Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-20
THE TORNADO.
EurtIser Particulars Of the DeVnxfn-
| Han M Gave Hfrv

L ~ - n -~htESulAES % TIC Dct it%AH- L
ton at Cave City.
The Louisville CoaTfer-J0urHaI of yes
terday gives the following additional par
ticulars Of the storm at Cave City:
ItappeaTed that the storm, dense cloud, |
composed of all of the angry, destructive
and noisy elements of nature, rolled like
great ball upon the earth, enveloping and |
wrenchlng from its place everything that |
came within its reach Its speed was that |
of a cannon ball, or of lightning itself |
The storm had hardly subsidized when rain |
followed in most incessant torrents, and the |
half-clad, homeless people were drenched |
and chilled until they were helpless from !
exposure, if not from the wounds they re- |
ceived by being struck with or thrown |
against the flying timbers, or buried in the |
debris.
Then followed a heartrending scene, if
darkness like that of Egypt, occasionally
broken by vivid fash of lightning, could
be called a scene. What the eyes could
not behold the ears could hear The stout
hearts that were terrified few moments
before by the hideous shrieks of the storm
demon, now melted with pity at the pite-
Gus wall Of the poor, helpless women and
children. The danger was over, but the
suffering had commenced. Husbands and
wives, parents and children, who had been
sleeping comfortably in the same room,
perhaps in each others fond embrace, were
separated and thrown in opposite di-
rections, in some instances falling several
hundred feet from the site of their dwell
ings. To search for each other in the awful
darkness, the drenching rain pouring down
and impeding the steps of those who were
free and able to walk, guided only by the
sound Of the voices of suffering, treading
upon upturned nails and splinters, with
unprotected feet, stumbling over the piles
of timber and debris, without single hope
of finding loved ones alive and with the
certainty of finding them cold in death or
suffering from their wounds-was the work
of two hours of such darkness as is only
known Just before day and Immediately af-
ter such a storm. Who shall describe it?
Certainly not one who was in Louisville
sleeping comfortably at the time, if those
who witnessed and experienced it and suf-
fered from it despair at the thought of a
description.
Prof. Williams, after being awakened and
hearing the approaching storm, anticipa-
| ted danger, and prepared for the worst re-
suits. He thought his house was strong
and would Withstand the storm, and it did
| bravely resist the first attack, but it was
| afterwards lifted from its foundation and
| turned around like a top, two or three
times, aud then, in an instant, the whole
| building was torn to splinters, and the
occupants were tossed to the winds like
| feathers. Not more than thirty seconds
elapsed from the time the storm struck the
| house until it was torn to pieces, and the
whole time, from the beating of the hail
| against the windows until the storm was
| past, did not exceed two minutes. There
were positive evidences that this
house was turned around before com
| pletely yielding to the storm. The per
| sons who were sleeping in a back
room were found lying in the front yard after
the storm passed over. Prof. Williams had
| placed his clothing on chair near his bed
on retiring, and his pants were found on
| stake half mile west of the site of the
house. The coat was found three fourths
| Of a mile in an easterly direction, while the
| vest was found about two miles west of
| town. The leaves of the springs of bug
| ~ were torn assunder, and the axles of the
buggy were bent double. There were
nothing but small particles of the buggy
/
| tank were standing nearly together, the
tank containing about fifty gallons of water
| and the hand-cart about an eighth of a cord
| of wood These made the trip together,
| and were found three-fourths of a mile
from where they had been standing, the
tank very slightly injured and the hand
cart completely demolished.
Nine bedsteads we're in use in one build
ing and the largest pieces found after the
storm could have been put in basket
| Thirty chairs in the same house were so
| badly crushed and wrenched that enough
pieces could not have been found to make
three complete chairs. Professor Williams
| had library containing several thousand
volumes, and not one Of them can he found
| that is not unfit for any use. No less than
| fifty houses are said to have been demol-
| ished, containing not less than fifty thous-
| and dollars worth of furniture, clothing,
| ETC., and there is not an article to be found
that is worth fifty cents in scrip If all
the articles of clothing, including feather
| beds and mattresses, and bed-elothes, rem
| nants of furniture, carpets, pieces Of stoves,
stove-pipe, canned fruits, etc, etc, were
gathered up and brought to this city, and
| offered at auction the whole lot would not
bring fifty dollars. This being true what
must be the condition of the unfortunate
people who have been rendered homeless
and comfortless? But the loss in a pecu-
MARY point of view is nothing compared
with the loss Of life and the suffering Of the
wounded. OF those who were reported
| dangerously wounded yesterday, two have
died, Joseph II. Brown and the wife of DR..
Joel " Wilson. A telegram received from
Cave City late last night, states several
others cannot live. Mr. Fite, at Prewitts
Knob, who was reported dead in our dis
patches yesterday morning, was not dead
but MORALLY wounded. One of his chill
dren was killed and another MORALLY
wounded Joseph H. Foster continues in
sensible; his injuries are probably of a
dangerous character
l. W. Sterritt, a son of Col Robert Ster-
rift, of Hart county, was at first supposed
to be MORALLY wounded, but he was in a
better condition yesterday The remains
of his wife, who was instantly killed, were
taken yesterday by Col. Robert Sterritt to
bis family vault near Rowlett's Station.
Miss Susan Hama, sister of Mrs Mallory,
was badly bruised, but her injuries are not
supposed to be dangerous
George W. Neville's wife and daughter
we're very seriously injured Mrs. NeviIle's
injuries are internal, and may prove fatal.
The little girls skull is fractured, and the
brain is exuding. She is rational, and the
physicians think she may recover.
Miss Matte Drane, who was residing
with Prof Williams family, was thrown a
distance of two hundred feet. and received
very severe injuries. Her thigh was frac-
tured, and she received other injuries on
the head, which have made her delirioUs.
Her sufferings has been very great
A number Of the dead were buried yes
terday. George W. Poynter, wife andchild
we're buried in neighboring cemetery.
Anderson ]. Davidson was buried by the
Odd Fellows from Glasgow. John S. Nc
Gown and child were taken to the burying
ground of McCowans father in-law, Ed
mund Davis, twenty miles distant
Two members of Mr.. Vaughan's family
were killed instantly, and these, together
with the above named, constitute the list
of killed.
D. Mckenzie and wife are reported in
the list of mortally wounded, but it was
hoped yesterday that they would recover. |
DR.. J. Y. Wilson, ]. Edwards and ". Par |
rish, are also considered mOrtally wounded |
Among the slightly wounded are A. L. |
Mallory and nephew, Prof. A. I. Williams, |
wife and two children, and two Of J. II. |
Fosters children.
Joseph II. Brown, whose death Is men, |
toned above, leaves large family, home
less and destitute of comforts except such |
as the kind villagers have bestowed upon |
them. He had a very handsome place, |
which is now a total wreck. He had several |
fine borSaS two of which vera killed and |