Hillsboro recorder., 1888-03-29
TERRIBLE CYCLONE
SPRINGS INTO BEING IN THE
GULF OF MEXICO.
4 Magnificent Electrical Display 10 Sue
seeded by Wind. Thar Deals nayae and
Death Right mud Left.

Death Right mud Lefi.
The recent storm which swepi owe,
Georgia was dipped around from place
70 place in d manner 1T once bewildering
and sensational. From the fatal visit TO
Lumber City to the house smashing in CAL
houn was a long distance, but the coun-
my between was pretty well spotted With
smaller wrecks. The storm seems 10 have
blown up from the Gulf, that fruitful
nest Of totnadoes, and, upon striking the
western border Of Georgia, TO have come
Ia collision with something which caused
1t to part into two columns. One Of these
passed on through the Chattahoochee
valley, and escaped across Calhoun into
Tennessee, where II went careening on
its way OF destruction. The other, after
its fatal work in Lumber City, crossed
the state into South and North Carolina,
and spent It's force on the Atlantic. Con-
sidering the extent OF the disturbance,
The fatalities were very few.
The day was the most beautiful one
Of the Spring. It was perfect Spring
day, and when the sun went down there
was no indication OF the storm, which
was then hanging over the country, and
The people with no thought Of the dan
gers to which they were 70 be subjected
before another day came, sought their
homes. The disturbance commeheed
about half past ten o'clock at night.
Then the lightning began 10 fash. At
first, the flashes were at irregular inter
walls and were followed by loud rumbling
far away thunder. but IN short time the
lightning became brighter and more rap
i'd, and the thunder louder, more dis.
tincE and nearer. Finally, the flashes
became one continuous fame, and the
thunder kept pace with it. So bright
and continuous were the flashes that any
portion or the country could be plainly
seen almost constantly by those who were
up. just as the electrical display was
most intense. rain began falling. Atiist
1t came steadily in large drops, but In =
minute perfect deluge ensued. Then
with the rain came the wind; IL was in
tense. II moved along only Is cyclone
can move, and with il houses, barns
fences and timber went down. Itrnared
aid moaned and went BY like fash.
For ten minutes il continued, and ihca n
calm ensued. The wind moved from the
west 10 the east, am went along with y
roll and dip. howling, whistling ind
singing. until everybody was aroused
Its velocity was intesse, and houses
waved and rocked upon their foundations
until people, in many cases, fearing thst
their dwellings would 90 over, ran out
into Che drenching cold rain.
Austell felt the effects OF the cyclone
most severely. The town l. bnilt upon
two hills--one upon the north side ~
the railroad aud the other upon the south
side. Between these two hills Is a mar
row vale in which the business houses is
located. The hills are considerably
higher than the little valley, and upon
them the greatest destruction to property
and the loss OF life occurred. The most
severe part Of the storn--diYided Just
east Of the town and leaving the vale
untouched, swept the hills upon either
side. On the north side Of the road aud
just upon the top Of the bill, Rafe How
ard, negro blacksmith, had house
which was struck with full force.
Howard and his wife were in one room
ia bed, and their son, 4 boy Of sixteen
years, was In another room. When the
wind bit the house Il rose and dropped
back. Then il rose again and again
dropped back. Then the timbers began
creaking, and IN IN instant the roof
dropped in, the walls tumbled down and
the house was fiat upon the ground,
completely ruined. Howard was in.
stantly killed, and his boy was severely
hurt; the wife escaped serious injury.
A barn near The residence of Mayor y.
A. Morse was leyeIied, also two story
house built by Mr.. Morse for DR.. Potter
81 Macon, who was TO occupy Il in April.
Calhoun suffered the most OF any place
visited by the cyclone. About half Il
minute before Il manifested itself at Cal.
houn, Il struck the residence of Farmer
Gaines. about a mile and half south.
west 81 the town. lie and his family
were sleeping when the storm le'd low
their house. They were covefta with
debris, but were not seriously injured.
The tiift building of any importance that
was struck was q saw.mill owned by Il.
D. Giay. This was lexclcd 10 the ground.
Tho wreck was complete. The colored
Baptist church. near by, was simultan.
eo,isls laxcd to the earth. The walls aud
eiling fcll aud crushed the benches and
tic pulpit 10 the earth. Haynes's hotel,
new AMI handsome building, was not
much damaged, but was fenrfully
wicnchrl aud thrown out Of position.
The Western & Atlantic railroad agents
house, occupied by Mrs. Willingham as
boarding house FOR school children. was
blown 70 atoms. Nenr by was situated d
handsome residence, belonging 10 y.
! Boay, and rented 20 lady. The roof
Of this house was blown OF. the
chimneys were broken 20 pieces.
and tic window blinds blown away.
On the corner Of the street was a one.
story frame house, occupied by An AGED
negro w0fnan named Mary Montpomerv
and her two grandchildren. This was
literally LITE OF the ground and shakon
into fragments, aud the colored woman
seriously hurt. Mrs. Dycr's residence
was vistcdbythc storm, and demolished
At the time. il was unoccupied. Old
Tom, the truck man at the railway depot
was IN his bed and was blown out into
The darkness, twenty feet or more. lie
......