The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-03-27
TWISTED BY A TORNADO.
A Fright For the People Of Our Sister
City Augusta.

AUGUSTA, GA, March 20.-At g.
o'clock this morning Augusta was
visited by the most destructive wind
storm, or cyclone, since 1873. The
cyclone came from the southwest with
but little warning, and in less than q
minute had passed over the city into
South Carolina. In it's track there
lay destruction and houses were utter
ly wiped from their foundations and
sent in all directions, over housetopsS
that were not touched by the bounds
ing circular wind. Strange to saYz
there were no fatalities, though In
many instances roofs were carried
away while the occupants were left
unhurt. The majority Of the houses
ruined were small ore-story ones, as
the section of the city over which the
tornado passed is that for the most !
part inhabited by the poorer class of
whites and negroes.
The path of the tornado is about q. !;
mile in length from the first place it
struck to that where it finally rose and
passed over. The path was in the
shape of an S, and the tornado struck
about every quarter Of mile, making
four descents and rebounds, but the
second one was perhaps the worst.
This was on Gwinnett street, between
9th and 9th streets. The first two
houses blown down were two small
ones on the outskirts Of the city. The
tornado then rose and came down
again on Gwinnett street. The house
of Willie Sims, the great colored
jockey, which is rather pretentious
one, was the first to suffer. 1t was !.
twisted about and the chimneys car
ried away, doors blown from their him
ges and window sashes forced in.
Across the street five small houses
were so completely demolished that
there was nc trace of them except
few bricks from the chimneys and
foundation posts
A square further, at the corner OF 6
Summer and 9th street, small house
had the entire end taken out, leaving
the interior exposed like scene in
theatre. Persons were in the house
at the time eating breakfast, but they
escaped unhurt. Outhouses in the
yards were lifted and carried off sew
eral squares. ~.
Three hundred yards further on is
situated the large -four mill of Miller
e. Co. It is an immense four-story
building, covered entirely with sheet
iron. While the mill was not hurt by !.
the wind itself it proved target for g
the flying bricks, shingles and rafters
from the ruined houses. A small OUT
house from yard quarter of mile
away came sailing through the air and
struck the side of the mill. The force
of the missile shattered the iron, and
the little house was driven into the !.
side of the larger one. Scantlings
and boards also pierced the iron sides
of the mill till it had the appearance.
of frontier fort after an attack by
Indians. In front of Miller & Co.'s
mill an electric light pole was blown
down and the wires were crossed with
telephone wines. which grounded and
struck mule, instantly killing him.
Several hundred yards further to-
the northeast the wind came down
again and demolished one-haif Of the
round house Of the Central Railroad.
One of the locomotives in the shop at
the time was badly damaged, and the
tin roof of the remaining portion on
the building was stripped like peele&
orange. The roof of the Perkins w.
ufacturing Company was also
away. The paint shop Of the CeS
Railroad car shops was sprung -
thrown badly out of plumb, one side
of it's foundation being blown away.
Across Calhoun street from this two
small houses were demolished. -
On Fenwick street, near the South
ern Railway yard, a house in which
FIVE people were was blown away
leaving nothing but the flooring, and
yet no one was hurt. In all about AZ
houses were badly damaged and 20 ut
tcrly destroyed. The loss is variously
estimated, but it is conseryatively1
placed at 100000.
Augusta seems to be the only place
struck by the wind. Persons who saw
it say that it looked like whirlwind,
and that it rose and fell like rubber
ball. The noise was like that Of many
freight trains running over long.
bridge. The width Of the path was
not over fifty yards. The great cyclone
of 1878 passed over part Of the terri,
tory covered by this, but did far great
er damage. Perhaps IS people we're
rendered homeless by this mornings