The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-02-27
Echoes Of the Cyclone.
DEATH AND RUIN IN THE VICINITY
Of ROCKINGHAM, N. Z.
The Killed and Wounded from the
Neighborhood Collected IN the Court
house 49, Business Suspended-The
Story Of the Disaster.
NeWs and CUurttr.

ROCKINGHAM, n. c., February M-Ahout
10 O'clock last night Il most fearful md dc
storm sweep over this section. For
awhile the scene wax terrific. lightning
flashed TO lightning, thunder muttercd L.,
thunder, vino hnwlded to wind. and torrent
OF hail anSwed to torrent of rain,
The general travel OF the torn was from
to northeast. Its full extent Is not
here, as the wires are down, eating
US Off from communication by telegraph.
breadth Of the serereSt phft was less
than half u mile, which did not reach our
town.
Our information. thus far, extends only sew.
Ell miles southwest. where we learil. thai
houses, trees, fences and every movable oh.
jrct We're either damaged or torn away. Four
miles from town, ih the stne direction. the
OF Mr.. Daniel Watson WAS dcnlDl.
his wife and one OF her brothers, Mr..
John Stuart, were killed outright, and Mr.,
Watson himself seriously IL not fatally, IN
jurrd. Two miles cast from Rockingham
were the mills and tenant houses u dozen per
hnps-of Mrs. Eliza McDonald: and the sight
to the eye OF The bcholder there
this morning begsnrs. description. Men,
and children, dead or seriously m
debris OF demolished houses, shattered iurni'
ture and drenchcd brdding. while far on cilh-
er side were scattered fragments OF dwellings
and remnants Of clothing. Horses: co%
hogs, dogs and chickens shared the terrible
fate OF their owners. The mills were swept
away. The rocks In the grtst mill were lifted
from their bed and carried fully thirty feet.
the tenant hou .es not II Sill or chimney
In place. Three whites, namely,
Richard Dnwkins, aged 10. Charlie Sanford,
aged IL. nad Henrietta Griffin ner Grant. aged
Is, We're killed outright, and Il little son OF MIR.
DawkinS Is expected to die ut any moment.
Ten colored persons were also killed outright,
namely. Myra Leukc. aged lis. Lcanna i..ake.
aged, ~, Carolina leake. agcd 20, and her In
liant child. ROSA Lcakc. Warrant Lcdheiter,
aged Is. sandy Marshall. aged 10, John H.t'
ora u, aud a child nf EI.IrE (nyinpf1n.
age not learned. Martha. Digss nged 10, Is
and supposed to be Killed. / find Il
impossible to get tho number Of names OF all
the Injured. Mr.. Asbury Sandiord. father of
Charlie is seriously injured. US Is also Mrs.
mother Of Mrs. Griffin. The casualties
will aggregate fifty or more OF whom twenty
at least are seriously injured. About three
ernly direction, lived Mrs. Watson. the moth
or of Mcssrs. ]. $. and II. c. Watson, OF Rock.
ingtan,. Not Il house, chimney nor fence was
lett on the premises. Strange 10 say no SER.
Gus casualties occurred. Il son and daughter OF
Mrs. Watson being only slightly injured.
Mrs. Harris Terry, living near Mrs. Wv had
one child killed. aged IL years.
The aggregate OF killed, so far rs heard from,
is sixteen. The stores In Rockingham have
seems to have settled over the town and vic.
image. The dead and injured from Mrs. Nc
place were brought to town this
morning, ind the courthouse was converted
lntO q temporary HoSIithl anu Hio'Euot CIV
tender hands mlnistcred to the wants OF the
suffering and prepared the dead for decent
/ ieei that nave fallen short OF the reality
in the above description, and to give you a
still further Idea OF It's terror. n gentleman
who visited Grlnnel, ILL.,, soon after the storm,
there, tells me that the one last night was far
more terrible.
Not u house in Rockingham could have
the scvercst part OF the storm had
1t struck fully. ]. q. s.