The Doomed Village,
mounted high into the air, and for a
brief while there poised itself, appar
ently to survey more completely, aud
with a burning glance, tho prey it was
rushing to destroy.Oorruscations played
athwart the savage black visage of the
fierce tempest. In a twinkling the grim
storm crouched again upon the earth,
and, with an indescribable roaring ami
shrieking and confusion of deafening
sounds, sprang at the devoted little
town. Ere it reached its goal a
Whistling Whirlwind
broke off from the main body and
scootf and up the railroad track by tho
depot, and passed around the south
eastern side of the village. The main
cyclone, by resulting force of repulsion,
slightly deviated from its course, and
went a little more, for the mo
ment, to the northward. This
caused a gap between the two
divisions of the hurricane thus made,
and this gap passed over the ceutre of
the town. Had it not been for this
diversion the whole fury of the oyolone
must have dashed itself upon the place,
and It must inevitably have been laid
in utter waste and desolation. As it
was the main hurricane edged it on the
southwest, and the lesser one crossed
its northeastern end. In this gap also,
fort unately, the train was stopped by
the force of the contrary winds, and
thus was saved from destruction. At
the point on tho track between the de
pot and Dr. Montgomery’s house, and
west of tho depot, some four hundred
yards, Mr. R. B. Ethridge, railroad
agent, a gentleman some forty years
old, stood on the track near the depot
watching the departing train and the
coming storm. In a trice he was
Caught Up by the Winds
and dashed to the ground. Recogniz
ing tho danger.,of tho situation, he
grasped the iron rail near him and
wound both arms around it in his pros
trate condition. Holding tightly for
dear life in this mannor, he was
enabled to control his body and
legs from the fury of tho tempest,
but he was beaten up aflti down against
the ground in tips position for the
space of two minutes. On getting up
during a momentary lull, to try and
make the shelter of the depot, ho was
hurled under the depot and lost a fino
string of Augusta blackfish he had
just paid a half dollar for at tho train.
Nothing has ever been heard of
the fish since. Mr. W. S. Vining,
Depot Watchman, had also invest
ed in piscatorial delicacies, and,
after starting to his home, some
fifty yards north of tho track,
stopped for a parting glance like
wis at tho storm and cars. Without
any notice whatever,ho was lifted from
where he was standing on the side of
the track and abruptly set dowu ton
feet distant on the hard ground.—
Scrambling to his feet he ran as well
as he could to his houso and got it be
tween him and tho wind. 'Venturing
around tho corner to get admittance
through tho door, the wind, by sheer
force, broke his hold of the door
knob four successive times, aud dash
ed him off the steps. With tho fifth
effort he got in, and found his young
wife, with her little baby in her arms
closely hugged to her breast, sitting in
the middle of the room, filled with de
spairing apprehension that death w.as
imminent. This first severo onslaught
lasted five minutes, succeeded by
heavy rain and hail. In fifteen min
utes afterwards a second blow prevail
ed, which frightened the people who
had come out back into their selected
places of safety, feeling that escape
was not yet sure. Soon Mr. Vining
ventured out to give what aid ho could
to those on whom the severities of the
cyclone had fallen, and in passing t.lie
portico of Wilson’s store, saw
Old Baptist Luke,
a darkey preacher, standing stupefied
by the terrors that surrounded him.
Old Luke, aroused to consciousness by
tho souud of a friendly voice, instantly
pitched into praying like ho was at a
night meeting. Under the admirable
direction of Mr. W. S. Vining, who vol
unteered kindly to act as guide, your
correspondent, made the tour of the
town, and followed the track of the cy
clone for several miles on foot. The
chief devastation was done on the
southwestern side of the village. The
main storm crossd the railroad five
hundred yards west of the depot
at a deep cut in which it prostrated
three huge pines that had been
wrenched off, thus barring the advance
of the passing train. At, this point on
the north side of the railroad aud in
front of the advancing cyclone stood
tho residence of Dr. J. J. Montgomery, a
square-built, two story frame house
with eight rooms fronting south
from a portico and yard of flowers
and shrubbery. The roof of the style,
commonly known as hipped-roof,
was torn off and borne a quar
ter of a mile away. The easteru
side of the bunding was blown out, the
furniture aud household goods
scattered, a big pine lying crushed and
crushing Iho front gate, and a huge
oak uprooted right by tho side of the
dwelling, on tho east. The kitchen,
stables, barn, loucing and outhouse
wero demolished, and the place left as
if swept by the bosom of destruction.
