Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-05-10
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TERRIFIC TORNADO.

udy, received ny last ntSits Hldl, gives lio ioi-
lowing account of one Of the most terrific tor
nados ever experienced in this part of the coun-
try, and which happened last Monday:
| The destruction of human life and of proper
ty of every kind is truly appalling. 1t would
! be impossible to give more than a faint outline
| of its desolating fury The scene is represent.
ed by those who had an opportunity of witness
| ING it, as one of surprising and lneXpressible
grandeur and sublimity. Every thing, within
its range was laid PROSTATE; the largest trees
were torn up by the roots and carried a consi-
derabe distance; dwelling and out-houses were
leveled with the earth, and their fragments
scattered in every direction. The day had been
cloudy, with occasional showers. About o.
clock the clouds assumed black and lowering
ASPECT: in few minutes after, the whirlwind
commenced it's ravages. A correspondent who
witnessed its violence says " 1t was in the form
of an inverted cones and every cloud near
seemed to rush into the vortex. AS it approach
ed you might see the limbs of the forest ca
reerng through the darkened air. Its dura-
ton, at any point, was not more than one or
two minutes" Its general course was from
West to East: its width varied from two hun
dred yards to half mile: and, from what we
have already heard Of its destructive march,
it's extent could not have been less than seven
ty miles The following details will, we fear,
present but very imperfect sketch Of its de-
vastations
A gentleman writes us that the tornado zap
pears to have commenced in the county of Lu-
nenburg, near Hungry Town, where almost all
the heavy timber was torn up by the roots, and
where it proved very fatal. Near this place, it
seems that the poor (Who lived in log-houses)
were the principal sufferers, several negroes and
children being killed. Hence it passed by Not
toway Courthouse, where the storm instead of
abating, increased-the public road being rem
Ill,
or near that place the wind passing in North
east direction, reached the plantation of MIR. r.
Fitzgerald, where great injury was done, but no
lives lost Near his residence was that Of Mr..
John Fitz who suffered immensely having one
negro killed, another's arm broke, and various
others injured Hence it pursued the same
course to the house of Mr.. Justice where great
injury was likewise sustained, several persons
severely injured, and the life of one despared Of
The next death was that of Mr.. Joshua Hawks,
an honest, upright citizen, who was literally
crushed his wife at the same time receiving in
iurv so severe as to leave but little hopes of re-
covery."
The next place from whence we have any au-
thentic particulars, is Curtis formerly Reeses)
on Cox Road, where the storm appears to have
been equally destructive. Mr.. Curtis writes us,
ssthat every house on Mr.. Herbert Reese's plan
tation. except his dwelling house, is blown to
atoms; Mr.. Frank Reese, the Overseer, and 3
negroes, lost their lives; several other negroes
badly crippled; his wagon, which was nearly
new hurled to atoms, even the wheels broken
in fragments, and the hubs blown two or three
hundred wards. Mrs Jincy Crowder had eve
nv house on her farm, dwelling house and alD
torn to pieces Old farmer Reams lost every
house except his dwelling house. No lives lost
at either of the two last named places. under
stand from a gentleman traveller that it passed
on in the neighborhood of Col. Jeters's. Seve-
raj lives lost in that neighborhood. | also hear
that it has done considerable damage in the
neighborhood of Thos. Jordan's, with the loss Of
lives, &C. 1t appears that it passed from west to
east near on the north side and nearly parallel
with Cox Road"
We have no certain accounts of the ravageS
of the tornado after it passed the neighborhood
ofCurtis,' until itreached the plantation OF W IN.
E. Boisseau, about four miles from town. The
scene at this place battles every attempt at
dissertation. Here its desolating fury spared
nothing The dwelling house, kitchen, barn.
&C. were entirely demolished, and their tmbers
plank. &C. separated into fragments and scat
tered over the farm in every direction. Moth
inc left TO mark the site OF the dwelling mouse
but small portion ofthe brick foundation. Inc
family escaped from the house, and attempted
TO take refuge in the garden but were Overtallen
bv the whirlwind, and knocked down by the
fving wreck of their former dwelling. MIR.
BIS brother a fine youth Of about IA years OF
ace was killed. and Mr. b. his wife, and four
other inmates of his family were wounded,
though not dangerously In the negro quarters
the injury was equally severe-one woman was
killed, and six or eight others were wounded, one
very dangerously. The loss sustained by Mr..
B. is very great. The persons who have sub
sequently visited the place describe it as though
the penious of destruction had made his tenn
porary abode.
From Mr. Boisseau's it passed along near the
southern boundary line of this town, without
doing much injury, until it reached the planta-
ton of Mr.. Augustine Burge, in Prince George.
A friend has given us the following account of
its devastations in that direction: " At MIR. Au-
gustine Burgess it blew down his stable, and al
most all his negro houses; fortunately no per-
son was killed. but several were slightly hurt.
At Halls Field the plantation of Mr.. William
Baird, every house was blown down except the
dwelling two storied house near il, kitchen
or two, and the machine house. The wagner,
John, a faithful servant was killed in the woods
by the falling of tree; the two horses in the
wagon were likewise killed. At Hickory Hill,
the re sdence Of Mr.. VIM. Stands, jr., cotton
gin, a stable and kitchen were blown down.