Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-04-07
THE GEORGIA TORNADO.

THE GEORGIA TORNADO.
Fearful Destruction-3OO Per
! s0ns Killed and i, 500 In
jured.
AUGUSTA, Ga March 24.-The recen
cy clone which passed over this region wa:
the most awfui ever heard Of in the United
States. 1t crossed the Chattahoochee rivel
from Lee county Ala and entered Harri,
county, Ga. From thence il passed through
the counties Of Talbot, U,.son, Monroe
Jones, Bald win, Hancock, Warren, McDuf
| fe and Columbia. 1t crossed tue Savannah
river fifteen miles above Augusta, entered
| Edgetivld county, S. G.. passed through
Barnwell, Lexington, Richland, Sumter
Marion and Horny counties Of that State
and foally ran into the Atlantic ocean of
the coast Of North Carolina.
A eecoud cyclone, precisely at the SAINT
time, seemed TO have formed this side oI
Milledgeville. crossed the Ogecchce river
Gfteeu miles below the village Of Mayfeld
| in Hancock county, and, passing through
Glascock and the lower edge Of Richmond,
crossed the Savannah, twelve miles below
Augusta, into Beech Island s. c., and
from thence ran due east into the Atlantic.
As was along the northern one Of these
cyclones, l will more particularly describe
that. The two were exactly alike in size,
share, color and devastation. Tho cloud
was, in color, inky black, half milo high,
half mile wide, was cylindrical in shape,
and Travelled very much like revolving bar
rel coming end foremost. II was illumin-
ated with phosphorescent eight, and mo-
mentarily would glitter as If one million
matches had been ignited By it. 1t was ac-
companied BY continuous, roaring sound,
as of 500 cannon 10 the decisive moments OF
pitched battle, The bravest man ever
born could neither have felt, seen, nor heard
with calmnets. There was force and .
power, . subimity aud grandeur about It
unnatural, awful, wholly its own. But .
thousand incidents aresreiated showing that
the hand OF Providelce was In it-that it
was governed BY laws as regular and immu-
tables il the sun. IL travelled from west
to little north Of due east, going ~ straight
q . crane or cannon ball would fy. Il
passed over the entire State OF Georgia in
exactly three hours, travelling at the rate Of
n'ry.snls ~ ni'es Pel lou. .m
une wno,G namocs OF kl'eo u ueorg's
VIII NOT saii oeiow sVo, ana the wounded
reach 500. 8e1
Through Carolina the devastation aud
death were equally q great. The southern
cyclone crossed the Savannah river at Fury's
ferry, sunk the boat, struck the plantation
OF Mr.. Foreman tore 1t to pieces, and kill.
cd and wounded great many on ID. From
thence forward to tho ocean the accounts arc
as terrible and - appalling.
On the 4th Of April, 1904. now lacking
hut few days Of seventy.one years, q great
storm like this came up from the direction
OF Dooley county, and passed through Ham
cock, Warren and Richmond, crossing the
Savannah fifteen miles above Augusta.
There are few people now living who re-
member Il, and plenty who have been told
BY their parents Of It. II was described in
the Augusta Chronicle. All accouuts
agreed that it was iilumin mated by the same
strange light a. the one Saturday. No one
vas Killed bv IL.
The following particulars of the tornado
IN Georeia are sdditionaI to those alreadv
Oiyen.
The furv Of the storm seems to have cul.
minated over the plantation Of Mr.. A. ].
Cook, Of Bethany. and that particular spot
was swept as by tho besom Of destruction,
Judging by the Information given to the
Macon Star by gentleman Just from the
scene, tho half has not been told. There ID
not single house left standing ON Mr..
Cooks entire plantation. His dwelling
house was literally blown away, and even
the very sills on which it stood were carried
considerable distance. Sturdy oaks stand.
ing in the yard were torn up by the roots
and carried several hundred yards into the
plantation.
His barns. stables, out houses and fences
arc totally destroyed. and not pannel Of
fence Is left on the place. lie had . NUM-
Der ofcattle killed in the fields by rails
which were whirled along by the fearful
wind. His buggy was seen whirling
Through the air apparently at the distance
=. Ivy 'ee' ,to'n shs Ias.h. WHINE his wagon
W. was o,own a~y ana mas not oeen seen since
.no a'oIn. beulus, wearing appareI,
auh.s, P,eces o. 'u,alsore and various otn'
u suIg. s,s we!e Ioana s.a distance OF , on'
and naii miles from the residence. The
oaroing was blown ont OF his we'll, and
pos.s &c. nrm'y ~ tne ground were blown
S~sy en.!eiy, wn,ie pian,ation .ools, plows,
ss ssc.' weie snu'cneo 10y up and torn into fpiln-
nos .ne sises. -
nsuHe - ~ ny seo", ms aorses ana
aas' mmnI sa, all eapeu lpJoIy, .nc stables oeing
.n,eu .l pouliy ap rom oves them and carried
away' easins 'nem stanoins 10 the open
sPacs wneIs Only Jew seconcs before the
vuIa'ns nau $1,000. fortuns'eiy. none OF
:, :no l's.hos.s .h =. 'oe 'sm!y were .aialiy in'
1uleG, .nousn mrs. EDWIN a. Cook, bis
~ - 'aM, sS,,,, nau NJ coliar Oone oroken
spleco oI lnihne Jumper, sno Mr. LOOK
a;,n e,m1s,' - wei ~ al o.net members Of the
ssan .s,u .sse NJ .; ssaaousy osu'sea. MI. Cooz
n.y. ~ soo uuo " 'ne VINO u was 50 darK
room with him. As soon ss the Intelligence
na;"i,h s.L.a !" A''y su0
ue'su1o's Ha'heteo III, sno arc now enHag-
family, and such out houses, barus, ETC., as
are ind spcnsible. Il Is stated upon the
very best authority. that it is impossible
| NnU N Ppro0pt hat har avap a