The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-04-25
The Tornado in Chester.

CHESTER, S. c., April is.
A violent tornado passed over this town this
afternoon, about five o'clock, which surpassed
in force and destructiveness anything before
experienced in this vicinity. The main dam
age was confined to track about one hundred
and fifty yards wide, passing through the east
ern portion of the town in direction from
west to east. Not house i'll this tract escaped
uniniured. Fifteen or twenty dwellings and
numberless kitchens and stables were leyelled
to the ground
The Steam mill of w. r. Robertson is q total
wreck. The dwellings of George Mccormick,
John Macarthur, John Simpson, Mrs. Baird,
Mrs. Sledge William Quattlebaum, Mr.. Cald-
well, Mr.. Stokes and others are entirely de-
stroyed. No lives were lost. Several persons
were injured by falling timbers, but none seri-
| ously. A colored man, Harrison Baily, escap-
ing from the mill of w. R. Robertson, was
picked up by the whirlwind and landed in an
elm tree one hundred yards off. The damage
cannot fall short of thirty thousand dollars.
The wind was accompanied with violent
storm of rain.
CHESTER, S. c., April 49,
The total number of houses, of all kinds,
entirely destroyed by the storm of yesterday
afternoon, is sixty-two, and great many other
buildings are seriously damaged.
No person was killed Paris A. Lilies, Da-
vid Jones, Lucy Jones and Pauline Stokes, all
colored, were injured by falling houses; the
first named seriously.
All the outbuildings on the plantation OF
Mrs. Gooch, four miles to the east of Chester,
were entirely destroyed also the otbuildings
on the plantation of Mrs. Rodan, four miles to
the west of the town. Miles of fence along
the track of the storm were levelled to the
ground, and thousands of the largest fruit trees
were torn up by the roots, and in many cases
carried to considerable distance. The total loss
cannot fail short of fifty thousand dollars, and
falls mostly upon people in very limited Cir
cumstances.
A public meeting of the citizens of the town
presided over by the Rev. L. G. Hinton, wa:
held in the courthouse this afternoon. A com.
mittee of fifteen was appointed to raise iuno
for the relief of the sufferers, and committee
of five to ascertain the extent of the injury and
the names of the needy, with instructions to
report to an adjourned meeting of citizens to-
morrow afternoon.
The house occupied by Judge Mackey was
rendered almost entirely uninhabitable, and
his furniture was badly damaged. The house
was Just in the track of the storm, but being
substantial house was not blown over.
The handsome grounds of Major George
Melton were seriously injured by the uprootint
of the large forest trees which constituted 1T
chief attraction.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The Charlotte Daily Despatch has the fol
lowing special telegram from Chester, datet
April 10th, giving further particulars of th'
damage inflicted by the tornado:
Yesterday evening, about six o'clock, tn
most terrible tornado ever known in this sec
ton visited our town, doing very grea
amount of damage, and inficting an actual los
of over S50,0O0 The tornado commenced a
the old steam saw mill of Major Eaves, destroy
ing it and four or five houses belonging to col
ored persons Moving on, it completely destroy
ed the McNinch lanyard, very badly damaged
the residence of Senator Wimbush, (colored,
destroying the outbuildings ndsweeping ava,
fences and uprooting trees. The watchman,
and wife very much injured. William Quattle
baum's house was demolished and Robertson
mill roof was blown off and his shed destroyed
The Killian houses were very much injured
John McCauehran's dwelling was totally de
stroyed, and Mrs Boards house was blown t
pieces. The Albright House. now occupied by
Judge Mackey was knocked into cooked hat
John Simpsons house is very much damaged
and his outbuildings a total wreck. Pagan:
store is very much the worse for the storm, ane
DR.. A. H. Davega's house is heap of ruins
G. w. Mclton's store damaged, his house ane
outbuildings demolished. The houses and fen
ces as far as Grassy Run, which is two miles
from Chester, are destroyed or very seriousl.
injured. Mrs. sledge's house was blown twelve
feet but think no persoH was hurt. Ih'
houses of John Lilly, Archer Hogg, Emelin'
Morrison and the old Morrison place are al
destroyed The chimneys were blown off thu
Alexander House and the McAfee Hotel. Th'
old hotel was very much injured, and the from
of Luck's store was blown down.
No one was killed, but it is supposed tina
several will die from their injuries-so far as
have heard of, thirty-one being hurt: One ne
gro Harrison Baily) was blown up into ire \,
standing about seventy-hve feet from where tn
wind struck him. Between thirty and fort.
houses are so badly injured as not to be inhab
liable or are totally destroyed.
17EMs-zDlToRIA1 AND OTHERWISE