The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1883-05-04
THE CYCLONE.

EDITOR oluSAi.-N MIC reporLS ure
being received. by You from differ
ent sections of the country which
were visited by the tornado, aud
more lie and property, were destroy.
ed, especially at Beaarcgard and
Wtsson. III give You q description
Of what little Two seen of it in this
section. known ~ the Folds. Fleming
aud Hamilton. neighborbood about
9 miles South east Of Hszlehurst,
and 3 miles below me. After tho
two heavy blows which occurred
about l and 3 o'clock Sunday even.
ing. 22od OF A ,ril. and blew down
between 40 and 20 dead pinc trocs
on my farm. l decided from what ]
could see that great damage had been
done below me. I could judge bu,
little by sight but enough to believe
tho wrost below aud having beard
tho peculiar sound of the tornado
Which occurred on the night of the
18th Of March 1876. I WAS convinced
in my belize whun l heard the sanr
sound repeated las, Sunday evening
at about three o'c.Ock. Immediately
alter the rain rode over to oao oil
nearest ne'ghbors houses, and learn.
ed from two boys that their parents
lad gone 10 the scene of destruction,
and that Tho Folds md Dickson fam
lies were destroy ed. My family be.
ing unwell and excited l went homo
to comfort them. Monday morning
early l started for tho sc,ns OF de-
structioD, aud passing by the Pine
G.ovo church found men asse mbled
for lilo purpose Of digging five graves
Sons suggested that u pant dig the
graves, and the o,hors 80 save what
property they could find, / went
with the party to save the property,
and nothing except q few scattering
trees some green aad some dead thai
were blown down. were seen until we
arrived within tho opening of the
Hamilton farm, we eLterod as did
the tornado, on tho North west side
within one or two hundred yards OF
the field the tornado commenced md
Tho heavy tinlbcrs were piled with
their tops lying toward the east pre-
sen,iug TO the view an opening OF
a. least one and q holt or two miles
in length, and one fourth or q half
mile in br cadtb, certering the Old
Hamilton farm. The fences we're
blown down and in most places the
bottom rails wero taken from their
bed. in tho ground. the only sign
left to tell where they had been, heavy
split and hewn log building,
iYel lings, cribs barns and stables
wsre lsveled with tho ground, COM
prisipg four sstt!ome nts, two being
on the North west side, Mr., Nasb's
and Dave Millers, and two on the
S,uth cast eide. Thos Hamiltons and
Mrs Mary Folds, of a branch that
runs North and South through the
old farm. There was not standing
house on either settlement and the
most astonishing thing 10 ne was on
this branch which was at least forty
feet below tho tops Of the surround.
iughills the tornado ragged. with
equal fury CT moro than it did above
TIC frat settlement We struck was
Mr. Nash's, hero little Miry Bsasly
daughter of Juhn Bsasly was killed.
skull being crushed, Marintha Ham
ilton and Mr. and Mrs Nash wounded
In the ruins Of this house we saw e.
@. Hamilton, connolly known asz. Ike
Hamil on with bis wife hobliDg
among the logs trying to save vha'
be aud wife could. Til, man was
riddlsa with bullets at tina battle Of
shj!o and is unable to work, Iii.