The children were absent from home,
but Dr. and Mrs. Montgomery were in
a room on the eastern side of the house,
tho latter confined to her bed witli
severo sicknesss which has kept her a
confirmed invalid for two years, when
the destruction of the dwelling had
happened. Dr. Montgomery took his
helpless wife in his arms and carried
her to a place behind the roots of an
uptorn tree. Torrents of rain descended
and the heavy hail storm beat upon
them in this exposed position and
when friends found them, as • tho
heavens cleared, both were exhausted.
Husband and wffe aro now sick iu bed,
Prostrated
by the nervous shock and dis
tresses of the dreadful occasion.—
Ten years ago, Dr. Montgomery was
the victim of a cyclone at Sandtown,
by which his losses were great and his
sufferings severo—his children having
then been blown 500 yards. A small
fanner named John Stepps occu
pied a two-room frame house one
quarter of .% mile on from this resi
dence. It stoop on four pillars two and
one-half feet, high, and was in the edge
of a cultivated field aud faced south
east with the chimney in the south
west end. Mr. Stepps and his sister
Jane wero in it when the hurricane
came. The rear shed was blown away,
tho roof taken off, household goods
then lifted through the uncovered top
aud sown broadcast, while the house
was carried from its pillars twenty
feet. As the building was breaking
up, the brother jumped from the aper
ture of the tire place, from which the
chimney had been blown away, and the
sister escaped through the door, both
finding refuge beside the well curbing
iu the yard, aud both being terribly
battered by huge hail stones. Fences,
stables, cribs and all went. The storm
tore across the fields, fellingkeattered
timber and covering the earth
with debris, and reached a section
of tho place called Pan Handle.
Mrs. Shore’s mansion was unroofed
and pitilessly exposed, while she and
her daughter saved themselves by
clinging to the posts of the door which
faced east. This location is in the
edge of tho woods in the southwest
suburbs of Rutledge, which whirled the
cyclone a few huudred yards further
on, and more perfectly embraced by a
forest of young pines and oaks, is the
ruined dwelling of Dr. G. I’. Brown, a
snug one-story new frame build
ing, that rested on three feet
brick pillars. The door was east, the
ehiinnoy south, and as tho edifice was
precipitated ten feet from its support
ers, the brick chimuey fell inward. An
oak was prostrated right beside it on
the west, two on the east., while a
fourth struck and crushed its north
west corner. Nearly every tree in its
vicinity is dowu, crossed and piled in
unimaginable shapes. The roof burst
away, and clothing, beds, furniture,
pictures, and everything that had been
beneath it, followed its upward flight.
Dr. Brown and his wife wore in a shed
room, and like it, escaped unharmed. It
is thought the whole mansion would
have gone had not the cook room on
its eastern side been crushed down and
driven into the ground, and thus served
as a prop to resist tho
Demons of the Air.
Not far removed onward is a deep
ravine, above and around which waved
the stateliest and grandest monarchs
of the forest, while on its deep and al-‘
most precipitous sides stood in regal
grandeur, equally as strong and proud,
old oaks and lofty pines. When the
cyclone struck this ravine it appears to
havo been for a moment hold within it,
and with*a fierce restiveness at this
daring restraint, it raged and tore the
wrestling and writhing trees with a lion’s
ferocity, in every shape and direction.
These splendid trees lie piled, uprooted
or torn down, while their splintered,
twisted, bruised and broken stumps of
every height look pitifully forth from
amidst the dwarfed and scorched
undergrowth. It is to be doubted if
the whole course of the cyclone can
present a
Scene of Desolation
complete, widespread and irretrievable
like this melancholy but foarfully sug
gestive ravine. Wo easily walked
across it on the interlacing trunks of
trees, and far below us beheld its dis
tant and leafy bottom, through which
was running a pellucid little stream, a
lovely but bright symbol of life and
freshness amidst so much of unbroken
ruin and utter death. J. D. C.
The Cyclone at Rutledge—A True Ac
count from an Eye Witness.
