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

The Market IN a Heap Of Ruins-Houses Wrecked
-AarDeious Escape of a Family.
little after o clock on Thurday night, the
9Th inst, terrible hurricane or tornado passed
over n portion of Augusta, leaving desolation
in its track. From o'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 furiously. Ominous noises
pervadcd the air, aud forboding of i'll seemed
q BE- p tho atmosphere. AT abo$t LaclOck The
sSefthi which had quictsd somewhat, burst with
ten-fold fury, and, in q minute, brought with it
q fearful tornado. the track of which, as far as
we have been able to learn at this hour q 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 1t literally demolished. The whole Of the
large structure was thrown into n mass Of ruins,
timbcrs 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 insxtncable mass of wood, bricks and stone.
The clear tones of the "market bell" 80 well
known in the city, was heard for the last time,
as 1t struck one, rs in a few minutes afterwards
it was lying beneath the wreck.
From Ellis street to Broad, along Centre, is
one scene of desoation. The street is
BLOCKED WITH TREES
and timber blown from the adjacent houses
MIR. Smalrs bakery, at the corner Of Ellis and
Centre streets was terribly shattered, and Mrs
fered fearfully. The blacksmith shop was blown
down. The southern end of the new brick build
ing just erected by Mr.. Bredenberg, was blown
cut. 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. Mr.. llahn's bake house, in
rear Of his store, was blown down, and the store
partly damaged. portion of the top of
Hahn's new brick building, occupied by Schnei-
ker Meyer, was blown off. The greater part
of the front of the small brick store the
south side of Broad street, opposite tho market,
occupied by Mr.. John o Conner, fell TO the pave
ment with n crash. small wooden house on
Reynolds street, just below Centre, occupied by
Air. NJ. l. Levy, was completely wrecked.
portion of the high brick wall Of the Rob-
ertson house fell on it from the east, and tall
chimney was blown upon it from the west. Mr..
were sleeping in one room, and his moher-in-
law, Mrs. Valtheime, and another of his chill
dren in another room. The mass of bricks and
the entire roof of the house
CAME DOWN UPoN THEN
with u 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
1t seems almost miracle, therefore that none
Of tile family were killed, but strange to say,
all csc cd without injury except Mrs. Val
theme who was hurt, but the extent of whose
injuries we were unable TO ascertain. Itwas 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, MS far as Elbert street. Steam had
to be gotten up in order to get her back to her
wharf.
Along Reynolds and Bay Streets between FL
bert and Centre, chimneys were toppled over
and great trees blown upon several houses
Further out on Centre fences were demolished
and trees uprooted. Above Monument street
people knew nothing about the calamity, for
while TIE wind was strong in the upper part of
the city, it had nothing Of the nature Of q cy-
clone.
We learn that q small wooden house. Calhoun
street, near the Central Railroad depot, occu.
Divers, his wife 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 be seen on Greene street un-
til one strikes Monument, when broken limbs
and stray fence panels tell of ''semething in the
wind" At Mrs. Clanton's, corner of Greene
and Centre, the debris of trees and limbs is
scattered around and piled up most confusedly;
the iron fence is completely demolished, and
one or two massive pillars of the piazza
pletely blown and lie resting against the hsusc.
One side of the street is thoroughly blocked up.
From thence up Centre to Broad, the wreck of
fencing and trees is very great.
UP WASHINGTON 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 one-half
blown down, one side Of brick and the other of
wood, resting against n train of cars. The
wreck is complete. A Chronicle reporter visi-
ted the scene of the disaster and the Inflated
colored people, about half-past o'clock. A
portion of the top of Clinch Enginehouse is
blown away, and MIR. Fishers new house. in
the course of erection on Calhoun street, lev
eled. Tclfair street, between Washington and
Centre, is covered with trees from the Academy
yard. The brick wall is also demolished. Up
to this hour, a A. NJ. ne further disasters have
been reported augusta (Geo) Chronicle.
TRAGIcAL DEATH OF A STATE SENAToR.-News
was received in this city Friday evening of the
death of G. +. Young, prominent citizen of
Yancey county, who with Col Folk, represented
the counties of Caldwell, Burke, Yancey, Mitch.