Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-04-24

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ment. The paper will be continued for thirty
days, and if not sold during that time pri-
vately, is to be advertised twenty days and
sold at public auction. (
a'''a'1 .'1'71'D DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO.
On Wednesday Of last week, portions Of
Colleton county were the scene of an unusually
destructive tornado. At Walterboro. about
o'clock in the afternoon, that place was Wis
tied by the storm, which caused the loss of
number OF lives and the destruction Of large
amount of property. One account puts the
number of lives lost at sixteen, and the houses
destroyed at one hundred. A letter pub
lished in the Ne,os ond Courier received by
Alderman Bissell, of Charleston, from his
brother, II. E. Bissell, says that his brother,
Mr.. Swinton Bissell, had come from Walter
boro on Thursday, and that he had to swim
bis horse in many places, the whole country
being flooded, bridges washed away, and the
roads obstructed with fallen trees. Mr.. Swim
ton Bissell gives q most narrowing account
of the disaster. He says that DR.. Rivers
wife and Philemon Sanders, young man
who had only been married week, were
among the killed, and that Miss Rivers, Miss
Kline, Mr.. Charles B. Farmer and family,
and Mr.. Burbridge and family, were among
the injured. Pianos Stoves bedding and all
sorts of heavy as we'll as light household ar
ticles, were blown in every direction. The
clothing of ladies was blown entirely off
their persons in the streets, and their cries,
mingling with those Of the injured and Of
mothers who had lost their children, were
most pitiable. -. -4
A letter from Oakley, on the North. Eas.
tern Railroad, gives the following account Of
the destruction in that vicinity:
I have seen the tracks of tornadoes through
our pine forests, but have never been in
the centre of one until yesterday afternoon,
and hope I may never be in like situation
again. The people in this vicinity had been
praying for rain for some time, but now they
are praying for boats. We had slight
shower on yesterday morning, when the clouds
began to break and signs of clear day were
visible About 2 clock the clouds began to
gather again, and by the whole heavens
we're obscured by dark ominious looking
clouds, with occasional flashes of lightning
and low distinct thunder. At o'clock the
gale burst upon US with all its fury. =. 81
1t seems to have originated and terminated
in the open field adjoining the depot. The
rain fell in torrents, accompanied by bright
flashes of lightning and loud peals of thun-
der. Almost Immediately with the rain came
the wind, which in few seconds increased to
such violence that was fearful the depot
and the adjacent buildings would be blown
down. They were shaken to their founda
ticns, and l threw my combined weight and
strength against the door to assist the locks
in holding it shut. There was an incessant
roaring sound, similar to that made by a long
train Of cars running at full speed, with an
occasional report like that of pistol. ..
When the wind abated Popened the door
on the opposite side Of the house, when a ter
rible scene was presented. There were four
colored families living near the depot. Every
house was gone, and the people were running
for the depot, the only house left to give them
shelter. All the dwelling houses and barns
were blown into thousand pieces and scat
tered for mile around. Strange to relate,
only one person was killed six others were
wounded, some seriously. The unfortunate
people have lost nearly el1erything they had
all their furniture, creckery and cooking
utensils being broken, snd portion of their
clothing and bedding entirely lost. One
man found one mattress on fence about
one hundred yards of, and another mattress
has not yet been found. Some of the things
have been seen in a swamp nearly a mile
from the place. A cart that was standing at
one of the houses was carried distance Of
hundred yards and broken to pieces against
tree, tire from one of the wheels being
taken three hundred yards and deposited in
neighbours yard. A plough mould was taken
from the same cart and carried about one
hundred ysrds Boxes, tin pans, tin buck
cts, &C., are to be seen in every direction.
Trees, gardens and fences all blown down,
and roads completely blockaded. A gentle
man this morning had to leave his buggy
near quarter of mile off and wade the
balance of the way. One man was taken up
and carried about seventy.6ve yards, When he
came in contact with stump that brought
him to a standstil. The half has not been
told, but enough. .-... .... ....
The people of Walterboro are appealing for
aid The following telegram was sent to
Mayor Sale of Charleston
"A cyclone has passed over our town and
has left it mass of ruins. So far as heard
from sixteen persons have been killed out
right We cannot even estimate the. number
of those MANNED. About seventy per cent. of
our entire population are now homeless, and
made utterly destitute. We need, aid, ma
teral aid. To relieve us it must be immedi.
ate. We appeal to the generous sympathy
of Charleston in this hour of our dire calami.
ty. "A W1cKMAN, Intendant."
A special reporter of the News and Courier,
under date of Friday, 18th Instant, furnishes
that paper with the following list of casualties
in the town of Walterboro and vicinity:
Rilled.-Mrs DR.. Geo. M. Rivers, Phile-
mon Sanders and Benz. Reynolds, white,
boy aged fourteen name Scott, the wife of
Jackson Grant, and Lydia Ford, colored.
Total, six. ,.,.
Wounded.-Miss Eliza. Youngblood, arm
broken. Miss Annie Rivers, severely; Mr..
Charles Farmer; the wife of Geo. Washing
ton, colored, mortally Julia Perry, colored,
mortally. A number of other are cut and
bruised, more or less, severely.
Four colored men on turpentine planta-
ton in the track of the storm are missing,
and it is reported that the bodies of two col:
ored children are lying at camp ground
eight miles above here.
The houses of Dr. George M Rivers, State
] Senator Robert Fishhnrne Charles b. Far