Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-26
FREAKS OF THE CYCLONE.
TWO CHURCHES DEMOLISHED
AT GEORGETOWN.

Miraculous Escape OF Most of the WOr-
shippers - More Names Added TO the
Death Lists-An Avalanche of Cyclones
Further Reports from the Devastated
Districts in Georgia.
NEW ORLEANS, April PA special
dispatch to the Times Democrat from
West Point, Miss, states that two cy-
clones passed over Clay county on Sunday.
The one about noon passed over the west
ern part of the county, and the other at
about | O'Clock over the central and
southern part. Both were terrific, level
ing houses, fences and trees and spread
ing death and destruction in their paths.
Near Hohenlinden thirty persons We're
reported to have been killed, and
near Pine Bluff seventeen fatalities
We're reported. A number of persons
were killed in different parts of the coun-
ty, but how many is not yet known. In
West Point the court and law building,
Central Hotel and several stores were un-
rooted. \ deed was found in the country
that had been carried fifty miles by the
wind. The afflicted and distressed are
being cared for bysthe more fortunate. No
estimate of the loss to property can yet be
made. 1t was intended to start the mill
at WessOn yesterday, but the hands could
not be got together. The following is n list
of the killed at Wesson: Miss Sallie Ford,
Mrs. WilkersOn and son, a child of Vim.
Blackburn. Samuel Benion, child of
Nathan Lotion, four nepheWs Of J. f.
Gibson, child of Mrs. Duncan. Mrs.
Cancey and child, Anna Clanding, James
Smith colOred) J, John Hunter cOlOred },
Willie White, three negroes whose names
are unknown, George Holloway. and a
child Of Mrs. H. +. Carter.
The following is a partial list OF the
wounded at WessOn: Mrs. Duncan and
child, William Blackburn. Mrs. Ford and
daughter, Mrs. Benton, Mr.. Lee and
wife, Henry Nixon, Mrs. Beard and
daughter, Il daughter of Mrs, Raferd, Mrs.
Henderson, little daughter Of Mrs Nc
MILAN. Mrs. McManus, Joseph Williams,
Mrs. Pink Williams, a child Of Mrs.
Joseph Williams, Turner Gibson, Mrs.
Finch, Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Tabor, Mrs.
Drane, Mrs. Lewis, Miss Walter, Mrs.
Hurst, Mrs. Heating, Mrs Hughes, Mrs,
Mary Shields and two sisters.
The IimeS-DemOcTdt' Starkville, Miss,
special says: "a report has reached here
that a French camp town of 800 inhabi-
tants, twenty miles west of Starkyille, in
ChOctaW county, was destroyed by Sun
days cyclone. Simmons family of three
persons We're all killed and blown
away Some Of the bodies were
found yesterday afternoon several
miles from where the houses
stood. Parties are searching for three
children that were blown away. hut have
not yet found them. Timbers from houses
were carried for miles by the wind at
Starkyille. Jim Bruce's place was de-
strOyed, and he and his wife killed. Green
Bruce was killed and his wife wounded.
James Black and his family were all
wounded. The excitement around Stark
Vile has subsided, and everybody has
gone to work.
The PicGguHe'5 jackson. Miss, special
says news is received that three white
men, two negroes and two Indian children
were killed four miles from Morton on the
Richardson place, and others wounded.
The cyclone passed up the Leaf river, in
Scott county, demolishing everything I'M
III it came to Morton, where it fOrked, one
fork passing over the Nicksburg and Me-
ridian Railway five miles from Morton,
thence by HillsbOrO, where much prop
erty was destroyed, and on to points on
the Mobile and Ohio Railway. The other
fork went up the Vicksburg and Meridian
Railway. This is the one which struck
Lawrence station.