(Special Itoport for tho Constitutionalist.)
Rutledge, May 2,1875.
Tho most severe tornado that
ever came tl> rough this portion
of tho country passed over Rut
ledge yesterday about half past two
o’clock. The cloud rose in the West,
and it was a terrible looking one, going
nearly East, or a little nortli of East,
It struck tho light end of the town at
Dr. J. J. Montgomery’s residence, tear
ing it all to pieces, not leaving an out
house nor a panel of fence on his place.
This is the second time the Doctor h is
been torn up by a tornado within eight
years—the other time in 1807, at San
ton. His loss then was not less than
six thousand dollars. His loss uow
is not less than throe thousand
or four thousand dollars. It swept
over Rutledge, laying trees, fences
and several small houses to the
earth. Mrs. Crittendeu’s . house was
blown down. The Masonic Hall and
Academy, all in one building, was
scattered and leveled with the sills.
The hardest portion of it passed just
north of Rutledge, unroofing sev
eral houses, striking a heavy piece of
oak timbered laud, tearing down every
tree—some by the roots and some
twisted off 8 or 10 feet high; smash
ing the residence of Dr. C. P. Brown,
and unroofing the residence of Mr. H.
Tomlin, and ruined his farm. His loss
in outbuildings, timber and other dam
age will amount to over two thousand
dollars. The next house was Mr. John
Hill Davis’ which was demolished en
tirely, not leaving a shelter on his
place. On his farm, the young corn
and vegetation were s wept off smooth
to the ground; also on Mr. Tomlin’s.
The hardest portion of the hurricane
was about a half or three-quarters of
a mile wide, but for two miles wide
it laid fences level with the earth. From
ten or fifteen miles above this place,
to twelve below, I have reliable news.
There is not a t.reo of any size nor a
pannol of fence left standing, and very
few houses of any kind. It laid
waste tho whole country in its track.
The farms of Augustus Stoddard, Mrs.
Stallage, Mr. Harper and many others
on Hard Labor Creek and* Sandy
Creek were laid waste. There was no
one seriously hurt that I have
heard of, except Mr. J. 11. Davis and
family were all injured, and Mr. Rubin
Allman, on Sandy Creek, had every
thing blown away, and is so badly hurt
he is not expected to live. Many farms
are so badly damaged that it will bo
impossible for the owners to make a
crop this year. Tho -hail was very
heavy, and the rain fell in almost a
solid sheet, washing away the lands
aud cotton seed that were planted. So
you see, between tho wind and rain,
many are left without houses, land or
timber. In many instances provisions,
bedding and clothing were all carried
away. There is bound to bo great suf
fering in the track of this terrible de
troyer. A great many horses, cows,
and other stock, are missing or crip
pled. The rain foil nearly four inches
deep on a level In my yard in less than ,
ten minutos.
Many who saw the ruins at Camak
say this was a much stronger wind
than that. It blew up large oaks, two
and three feet through, by tho roots
and carried them thirty feet, and some
that broke off were carried several
hundred yards.
Tho Masonic Hall is a heavy loss to
the fraternity as it was a now building
that cost all that could be possibly
raised by them to build it. A full de
scription of the ruins is impossible to
write. You would have to see it to be
lieve one half. Collard plants, onions
and other small vegetables were blown
out by tbe roots. In some places the
ground was swept clean of small vege
tation. If I get any more particulars
which I think will bo of Interest I will
writo you. Yours, etc., W. It.
Oglethorpe and Green—The Storm
Rolls on—Death aud Ruin iu its
Track.
Bairdstown, May 3,1875.—1 t is im
possible to estimate the damage done
by the cyclone that passed through
Oglethorpe and Green counties on Sat
urday afternoon at 3 o’clock, complete
ly demolishing houses and destroying
farms. Several persons were killed
and many wounded. Have not heard
from other places. Six houses were
blown down on my mother’s planta
tion. C. D. Kimbkew.
The Cyclone In Burke County-Great
Destruction of Property-Churches,
Houses, Fences, aud Forests Swept
from the Earth.
ISpecial to the Constitutionalist.)
