The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1893-03-11
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION,
Terrible Cyclone Visits Marion and
Toomsuba.

A Terrible Cyclone Visits Marion and
| Toomsuba.
MERIDIAN, March 4.-The havoc
wrought by the cyclones in this section
last night isincalculable. is The scene at
Marion beggars description. Ruin and
devastation marks the cyclones deadly
march. Where once stood happy homes
now nothing remains save perhaps a
few stray pieces of timber Giant trees
lay locked and interlocksd, uprooted and
wrenched off to bear witness to the
storms fury.
The cyclone struck Marion at about
p. M, travelling around from southwest
to northeast. 1t is described by eye-
witnesses as whirling ball of fire, and
travelled in zigzag course. The main
track was 800 yards wide, and every
thing in that track was swept away,
wreckage of houses being scattered for
miles along its course. That the loss
OF human life is not greater is some
thing wonderful, but can be accounted
Tor in part by the fact that the cyclone
struck only the northern portion of the
town. which is not 80 densely populated
The first house in Marion in the
storms path was that of Millard ID.
Hasselle, which was completely swept
away The familymiraculously escaped,
Mrs. Hasselle only receiving small in
juries.
D. Harrlson's house was next to be
demolished. Harrison was badly hurt
by falling timbers and Mrs. Harrison's
arm broken and sustaining internal in
Juries which will probably prove fatal
George Nailer's house was next to be
engulfed, not even the foundation be-
ing left His family of ten miracu-
lously escaped with their lives, Mailer
receiving severe wounds about the head
and shoulders and Mrs. White, his
mother-in-law, being badly wounded
over the right temple.
The residence of Mrs. Mahan was
next to go, but fortunately she was un-
hurt Mrs. Barnett's house stood next
in the path Of the storm. Mrs. Barnett
had only moments warning. Selling
her child with rare presence of mind,
she shut herself in closet, and although
the house was converted into kindling
wood, they both escaped unhurt.
The Meadows homestead was the last
to be struck. Here lived Mrs. Burton
Meadow, 70 years of age, and her daugh-
ter, Miss Myra. Meadow. 40 years old.
Both were killed instantly. Several
other houses and outbuildings wers
blown down.
The cyclone passed from Marion to
the adjoining swamp uprooting tim Der,
crossing the Mobile & Ohio Railroad
mile above the town, destroying half
mile of telegraph wires and blocking
tue road. After destroying Marion the
cyclone cut swath through the swamp
until reaching Good Hope Church, two
miles east, which 1T wrecked, also do.
stroying four settlements of negro cabins,
but no person was fatally hurt.
When the tornado neared Toomsuba,
small station on the Alabama Great
Southern Railroad, twelve miles east of
here and nine miles east of Marion, it
evidently resolved to display its demon
lacal fury. The scene there is heart
rending in the extreme. Where but
yesterday stood beautiful village, to-
day Is displayed only heap of ruins
Dwellings and stores were blown down
and carried away, and the contents scat
tered to the four winds of heaven. None
know whittier. The approach to town is
strewn with debris, dead carcasses, etc.
One popularity Of the cyclone was
that at Marion, where it had only fairly
started, the track was about 800 feet
wide, gradually extending satl II
reached half mile, then gradually,
narrowing until when it reached Toom-
suba it had decreased to 200 yards. A
mile west Of Toomsuba the old Keeton
place. densely settled with negro cabins,
was almost completely destroyed, but
strange to say no one was injured be-
yono few bruises; and then, with
dev1lish glee, the whirl enveloped
Ioomsuba, the first house to 20 being
that OF Rev. j. e. Brunson, whose family
escaped with a few bruises. Brunson
on seeing the storm approaching extin-
gu!shed the lights and ranged his family
on the west side of the house. Brunson
was thrown by the concussion, and ON
arising found his clothing to the flesh
cut as ii by knife, but the skin was not
scratched. j. P. Shelburn's residence
and store were demolished. Mrs. Shell.
burn was found under the ruins, in the
Kitchen, lying alongside the stove, which
protected her from falling timber and
saved her life, she escaping with pain
full bruises. Rev. ]. f. Bynum, Baptist
minister, who had recently moved there,
had his residence, containing himself,
wife and eight children scattered, but
only the baby was injured.
Miscellaneous. ~.
The announcement that Col. II. L.
Muldrow, of Starkville, is to be reap
pointed Assistant Secretary of the Inte-
rior Is hailed with great delight by his
numerous friends throughout Missis-
|, | Sippi.- No man in tho country ;e ba++o,