The PtcdyUHe's NatcheZ Miss. special
dispatch says: 1.-The storm of Sunday
seems to have its origin in the Red River
country and passed to the northeast 1t
blew down gin houses and three-quarters
Of the cabins on Ashley's place, in Con-
cOrdia parish, wounding seven or eight
persons, principally children. One wO-
man was killed. The storm also blew
down 4 gin house on Green's place
and Frustrated the camps and
Neeley's leyee works. 1t then
crossed the river twelve miles below Nat
chez, passed two miles east Of it. wrecked
the fair grounds building, seven houses
on HuttOn's place and some in Morgan
town and wounded many cOlored persons.
The storm which passed near Natchez
does not appear to have been the same as
that which visited WessOn and Beaure-
gard, as it occurred at l0;30 o'clock in the
morning.
Reliable reports to-day say that the
cyclone struck the town of Harrisyille,
simpson county, Mississippi, and killed
ten persons. 1t killed seven near Morton,
whose names are unknown, and DESTROYED
a great deal Of property.
A special dispatch to the PicdytHe from
Jackson, Miss, reports the killing of ten
persons at CrawtOrd's residence. near
ROckpOrt, Miss. No particulars are
given.
WEssON, Miss, April 25.-The first
place the cyclone reached on Sunday was
Georgetown, 4 small village on the Pearl
river. Many. residents of that place and
vicinity We're assembled in the Methodist
Church, the quarterly circuit being in
session. The cyclone struck the church,
and one of the side walls fell in upon the
congregation. The minister, Rev. II. b.
Lewis, had his skull fractured, and his
chances for recovery are very slight. Mr..
Savage, who rushed out of the church,
was instantly killed, a falling tree
breaking his neck. Joe Horncathing
was slightly injured, as was also
Miss Steele. Mrs. Allen was seriously
hurt. The large congregation had a most
wonderful escape, with the exception of
those above mentioned, for as the cyclone
struck, as if by inspiration, they fell up
on their knees, the benches thus shielding
them, they escaped with trihing inju.
ries. a negro church near by was
also destroyed. Three of the wOrshipers
were killed outright, and eight or ten
others were injured. a number Of resi-
dences and stores were leveled with the
ground. John w. Crawford. his wife,
daughter and grandchild and servant were
instantly killed. Mrs. Crawford was
blown three hundred yards, and all of the
family were so crushed and mutilated as
to be hardly recognizable, presenting a ter
rible appearance. The children of John
Beasley and those Of Mrs. Ryan were in
stantly killed. as were also three grown
daughters of Mrs. Fowles. Mrs. FOWles
was carried one hundred and fifty yards
by the force of the wind, and was caught
in a tree. From this tree she was blown
into another one, sustaining such severe
injuries that she died. All ef the stock
in the path of the storm was killed by
being crushed to death by flying timbers.
Billy Parker, his wife and child and a
daughter of VIM. Royals were also killed.
Opposite Georgetown. in Sampson county,
the residence of James Bass was demOl-
ished, and one member of his family was
killed.
FORT GAINES, GA, April 2J.-Reports
have been received here from about fifteen
miles west of Columbia, Ala. Not less
than twenty dwellings were blown down.
Fifteen persons were seriously hurt so far
as heard from. two or three fatally. 1t
is not known here how far west the storm
extended. The cyclone did no damage in
this immediate vicinity, but did damage
TO property in the upper part of the coun-
ty, but no lives were lost in this county.
AUGUSTA, April 25.-Accounts from the
interior, away from the railroads and tele-
graph lines, report the storm as destruc-
tive to life and property. In Lincoln
county, near AndersOn's Mill, the home
Of Tom Brooks was destroyed. His wife
was killed, and his son and himself seri-
Ously, if not fatally, injured. A number
OF gin houses and negro cabins in Lin
coin, Taliaferro, and other counties above
here, were destroyed.
Death in a West Georgia Flood.
ATLANTA, April 25.-B. J. Roop. a pros
porous farmer and miller. lived on the
banks Of the Hillahatchie creek, six miles
from Franklin, Heard county. The creek
rose rapidly Sunday night and before the