Waynesboro, Ga., May 3d, 1875.—The
cyclone of Saturday, Ist instant, passod
through the middle portion of this
county, from southwestrfo northeast,
entering near Bethel Church, which
Is about on tho line of Jofforson. The
places of Messrs. Henry Greenwood
A. H. Roberts, A. T. Carson, 3. Hudson’
Henry Dawson, J. H. Duke, W. If!
Dickenson and Wesley Jones wore in
tbe path of the terrible destroyer, and
more or less suffered. At Mr. Hud
son’s place several houses were thrown
down, and one woman was killed. All
but two houses on Mr. Dickenson’s
place wero destroyed, one house being
moved ten feet away from its founda
tion and torn in two, aud five or six
persons were severely injured Mr.
Duke had one house broken up and all
Ills corn and fodder scattered—up to
last night but four bundles of fodder
had been recovered. At Mr. Weslev
Jones’ one house was blown down upon
an ontiroly family, but, strange to say
but one man was injured—tho children
crawled out from beneath the flooring.
In its path tho cyclone left not a tree
nor fence, gin -house nor screw. Very
much damage was done to stock, etc?,
but Its full extent, of course, is yet un
known. Expositor.
, At Crawfordville, Ga.
About I o’clock Saturday evening,
much rain and wind. No great dam
age done—blew several large trees and
fences down. Gardens were to some
extent injured. No one hurt. The peo
ple wore much frightened, thinking
that the March Cyclone was again
around, and many went down upon
their knees.
The Cyclone at Covington.
(Covington Star (Monday, May 3d) Extra.)
On Saturday afternoon, May Ist,
about half past 2 o’clock, a very black
cloud was observed rising a little
southwest of Covington. It was pre
ceded by loud and heavy peals of
thunder and the most lively and vivid
flashes of lightning. Its approach was
very rapid, and as the sky overhead
became obscured, it was immediately
followed by almost midnight darkness.
All eyes were turned in the direction
from which it was coming, and all
hoarts were awe-stricken by its ap
palling blackness. But a few moments
elapsed, when the storm burst upon us
with terrible fury, bending the shade
trees half double before it, shaking
houses, rattling windows, and flooding
the stroets with a perfect sheet of
water in a few minutes. Its effect was
now fearful, yet grandly sublime. As
tho keen bolts of electricity flashed
through tho dark and maddened ele
ments, it seemed as though the gods
wore at war, aud had sent forth the
“furies” to destroy all things terres
trial. But no material damage was
done in Covington, as the clouds had
parted a short distance from town, and
one part had gone up Yellow river aud
had oxlmustod itself iu hail and rain,
while the other, or main body of the
cloud, had passed about one and a half
miles south of town, passing nearly
from west to east in its general course,
and producing a perfect cyclone, which
literally destroyed everything in its
track.
The first wo hear of its damaging
effects, is at Mrs. Melton’s, several
miles west of Covington, where it blew
down anew dwelling house, and de
stroyed much other property. It next
struck Capt. G. M. Cunningham’s place,
blowing down every house on the
promises, seriously wounding a negro
man, and destroying fencing and tim
ber to a fearful extent.
Coining on east, sweeping every thing
in its track, it next struck Mr. Harmon
Wheeler’s residence, crushing iu the
windows and doors, and doing consid
erable other damage. Its course being
almost due oast, it passed a little north
of Cedar Shoals Factory, destroying all
the timber and fencing in its routs until
it reached the residence of Bill Hen
derson, colored, which it blew down
nd scattered before i t.
But a short distance further on it
struck tho now and beautiful residence
of Mr. John Norton, which fronted tho
west, on the road lead {tig to Henry’s
Shoals. Here the work of destruction
is most fearful—language fails us to
describe it. How the family escaped
witli their lives is truly wonderful and
miraculous. Tho dwelling was a two
story frame building, and was blown
entirely away. Scarcely two pieces of
timber were left together. Tho chim
neys were leveled with tho earth, and
the bricks scattered in every direction.
Mrs. Norton, Miss Nancy Norton, Mas
ter Johnnie Norton, and several small
children, were in the house at the time,
and were all blown out among the
debris together. Mrs. Norton and
Miss Nancy Norton were both se
verely wounded about the head aud
limbs, but great hopes are entertained
for their recovery. Master Johnny
Norton was painfully,but not seriously
injured. The rest of tho family es
caped unhurt. Several colored men
were in the kitchen at the time it was
blown down, one of whom had his arm
broken In three places, and one was
badly bruised about tho head. Scarcely
a vestige is left to mark the place
where Mr. Norton’s house stood.
