The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-02-15
A Terrible Cyclone in Augusta.

A little after o clock Oh Thurday night, the
9Th inst, n terrible hurricane or tornado passed
over portion of Augusta, leaving dcsolation
in its track. From clock the sky was over
cast by black clouds, illumined at intervals by
flashes of lightning. The rain fell in torrents,
and the wind ragged furiousy. Ominous noises
pervaded the air, aud a forboding of ill seemed
70 be in tho atmosphere. AT abott L0cl0ck she
stbfth, which had quoted somewhat, burst with
ten-fold fury, and, in q minute, brought with II
a fearful tornado. the track of which, rs far as
we have been able to learn at this hour Is o :
clock), was restricted to narrow belt. Rush
ing through the centre of the city, apparently
from southwest to northeast, it
STRUCK THE LOWER MARKET,
which II literally demolished. The whole Of tho
large structure was thrown into u mass Of ruins
tinibcrs broken and masonry piled in utter con
fusion. The building was totally destroyed and
its debris is lying in the middle of Broad street,
an inektrcnble mass of wood, bricks and stone.
The clear tones of tho "market bell" 80 well
known in tho city, was heard for the last time,
rs it struck one, rs in n few minutes Afterwards
it was lying beneath the wreck.
From Ellis street to Broad, along Centre, is
one scene of desolation. The street is
BLOCKED WITH TREES
nnd timber blown from the adjacent houses
MIR. Smalrs bakery, at the corner of Ellis and
Centre streets was terribly shattered, and Mrs
Sharkey srcshsehee on thFopp6sito tdrrer suf
fered fcarfully. The blacksmith shop was blown
down. The southern end of the new brick build
ing just erected by Mr.. Breicnberg, was blown
out, falling upon the wooden building next to it,
The wooden building occupied by Mr.. Calvin as
grocery store, was destroyed by the tornado
and falling bricks. MIR. llahn's bake house, in
rear Of his store was blown down, and the store
partly damaged A portion Of the top Of
lIahn's new brick building, occupied by Schnci-
ker & Meyer, was blown off. The greater part
Of the front Of the small brick store on the
south side Of Broad street, opposite the market,
occupied by Mr.. John o Conner, fell TO the pave
ment with n crash. A small wooden house on
Reynolds street. just below Centre, occupied by
Air. Nj. |. Levy, was completely wrecked.
portion Of the high brick wall Of the Rob
rrtson house fell on it from the east, and n tall
chimney was blown upon it from the west. Mr.
Levy, his wife and two children, one in n crib
were sleeping in one ROOM and his mohcr-in-
law, Mrs. Faltheme, and another Of his chill
dren in another room The mass of bricks and
the entire roof of the house
CAME DOWN uroN THEN
with terrific crash, burying them in the ruins.
The beds on which they were sleeping were
crushed almost to splinters, and the crib was ac-
tually driven through the floor. Every piece of
furniture in both rooms was demolished and
broken into kindling wood.
Ii seems almost miracle, therefore, that none
Of tile family were killed but strange It say,
all escaped without injury except Mrs. Val
theme, who was hurt, but the extent of whose
injuries we were unable to ascertain Ii was not
supposed, however, that they were serious.
The Steamer Rosa, which was at her wharf,
and tied up to the bank by two stout ropes, was
blown down stream, the ropes swapping like
whip cords rs far rs Ebert street. Steam had
to be gotten up in order to get her back to her
wharf.
D., A.,
bert and Centre, chimncys were toppcd over
and grent trees blown upon several houses
Further out on Centre fences were demolished
and trees uproocd Above Monument street
people knew nothing about the calamity, for
while the wind was strong in the upper part of
the city, it hal nothing Of the nature Of cy-
clone.
Loss OF LIFE.
We learn that q small wooden house. Calhoun
street, near the Ceatral Railroad depot, occu'
pied by negro wood sawyer, named Charley
Divers, his wifo and five children, was blown
down, and the negro man and his wife Killed.
The children were not injured.
The tornado. after leaving Augusta, appears
to have passed down the river.
DAMAGE ON LOWER GREENE.
No damage can he seen Greene street un-
til one strikes Monument, when broken limbs
and stray fence panels tell of ''somcthing in the
and Centre, the debris of trees anl limbs is
scattered around and piled up most confuscdly;
the iron fence is completely demolished, and
one or two massive pillars of the riazza COM
plctely blown and lie resting against the hsuSc.
One side Of the street is thoroughly blocked up
From thence, up Centre TO Broad, tho wreck Of
fencing and trees is very great.
Ur wASuiNGruN STREET,
all is serene up to Watkins street, where the
ground is covered with fencing and contortcd
spirals of tin roofing and cutters blown away
from the Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta
Freight Depot. This building is about onehalt
blown down. one side of brick and tho other Of
wood, resting against train Of cars. The
wreck is complete. Chronicle reporter visi-
ted the scene of the disaster and the i'll -iatcd
colorcd people, about halfpaSt , o clock. a
portion of the top of tlinch Enginehousc is
blown away, and Mr.. Fishers new housc, in
the course of erection on Calhoun street, lev
clcd. Tclfnir street between Washington and
Centre, is covered with trees from the Academy
yard. The brick wall is also demolished. TIP
TO this hour e a. NJ no further disasters have
been reported. fMgHsta (TCo) ChrOrClc.
TRAGICAL DEATH OF \ 81 ATE ESENAToR.-Ncws
was received in this city Friday evening Of the
.lnnt