The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-11-16
Terrible Destruction by Cyclone in
Madison County.

14dItSO4 N0U4tJs
4 telegram from Mr. R. l. Bennett, Mad
isen Station, last Saturday afternoon, in
formed US that the residence and all other
buildings on the plantation of DR.. Matt F
Ash were destroyed by cyclone on Friday,
about O'Clock P. n, and ihat several mem
bers Of the family, and other persons resid-
ing on the premises, were severely injured
DR.. Ash having lived in Jackson for many
years, and having only within the last few
years removed permanently to Madison
county, the sympathy expressed for him in
this sudden and terrible misfortune was
hearty and universal. In company with
Rev. DR.. Hunter, we proceeded to Madison
Station on Sunday evening, and obtaining al
conveyance, we're driven TO DR.. Ash'sI
plantation, about four miles west of the
Station. We reached there little after
dark, and on approaching the wreck were
ordered to "haltp Here We met Messrs.
Doug Montgomery, VIM. Mcneil and John
McMahon, who were guarding what little Of
the property was left. We have never seen
such complete destruction. Four miles of
fencing down; the residence, stable, cabins,
and every other tenement on the place
blown down and,thrown about in the widest
disorder; all the shade trees torn up by the
roots; every article of furniture, and other
household effects completely broken, smash
ed and torn; horses, sheep, goats and swine
roaming about as if conscious that d great
calamity had deprived them of their usual
shelter and care. The debris had been col
lected and arranged in some sort of order.
A large aud most willing volunteer force of
neighbors, to the number of sixty or more,
assembled on Sunday morning, built a. crib
and housed all the corn, and were ready to
erect shelter for the hay, oats, etc, on the
day following.
When the cyclone struck the residence,
Mrs Ash, four of her children and coiored
girl were in the front bed room A moment
before, Mrs. Ash had been in the adjoining
room, Or parlor, but hearing one of the
children cry or scream, Immediately pro-
ceeded to the bed room. Three of the
children had gone to bed, and the youngest,
about year old, was asleep in its little car
riage Had Mrs. Ash remained in the par
Tor, she would have been killed by the bricks
from the wall that separated the two front
rooms from the rear or older portion of the
building. After the cyclone struck the
house, its destruction was but the work of a
second The roof was blown completely off
and carried distance Of several hundred
| yards, and the walls we're all blown outward
| ly. The mattress on which the children
were lying and on which Mrs. Ash was sit
/ ting, was swept from under them. Mrs.
! Ash, bruised and bleeding and drenched
with rain, proceeded with her children, two
lofwhom were also injured, to the gin under
the fallen roof of which she found a tempo
rary shelter. Here, completely exhausted,
she was found by colored man, who car
ried her to cabin, where fire was made
as soon as possible. The youngest child es-
capped unhurt although the carriage in
which it was sleeping was completely
smashed. 1t suffered from exposure to the
rain.
While all this work was taking place, DIR.
Ash was returning from Madison Station
whittier he had gone for his two older chill
dren, who were there going to school. He
thinks he was within one mile Of his house
when the cyclone struck it. The reader
may Judge of his state of mind when he
reached the premises and found every build
ing blown down. and his family he knew
not where But DR.. Ash bears his misfor
tune like man. He remarked to us thai
it might be great deal worse and that
while he has lost in property about twelve
thousand dollars no lives We're lost and nc
limbs broken, and that he was compensated
no little by the sympathy and generous acts
of his neighbors and friends.
Dr. Ash's place was formerly known a
e the MurrelI Plantation, and was one of thu
best improved plantations in Madison
county. He had about fifteen hundred acre
, under fence He was ambitious to excel a
farmer His buildings, stock, implements
etc. were all the best that labor could pre-
vide or money purchase 1t will requir
years of he d labor, and exceptionally gooC
success, to recover what was swept away il
Q a moment of time
e Mrs. Ash was seriously cut on the head
: and badly bruised in several parts of til
:, body, but Drs. Craft, Mitchell and Mckay
' who visited her on sunday, are satisfied tina
r she was not injured internally. Her littl
n daughter Katy was also badly cut on th
head. They are now at the residence {
Mr.. VIM. Neal, where they are most tender
ly cared for.
Mr.. Theodore Serge and family were ais
, on the premises at the time, and narrowl
! escaped with their lives Mrs. Serge, he
g two children aud her brother Frank CAIRO
!. are all more or less injured, and lost a
II their property and effects. They are no
- in this city, at the residence of Mr. o. riel
4 and it would be an exceedingly proper thin
r. for our citizens to contribute to their relic
es Any committee for this purpose, we a
: sure, would be generously received by GU
people.
The cyclone did no other damages in til
vicinity of DR.. Ash's. It struck the prem
- ses of Lafayette Montgomery, about thr'
err miles northeast, but it had spent its fur
and few trees blown down was the on
damage.
80. ~. Al,