The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-03-29
Disastrous Cyclone i'm Georgia.

Special to the N. o. TimesDemocratI
ATLANTA, March 21.-The hills upon which
the City of atlanta is built were circled by a
chain Of electric fire last night. At 10 o'clock
the skies toward the southwest were hidden
by immense rolling clouds fringed with phos-
northeasterly direction, following the basin of
the Chattahoochee river, which winds up from
the south to the east and encircling three-qu
tiers Of the territory upon which Atlanta stands
Almost at the same time a companion cloud
shot around south OF the city and proceeding up
the eastern river valley united with the Chatta-
hoOchee clouds. In a few minutes the rapid
flashes of lightning skirted along the edges of
the cloud circle, lighting up the city with ring
of fire of unusual brilliancy.
The roaring Of the winds which had preceded
this manifestation of vapor and electricity was
sharp and loud, and awoke all who had retired
For three hours Atlantians, set upon hill, could
watch the playing Of the electric current in the
valleys around. The telegraphic lines were
down in many places, and It was with difficulty
that meagre news could be collected. Any one
could tell, however, that there was disaster In
the surrounding valleys, and many feared that
the casualty to life would be as great as that TO
property.
When the morning sun arose 1t was in q
bright blue sky, with not trace Of the angry
commoton of the night before. The air was
bitterly cold, however, and it was like transi-
ton from May to December when the day and
the one which had gone before we're compared
morning was from
CALHOUN, GA,
fifty miles 10 the north. 1t seems that the cy-
clone had struck we'll defined path through
that town laying waste the courthouse, two
churches, dozen private residences, and leaving
not trace of q fence. Proceeding on through
Chattahoochee county, houses, fences and out
buildings were swept aside like chaff; but, sing
uar to relate, no lives were lost
Passing on into Cherokee county. a colored
church in Walesca was unroofed while the con-
gregation was at prayers. They prayed without
ceasing, though the rains came pelting down
upon them, and 1t was not until this morning
that they separated.
q warehouse, q hotel and much other property
was blown about so to be destroyed. At
eastern Railroad. A tree was blown across q
moving train, disabling several of the passen-
gers.
One mile from Lula, on the Northeastern road,
q tree was blown across q cut about fifteen feet
deep A freight train passed through the cut,
and the smokestack was struck by the tree and
torn of. A negro named Bob Reese, who was
stealing ride on the top OF car was struck by
the tree and instantly killed.
The southeastern wing of the storm, while not
90 severe In its destruction of property, was much
more fatal ia its effect upon human life.
The storm divided somewhere between Fort
Gaines and Columbus, the main force going
north and east as already described and the other
part shooting out across lower middle Georgia.
striking up above Augusta crossing into South
Carolina, and going with ils companion some.
where between Westminster and Spartanbnrg.
Its most serious work was AT Lumber City,
in Dodge county, where 1t struck the saw
mill of Wilcox & Co., two miles ABOVE Lumber
City, completely demolishing everything In its
track, blowing away the mill aud all the houses,
and killing W. B. Whiddon, Of Eastman, bust
meas manager for W. G. Macarthur, B. v. Hol-
land, Joe Neville and Joe Turner and severely
injuring Mrs. Mettier, Mrs. Rawles, Mrs. Wood
son, Mrs. Wilson and eight negroes. The bod
les Of those killed were terribly mangled, and
casualties, all Of the nature usual in such calam.
tiles, an the relation of them would be but rep.
etition with the names changed. An estimate
places the deaths resulting from the storm
throughout the State at about fifteen.
In Fairburn, both the colored churches were
demolished. the courthouse chimneys torn of,
shade trees uprooted, and other damage done.
Near Austell house was blown on a negro
blacksmith, killing him.
Reports of the storm 10 and around Gainesville
show that while 1t was not 90 severe, much dam.
age was DONE The colored Baptist Church was
completely demolished,
AT Calhoun the storm played eccentric pranks,
in one instance cutting house in two and carry
ing away one-half Then It tore down a house
around some women and children without harm
ing q hair of their heads. Several dwellings
were demolished about the heads of their occu-
pants who, singularly enough, escaped unhurt.
The Southern arm OF the storm passed cast
ward through Taliaferro county, taking every.
thing in its path 400 yards wide.