The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-28


The cyclone sweeping yesterday over this
section has left worse traces within o
short distance from here than immediate
ly around Montgomery. From Kellyton
to Wetumpka, in Coosa county, a big
hail and wind storm injured several,
blowing down houses, barns. church
steeples, carrying them into every direc-
ton. At Cross Plains, eight persons
were killed, and others seriously injured.
At Rock Run and Amerson life and
property were destroyed. Many other
casualties from other sections, but the
wires are partly down. News comes in
meager. Marion, Alabama, had but one
victim, but much property was damaged.
Montgomery had houses unroofed, trees,
fences, bridges torn down, but no other
casualties. The damage near here is
considerable, but does not compare with
the havoc played in the interior of this
State. The steamer, Maggie Burke, got
out of the woods this morning, where
the tornado had sent her. She went
down the Alabama.
Fire at Goodwater, Alabama, destroyed
nearly the whole business portion, in.
cluding telegraph Office and instruments;
hence news meager.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA, February 20.-A
correspondent of the Atlanta Constitu-
ton boarded the regular passenger train
on the Georgia Pacific to-day and went
to Leeds, fifteen miles East Of this city,
to get further particulars of the terrific
cyclone that swept through Cahaba Val.
ley yesterday. No idea of the devasta
ton can be conceived without visiting
the track of the cyclone. At / o'clock
the people saw a dense funnel shaped
cloud, black as night, approaching miles
away, from the Southwest, roaring louder
than a thousand coal burners, and the
whole heavens were illuminated with a
peculiar glow, never to be forgotten by
the terror stricken people. As it ap-
preached Leeds, the black shafts darted
from the top of the strange cloud toward
the earth with almost Lightning rapidity.
At 1.30 o'clock it swept over the new
town Of Leeds, hundred yards East of
the depot, leaving absolutely nothing in
the way of houses and trees in its path.
It followed the track of the Georgia Pa.
cifc road six miles, covering it that dis
lance with debris. The West bound
train from Atlanta was fifteen minutes
behind time, and escaped total destruc-
ton. The East bound train was stopped
by tree blown across the road from the
main cyclone. Thus both trains were
providentially saved. Before night 200
hands were put to work cleaning the
road and by this time this morning the
trains passed without trouble. The scene
around Leeds beggars description.
Houses just completed were blown away,
and not even brick left where house
stood. Horses, n les and cows killed,
and in some instances with fence rails
driven clear through their bodies. At
DR.. Wright's two horses were killed and
three blown away and never heard from.
He was contractor on the road and all
his houses, twenty.three carts and two
wagons were utterly demolished.
The most heartrending news was that
brought to the station by people giving
account of the dead and wounded. The
following is an additional list of dead 80
far as heard from around Leeds: John
Poole, his daughter Alice and son James,
Tom Davis, Robert Davis, Mrs. James
Wright, Dave Casper, Rebecca Cooper,J
w. Wright, Jim Poole, Mrs. Carr, all
white; Hamet McCrea, Dave Cloud,
Burton Keith, JEFF Few, colored. The
latter was blown three hundred yards.
When found not vestige of clothing
was on him. The heads of two negroes
we're crushed 30 that their brains ran out.
One had nearly every bone in his body
broken. The following is the list of the
wounded, at least one.third fatally, the
remainder all seriously: S. R. West, r.
L. Wilson, Bowdy, Mrs. Bass, Tom Lit
tie, Louis Poole, Clark Batson, his wife
and two children; Mrs. White, Jim Her
ring, Mrs. Glass, Mre. Davis, james
Wright, Tom Wright, Joe Wright, Katie
Wrig ght, Jack Wright, Amanda Nc
Laug ghlin, all white; Pomp Jackson,
Bill Brannon, Tom Miller, Jim Sadler,
Mat Camp, George Talliaferro, John
Barnes, Henry freeman, Charles Casby,
Andy Stephens, Tom. Little, colored.
Mrs. Bass had small rock, an inch
in diameter, blown into her back, and it
had to be cut out by physician. She is
not expected to live. At Poole's house,
trunk containing fifteen hundred dol
lars was blown away and has not been
heard from, also two bales of cotton
were blown from this place.
By actual count twenty seven dwelling
houses were utterly demolished, besides
many barns and out houses. The widow
Carr's house was blown down, killing her,
and Immediately after the cyclone the
debris caught fire and burned. Many of
the suffering aud travellers who have
gathered at Leeds from the surrounding
country have fearful experiences and
narrow escapes to relate, sufficient TO fill
every column in the Constitution.
The citizens of Birmingham, aided by
the excellent officers of the Georgia
Pacific Railroad, have acted nobly in
sending prompt and substantial assist.
ance to the sufferers. Money and sup.
plies in abundance have been sent out
by special trains, and everything posi-
BILE done to relieve the distressed. Six
physicians of this city went out prompt
ly and are attending the wounded. At
Brooks Gap, ten miles below here, the
cyclone was severe. Nine houses were
blown down and fifteen persons injured.
Being off the railroad, 10 definite infor.
nation can be had of the extent of the
damage there, though every reportlnaIes
matters worse. At Leeds the cyclone
was attended by severe hail, some stones
being as large as a mans fist.
Fearful Work In Georgia.
A volume of cloud, with loud rum
bling noise, was observed moving north
ward from the Alabama line, near the
edge of Harris County. The skies over
head assumed q dull leaden hue, with
that peculiar tint which denotes an over
charge of the electric current. The
great handle which marked the track of
the destructive funnel from the gulf here
split like the prongs of fork, the one
taking Northeast direction, following
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