The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1873-10-09
A TERRIFIC TORNADO.
Tallahassee Sentinel, goth.

torday afternoon presented an almost appall
ing sight. The countless trees lying in al
most every direction, in many places block
aiding the streets, the fences Frustrated, the
houses unroofed, and in many instances TO-
tai wreck, were terrifying evidence OF the
power of the storm. In and around Capitol
square many trees were 'unrooted, frnces
blown down, and the Capitol building very
seriously damaged The stating was blown
from the roof, windows were blown in and
water flooded the Senate and Assembly halls,
and poured through into the Supreme Court
room, the Clerks office, the Comptroller and
Secretory of States Offices. The top of the
chimney of the Executive Office was blown
off, and some of the slate from the roof went
sailing through the air. Two thousand dol
lars will not repair the damage to the Capitol.
On our main business street the damage to
the stores and the stocks Of our merchants
has been heavy. Geo. H. Meginniss' store,
on the corner of the Cout House sxuare. is
perhaps the worst damaged Of any. The
roof was torn completely of, and the stock
flooded. His loss is estimated at slO.O0o.
The tin roofing on most Of the stores in this
block was ripped up by the wind anG distri-
buted in fragments as far as the next street
some two hundred yards.
The store of W. R. Wilson, in the same
block, was flooded and considerable damage
sustained, as also the stores of Mr.. Spinner
and the new store adjoining r. S. Williams,
which he had just fitted up and stocked, In
tending to connect it with his old store. In
the next block south portion of the roof OF
the Boot and Shoe Store of D. B. Meginniss
was torn up, and the stere flooded with water,
though the goods were comparatively un'
harmed. The upper part of the Marine
Bank building was damaged by water, n por-
ton of the roof being also ripped of. The
Offices of the United States Surveyor Gencr-
al are here, and the papers were somewhat
damaged. On the opposite side Of the street
Captain Brokaw's large livery stable, nearly
opposite this Office, was stripped of its tin
roofing. Mrs. Lambs millinery store suffer
ed great deal; the large skylight was
broken also window on the west front, and
the goods deluged The Monroe building
lost chimney, which carried with it consid-
cradle wood work, leaving n large gap on
the top. The small building, back from the
street, opposite Meginniss' store, occupied
by James Jefferson as shoe shop, was com.
plotely demolished and laid fat on the
ground The Court House escaped with the
loss of chimney, few panels of the blinds
in the cupola, and the twisting out ofrecogni-
ton of the top of the lightning rod. The
Jail suffered the loss of a large portion of the
high board fence surrounding it.
The storm drove through the windows Of
the City Hotel and flooded many of its rooms
with water, and the occupants trembled for
the safety of the building. In the north
western part Of the town, Postmaster W. &.
Stewarts new building, just approaching
was blown fat as pancake. In
deed, it suggests forcibly the idea of some
enormous hand having crushed it in one
powerful downward blow. 1t was twenty
five by forty-nine feet, two story, and entails
a severe loss upon Mr.. Stewart, and upon
Mr. Watkins, the contractor. The frame Of
the Primitive Baptist Church was also com
pletely levelled with the ground. MIR. K. Fl.
CANDLES house had the chimney blown
over, and his barn on Adams street was
wrecked, . falling tree carrying the building
with it. The building occupied by DeCour-
sey Brothers, as grocery and liquor store,
was badly damaged. The rear portion was
blown down, and the gable end of the main
building blown out The loss will be some
$500 or 5000. The building is owned by
Mrs. Kindon.
Near the depot, the house of Mr.. Sidney
Trent, new last year, was lifted from its
foundation and hurled in ruins some twenty
feet away. And here occurred the only loss
of life, that We are called upon to chronicle
in the city Charles Mattaw, nephew of
Mr.. Trent, boy about fourteen years of age
in attempting to get out Of The building, was
caught near the door and buried in the ru-
ins When extricated he was dead, and it
was found that he had fallen face downward,
and the superintendent timbers had pressed
his head deeply into the earth. Two older
persons, who were in the building, barely es-
capped in time to save their lives.
The telegraph wires are down in all d.
rections, and all telegraphic communication
is cut off The loss in the city, it is thought,
cannot be less than s2O,OOO
Very few particulars of the damage
throughout the country has yet come to hand,
though there is reason to fear that it has
been excessive. We learn that the new
Baptist Church at Dawkn's Pond is in Il
wreck. In every direction fences and trees
are PROSTATE, as in the city, and many gin
houses are badly injured. At Be[Air, the
church and school house are gone, and
building in the lot Of Father James 5.
Page, has fallen. An old colOred woman,
named Mary Dudley, was killed in this build
ing. We also learn that colored woman
was killed by the falling ola shanty on
Judge Gwynn's place. On Capt. Brokaw,s
,lontot;on Go,rtaan oohins and the gin build