Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-05-03
WORK OF TIE WIND.
Trr RECENT TORNADO WWCH SWEET
OVER THE SoUTu-lIUNDREDs
HOMELESS.

The wind has been playing general
havoc in the South. The telegraph has
yiven but short accounts OF the recent
tornado, but the local papers are filled
with accounts of disaster. In Texas the
tornado seems to have been especially
severe. The village of Lisbon is seven
miles from Dallas. About three % clock
in the afternoon of Tuesday last the res
idents Of that place observed clond in
the west when it was not much larger
than mans hand. 1t vas of green
ish color. Pretty soon it began to
twirl, then it ascended and Travelled in
An easte,y direction. AT the same time
cloud appeared from the southeast. 1t
was black and murky The two heay-
iIy-charged bodies of electricity contln-
ued to travel towards each other; the
lightning became vivid, almost binding,
and soon they met over Lisbon, and
with a deaiening crash Of thunder the
work OF destruction began and was
quickly ended. Not more than three
minutes time suf1iced 10 lay waste one
of the finest sections Of country III T"y-
.as. OF the two clouds one appeared in
a funnel shape, and although there was
a heavy rain, much heavier than usual,
it could not he said that it was water
spout, for the wind seemed 10 come
from the funnel-shaped cloud, or a, least
il went the course in which that cloud
travelled until il colided with the cloud
from the southeast. Then followed
wind, hail, rain, death and destruction.
IIai.stones were found as large as
goose egg. Several people were killed
outright aud many others badly hurt.
Numerous houses on the outskirts were
demolished. Adyices from different
places in Texas give details OF loss Of
life and widespread distraction.
South Carolina seems &c have suffered
even more severely. 1he tornado swept
over that State and over Georgia on
Wednesday. Accounts Of the storm at
Walterboro, Colleton county, have al
ready been published, but the dispatch
es did not tell by any means the extent
of the storm. In Walterboro alone six
teen persons were killed, and the num-
Der of injured cannot be estimated.
Amoug the killed was a young man
who had been married but a week. AL
the churches in the town-and there
were seven-werc completely demolish-
ed. Houses were destroyed in twink
ling. Pianos, stoves, bedding and all
sorts of heavy as well as ight household
articles were blown in every direction.
The clothing of ladies was blown en-
lirely off in the streets, and their cries
mingling with those of the injured and
Of mothers who had lost their children
were most pitiable. Probably seven
tenths Of the residents of the place are
homeless, and subscriptions for their re-
lief are being sent in.
One of the sufferers by the storm
says: The storm came from the south,
blew straight for about one minute, then
shifted 10 northwest and came back
with new fury, striking and bounding
here and there. The trees are piled
with their Tops both ways. Several are
snapped short of, and, as far as i have
seen, not pine is standing anywhere
in the track of the storm. The streets
are blocked with trees and the roads TO
the east almost impossible. The de-
Struction commenced about mile south
Of the village aud came straight for US.
One hundred trains of steam cars run
ming over bridges at foil speed could (
not have created a more terrible noise /
I believe / was dazed by the approach !
ing horror, of which somehow ! gath
cred an idea. said 10 young man
standing near me: Something terrible
IS coming; Walterboro has never yet I
experienced what we shall see to-day
| saw it, / heard il, and was powe1ess.
What could / do bat wait the result :
To add 10 the horrors of the night,
hunder storm hung over the village
md the most terrible thunder continued
he whole night"
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