Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-02-19
A Terrific Tornado.

NASHVILLE, February 13 "A most ter
ri6o wind storm prevailed in this section of
the country last night. The wind, which at
times attained the velocity of tornado,
tore through the streets, upsetting people
and throwing signs aud movable articles
generally in every direction. Roofs of
houses were shattered aud in some instances
entirely blown of. Trees were blown down
aud strcwn over tho roadways. Railroad
tracks wero covered with debris so much rs
to stop tho running of trains on II number
of lines. Telegraph ";res we're broken
dowo, md not less than fifteen dwellings
and twenty business houses were partially
destroyed. The scene was wild almost be-
yond description. People dared not venture
out and feared that at any moment the
house over them might be blown down. 1t
is computed that at eleven O'Clock the wind
was blowing at the rate Of forty miles 40
hour. Later raiu began 10 fall in torrents
flooding the strocts aud railroads No
trains could leave the city, and trains in
the country were forced to stop and lay up
wherever they happened to be when the
tornado struck them. The damage cannot
be fully estimated for several days, but is
believed to have roachcd large amount.
y number of fatal casualties arc also re-
ported. The heaviest losers by the storm
in this city are llhca & Son, proprietors of
a large grain elevator. The roof of tho
elevator was blown off during tho heavy
rain, and 10000 bushels of grain were
flooded. The brick walls of the new Gus
tom House wcro blown down and totally
destroyed. The roofs of Burns block of
buildings were blown off and destroyed, as
were also those of the Edgeicld AIauufac-
turing Company. The Merchants Exchange
was badly damaged. The streets .rc filled
with tin roofs, signs aud fallen trees.
Several large manufacturing establishments
are almost totally destroyed. St. Paul's
Church (colorcd) one of the finest in tho
city, is almost total wreck. A number of
freight cars which we're standing on tho
Louisville and Nashville R.iIroad, wero
precipitated down an cmtankmcut
The damage in the city alone is estimated
to be $l00,G00 but 10 the country it can
not DO approximatcl. Several lives uro
reported to have bcen lost
The severity of tho storm as to rainfsll
has been confined to a tract starting from
North Western Texas via littlc Rock,
whom 1t Tell to thp pHtcpt L iJ'lUU; via
Memphis. 60 100 and Nashville, 7 08-1 lao
iucEos The whirIlng or gyratory movement
of the wind appeurs TO have commenced one
mile west Of Nashville, where it dippeI
down into tho roof Of brick house,
crushing it in on a woman and three chill
dren apd drying the floor on which they
were sleeping into tho cellar When found
they we're covered all over with debris and
had tobc dug out Thoy we're badly bruised
but no limbs broken. Tho tornado then
passed in South E.stcrly direction occu--
pying space of quarter Of a mile. Its
length was about five milcs Tho last story
of the Ejgetield and Nashville manufactory
was fairly wrenohed of and timbcrs blown
800 to 500 yards. Col. William Moorc's
residcn9c vas torn TO fragments. Sheriff
Prices residence, just beyond, was unroofcd
aud its timbers thrown crashing through
tho roof of Joseph Walkers house falling
in confused mass in his bed room. Ho
was stunned by tho cud Of piece of soant
ling and his wifes face badly confused.
Most Of Prices family were sleeping ia tho
upper story Of his residsnoo, and though it