Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-03-05
The Tornado at Jasper. Georgia.
From the New York SD

ing quietly toWaIu inc SUBMIT
Grassy Knob, the highest point of tn
range of Long Swamp Mountains
Suddenly clouds began to lower an
darkness to gather, until it scenes
that the town had been sunk int
night. Darker grew the day, unit
those indoors were forced to light thei
candles. Then low rumble wa
heard, and the man who was watching
Grassy Knob turned round to hi
right and looked in the direction O
Gainesville. He could have seel
the hills for miles if the day had beer
clear. Before him, but obscured b,
dark clouds, lay n strip of countr,
extending for about fifteen miles
running from southwest 10 northeast
Quick as flash the low rumble
broke into loud roaring, and a wilc
and furious tornado hove in sight 4
the southwestern part Of the strip o
country described. The face of thu
country seemed suddenly seized Will
commissions, and the elements battleC
furiously. A huge mass Of black
clouds, with bright white lining, was
seen to pass along south of Jasper
first dashing furiously toward the
ground, then darting wildly upward
and then whirling and whizzing and
lashing each other, yet moving along
with grandeur toward the summit OF
Grassy Knob. The noise was like
unto that made by the flushing of a
covey of quails, multiplied ten thous-
and times. Windows ratified and
houses shook as the tornado passed in
sight of and within three miles of
Jasper. The mass Of boiling clouds
steadied moment to wrench off the
native forest that capped the hilltop,
then whizzed over the level ridge and,
with sweep, went over Grassy Knob,
1920 feet above the level of the sea,
and 2,126 feet above the tallest spire
in Atlanta. The tornado had come
in sight seven miles to the right of
Jasper. 1t went over the mountains
and out of sight eight miles from JAS
per. 1t was in sight five minutes.
The devastated route was from half n
mile TO three miles across.
In its five minutes trip over that
fifteen miles strip of country twenty
persons were killed. The scenes that
the tornado left in its track are be-
yond description. One needs to stand
in the midst Of the demolished forests
and see the destruction Of life and
property to form an idea Of the ex-
tent of the damage. Near where
the cyclone was first seen from Jasper
three brothers have lived for years.
They live within a stones throw of
each other, and have good, comfort
able houses. Levi Cogie lived in a
large two-story house, sitting upon
the crest of hill overlooking the
valley. Southwestward from his
house was an opening. No trees or
hills were in the way, and the resi-
dence stood right in the pathway of
the tornado. In the house were his
wife and five children and three hired
men. The tornado whisked over the
mountain and into the valley, where
it paused to gather its forces. Then,
settling down, it whizzed toward the
house of Levi Cogie, and literally
tore it into a million pieces. There
was q clash and a clatter, and the air
was filled with flying timbers, tin
pans, furniture, feathers, corn, wheat,
bedding, chickens, and, in fact, every
thing that the place held. Mr.. Cogie
was at the residence of his brother
just outside the fury of the storm,
and when he saw the tornado coming
he started toward his house. Before
he reached it he was forced to cling
to the underbrush to keep from blow
ing away. As soon as the tornado
had gone, he went to where Il moment
before his house stood, and a heart
rending spectacle met his gaze. His
wife and two children were found one
hundred yards away, dead. Further
on three other children, one baby Is
months old, were picked up in an al
most dying condition. Two of them
had been blown three hundred yards.
Scattered about in the woods were
the three men--Grover, Herrin and
Wright-all dead, one with a huge
tree across his body. Thus in mo-
ment six persons were killed and
three others dangerously injured.
An old soldier said yesterday: at
looks like there has been a battle
here" The village of Yates looks as
though it had been sat upon and
squelched. In many places the face
of the country has not vestige of
timber left standing, and where two
days ago were dense forests, now bar
rem hilltops alone are left. 1t is easy
to see from the railroad, a distance of
eight miles, where the cyclone went