Everything in his house was destroyed.
All tho furnituro and clothing was
broken, torn to pieces and blown away.
Not a single building of any character,
whatever, is left standing.
Mr. Norton is thus left iu a very
destitute condition, aud must have as
sistance. About S4O in money, and
a $75 check wore blown away witli his
house.
From this point it slightly changed
its course to the south, striking Mr.
Littleton Petty’s residence with all its
fury, and blowing down every house
on tho premises, except the dwelling,
the escape of which is quite wonderful.
Tho largest trees wero blown down all
around, and tho windows were broken,
and the fencing all destroyed.
At Judge Harris’plantation it blow
down a negro house, in which Elder
W. L. Boobe and family had taken shel
ter, but all escaped but Elder Beebe,
who had his right leg broken below
the knee, by a falling timber. He was
conveyed home after the storm, and
Drs. Hendrick, Branham and Yancey,
sot the bone, aud dressed the wound
properly, and we are pleased to state
that although it is very painful, he is
resting vesy well.
At Rutledge we understand a num
ber of houses were blown down and
much property destroyed.
These are all the casualtes we have
heard of up to this V7riting. The loss
of property is very great all along the
track of the cyclone, and unless assis
tance is immediately rendered the un
fortunate people, great suffering will
result. All the fencing is destroyed
and in many instances provisions and
everything is gone. We appeal to the
people, in behalf of these sufferers for
aid. Many in this section have con
ti ibuted liberally to those who suffered
in distant parts of the State, from a
like calamity. We appealed to our citi
zens for aid for the m, and now wo must
ask assistance for our own people who
are suffering in like manner.
We have, in our haste, but feebly
described the fearful destruction of
property by this cyclone. Suffice it to
say that it iS very great all along its
track, and the sufferers need assist
ance, aud must have it. We have not
been able to learn all the particulars
in regard to the sufferers, but we know
the loss of property is very great. No
possible estimate can yet be made of it
Any contributions sent to Got W. W
Clark, or to this office, will bo properly
disbursed.
On the Maoon aud Augusta Road,
Fort Valley and Barnes ville.
(Macon Telegraph, Sunday.)
1 he train on the Mac<?n and Augusta
JSTew Series—Vol. 3. ]STo. 85
Road encountered a violent rain storm
between Macon and Millodgeville yes
terday afternoon. The rain beat into
the ladies’ coach until the floor was
perfectly drenched. It is reported that
a severe hail storm occurred near Fort
Valley yosterday afternoon. We did
not hear that any particular damage
was done. A gentleman who was at
Barnosviile yesterday afternoon says
there was a heavy storm of rain there,
accompanied by wind. During the
storm there was a perfect shower of
twigs, weeds, leaves, small branches of
trees, and pieces of timber, which led
those who saw them to believe that
they wero thrown into tho town by
a passiug hurricane. There was
considerable alarm among the people,
who believed that the cyclone was
about to bo down upoc them, and many
sought refuge in a church, as promis
es the most safety in such an emer
gency. Tho gentleman brings us a
bundle of such things as were showered
into the city. In the bundle is a pine
splinter, nearly two feet long, which
had evidently beon driven through
timber, as it had gathered pine leaves
in its flight and held them wedged fast
in splits that were in it. Our inform
ant, however, heard of no unusual
storm in the vicinity before leaving.
The Cyclone at West Point.
(Atlanta Constitution.)
West Point, May I,lß7s.—This after
noon, about half-past two o’clock, an
other miniature cyclone passod within
one and a quarter miles of our city,*
blowing down houses, fences and trees.
Several persons were injured, though
not seriously. At this hour it is im
possible to ascertain the fu)l extent of
damage. g.
At Atlanta.
Yesterday, between one aud two
o clock, Atlanta was visited by a terrific
rain storm, accompanied by hail and
heavy lightning. Tho rain fell thick
and fast, while the hail came down witli
fearful clatter. The gutters overruu
with water and tho sidewalks sub
merged. Tho lightning was vivid. We
heard of but one case of a house being
struck by lightning. Tho kitchen of
Dr. Heery, who lives dn Marietta street,
was struck by lightning and set on fire.
