The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-28
give good idea of the extent of the

JoNEsBono, February 20.-Colonel
Doyal says he saw meteoric display OF
bali lightning last night, which lasted
about one minute. At first he felt the
cold shivers run over him like Daniel
when they put him in the lions den, and
as soon as it passed away lie got as hot
as one of General Bragg's guns at the
battle of Buena vi "a. He said it was
as impressive as camp meeting, or an
old time militia muster, or thereabouts.
The balls were about the size of minnie
balls, and fell thick and fast with streak
below them like a comet, and illumina-
ted the whole atmosphere. He didn't
have time to smell any azone; never
thought about it iu time till the whole
thing was over, or he would have snuffed
at it one time at least.
JASPER, Pickens County, February
2O.-Y esterdly at two o'clock man
stood on the rear varandah Of the hotel
at this place looking quietly toward the
summit of Grassy Knob, the highest
point of the. range of Long Swamp
mountains. 1t was a dismal day to start
with, and superabundance of rain had
fallen.
Quick as fash the low rumble broke
into loud roaring, and at once a wild
and furious cyclone hove in sight at he
right hand or Southwestern end of the
strip of country just described. The
face of the country seemed suddenly to
have been seized with convulsions and
the elements battled furiously. A huge
mass of black clouds with bright white
lining was seen to pass along to the
South of Jasper, first rushing furiously
toward the ground, then darting wildly
upward, boiling this way then that like
a huge pot Of sheepheads, then wbirllng
and whizzing and lashing each other, yet
moving along with digni6ed grandeur
toward the summit of Grassy Knob.
The noise of the cyclone was like unto
that made by the flushing of covey of
quails, multiplied ten thousand times
over. The windows ratified, and the
houses shook as the huge whirlwind
passed in sight of and within three miles
of Jasper. The mass of boiling clouds,
steadied moment to wrench off the ma.
tive forest that capped hill top, dashed
over like huge bee to snatch q noun:
tain spur bald headed, then whizzed
along over a level ridge, danced a few
fantastic jigs and with a sweep went
over Grassy Knob 1920 feet above the
level of the sea and 2,126 feet above the
tallest spire in Atlanta.
The cyclone had come in sight seven
miles to the right of Jasper. She went
over the mountains and out of sight
eight miles from Jasper. She was in
sight perhaps FIVE minutes and IN ten
the track returned to its erstwhile quiet:
the devastated route being from half a
mile to three miles across.
Now let's see what iG did in the five
minutes trip over that fifteen mile slice
of country.
Here is list of the dead: Mrs. Levi
eagle, aud two children, William Grover,
William Herren, Alonzo wright, Mrs.
James. Dowda and two children, Mrs.
Wyly, Mrs. Lewis King and two children,
John Nicholson, (reported.) Mrs. John
Nicholson, Mrs. Nations, Mrs. Watkins,
a child of Perry Pettit:, child of W: 81.
Collies, child of Hiram Walker. Making
in all twenty deaths known and accoun-
ted for yesterday.
The printed list above tells sad story
of sundered families, but it is cold and
impotent when it comes to giving an idea
of what those deaths mean.
The cyclone whisked over the noun.
tains and into the valley where it paused
q moment to gather its forces in the un.
broken space, then setting down it began
to zoon like top and away it whizzed
like an arrow aimed at the house of Levi
eagle. For a second it few through the
air unobstructed, then it wrapped itself
about the house, gave an angry jerk and
literally tore the happy home into q
million pieces. Not sbingle clung' to
it's fellow, and of the place and all its
outhouses not one stick was left above
another. There was crash and clat-
ter and the air was filled with flying tim
bers, tin pans, furniture, feathers, corn,
wheat, bedding, chickens, and in fact
everything that the place held.
MI. Cagl was at the residence of his
brother, Just outside the fury of the
storm, and when he saw the cyclone COM
ing he started toward his house. Before
he reached there he was forced to cling
to the underbrush to keep from blowing
away, and as soon as the wind was gone
he proceeded to where moment before
his house stood.
A heartrenderiug spectacle met his
gaze. His wife and two children were
found hundred yards away dead. Fur
ther on three other children, one q baby
eighteen months old, were picked up in
an almost dying condition. Two of them
had been blown three hundred yards
Scattered about in the woods were three
men, Grover, Herren and Wright, all
dead, one with huge tree across his
body.
at Tates, or Cool Spring, as the town
is called, the winds wiped the place from
the face of the earth. The following
had houses blown down: Levi Darnell,
Darnell & Tate, Cool Springs Church,
Jack Goss, colored,' Lima Griffin, Perry
Pettits, Betsy Chitwood, Mrs. Dooly,
Sarah Jones, S. A. Darnell, Hiram
Darnell, Mr.. Griffith. Only one or two
houses were left standing. Mrs. Darnell,
Miss Bradford, Hiram Darnell, John
Perry and wife and Luke Wood, were
injured.
All along the track of the storm
houses, forests and fences we're swept
away, and many persons were killed or
injured. A large number of animals
we're also blown away and killed.
The Marietta and North Georgia Road
runs through the midst of it. On both
sides where the track crosses the path of
the cyclone the woods are strewn with
fallen tinbers. Tates looks like it had
been sat on and squelched. Her houses,
with one accord, were leveled to the
ground. The trees are thrown first one
way and then another; showing the
circle in which the wind was blowing.
In many places the face of the country
has not vestige of timber left standing,
and where two days ago were dense for.
ests now barren hilltops alone are left.
1t is easy to see from the railroad, dis