There was a rookery filled witli pigeons
on top of the building, and several of
them were killed, being completely
stripped of their feathers. The flames
were extinguished by extinguisher No.
5. Mrs. Heory, who was in the dwell
ing near by, was severely shocked, and
her little child was thrown from her
lap by tho concussion. The house and
those adjoining wero unprotected by
lightning rods.
THE CYCLONE IN SOUTH CARO
LINA.
Its Fearful Ravages at Columbia—
Houses Prostrated and Unroofed
Moments of Devastation ami Terror.
[Columbia (Sunday Morning) Union Her
ald.)
About 5 o’clock yesterday evening
tiiis city was visited by one of the
most destructive hurricanes that ever
passed over this section. At the hour
indicated, the sky became dark and
lurid, and tie wind, which had been
blowing hard all day from the west, in
creased to a hurricane. The dust was
hurled along with a density and veloci
ty that added to the darkness and the
danger. At a quarter-past 5 large hail
stones commenced to fall, and the
storm roared furiously—the rod, angiy
lightning flashed out from the
.darkness in terrible grandour, tho
trees wore bent to the ground, and
evory portable thing was flying before
the storm king. For tho time all wo/
was stopped in our office and comp
ing rooms. The roof and sky-liglf
the job office weakened and broke in
signs, shutters, trees, awning posts anu
tiu roofs on all sides wero giving way
aud flying as chaff flies. The hail
changed to rain, which came down in
torrents. The tin roof and part of the
walls of the carriage factory of Carroll
& Spelman, our neighbors, came down
with a roar. The fine steeple of the
Presbyterian Church was blown down
and off level to the roof. Tho beams,
shingles and other debris were thrown
into the grave yard, and upon the side
walk on Lady street.
Wm. Rose, colored, sexton of the
Presbyterian Church, was in the dis
charge of his duties at the time of the
storm. (The steeple was blown down
about twelve minutes after 5.) Mr.
Rose met our reporter at the gate tm
mediately after the accident, and they
entered the church to ascertain what
damage was done. Nothing inside was
injured, except a patch of plastering
knocked off in the right entry,
posed to have been done by falling pro
jectiles from the steeple. By the de
struction of the steeple, the fine organ
of the church is left without awveriug.
There is little doubt that several of the
fine marble tablets are broken or dam
(aged —one at least Is completely de
molished, and soveral of the lots are
filled up with the debris of the steeple.
The house of Mr. Squier, the furni
ture dealer on Sumter street, had the
roof taken completely off, and, when
seen by our reporter, the rain was
pouring in upon his mattresses and
other perishable stock. His house is a
complete ruin.
The tin roof of the House of Repre
sentatives was rolled up and blown off,
the carpets and furniture badly
damaged, and the handsome iron pal
metto tree in front of the State House,
that has been so recently removed
from the rear of the building and paint
ed and decorated, was also prostrated
and broken. This incident may give
those living at a distance an idea of
the ruthlessness of the hurricane.
What chance had saplings of pine, or
elm, or hackberry, when iron trees were
snapped like reeds? The market house,
lying broadside to tho storm, lost its
roof, a large part of which was blown
down upon a pair of mules, one of them
was owned by Mr. James Dent. The
wagon to which his mules were hitched
was completely wrecked. The build
ings of the Charleston and Greenville
Railroad depots were anrooied, and
the chimnoys of Col. Dodamead’s office
wero blown down and much property
damaged by water. Several cars were
buried under the fallen sheds. A small
house near the depot, built on t he spur
of a hill, fell, and the woman who
occupied it was taken out of the ruins
by one of our carriers, who lives near
by. Tho Lunatic Asylum is also a
sufferer by the loss of a part of the
roof of that building. Tho stables of
the Fair Grounds came to mother earth
a lot of whitewashed boards. One of
the guards of the Penitentiary had his
back injured (supposed to be broken)
by the fall of the guard house of that,
important institution. Mr. George
Symmers’ loss is estimated at #SOO,
principally by water, tho rail; having
entered through the open window
spacesfthat have not yet receiver sashes.
The sashes in the front windows of
Col. Pearce’s residence were blown
[concluded on fourth