The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-23
A FEARFUL CYCLONE.
1t Carried Death and Destruc tion
Through Georgia and Ala bama.
ARLINGTON ACADEMY DESTROYED.
Children Carried Down in the ia
of a Building.
MOST HEARTRENDlNG SCENES.
MIXED In Sickcning Confusion.
Removal Of Dead ana Injured.

Eufala. Ala, March 22.--This city was
swept by a cyclone this morning In which
death and disaster has played a decided
part. Hourly the record becomes more
thrilling. For several days there has been
mild weather all through West Georgia
and East Alabama, and the country tribu
tary to the Chattahoochee river. Yester
day the Thermometer went up to SO and
the air was oppressive as ever it felt dur
ing the Juno solstice with the coming
OF the cyclone came reports of damage
from outside. At night rain began TO fall
,, copiously, but by morning there was a
cessation OF precipitation and the san peep
ed forth from the clouds as II there WAS
10 be repetition of yesterday. This was
| for but an hour when q storm came along
with terrific wrenching force. Men were
! almost caught up from the streets ami
soon found shelter. Shutters. roofs etc.
gave way and for two hours there was ter
ror and desolation when the cyclone passed
off 10 the northwest. courslng along the
Chattahoochee valley, causing terrible
| devastation.
The town of Blakely, Georgia was almost
lifted cut Of existence and people seeking
| refuge indoors were as badly knocked
round by cracking ana falling timpcrs as
were those On the outside who were I'M
able to dodge fence rails and other flying
missiles
The moat shocking of all. however, was
that which came from Arlington In Early
county, Georgia. It was about o'clock
that the pupils of Arlington academy began
TO assemble. There were about fifty pres-
ent when Professor Covington saw the
comni, storm aud called them In for shell
ter On ard on came tho elements with a
whizzing sound. Increasing until it lifted
two cabins across the way into midalr,
wrenching them into splnters as man
would handful of rot;'n wood. The sight
of this so frightened the children that they
clung piteously to Professors Walker and
Covngtou, Who yainly tried to quiet them.
cracking noise was heard and the shut
ters and swinging doors were wrcnchei
from their hinges. Then came twisting
and a careening and the central part of the
building gave way, falling with deadly ot-
feet upon a group of children who were
clinging tho professors.
| The doors and windows gone, the storm
! lad full sway within, fragments OF timbers
! were flying in the air and helpless children
were caught UP and dashed against the
| wrecks of walls. The cries OF the Wounded
and the groans of the dying are described
as having been heartrendns. While all
| this was going on, the people OF the town,
| roc of tho wreck IN tnrlT Own
| homes, ran to the school. where they knew
| their children were, only TO find many OF
| them dead others wounded aud pinioned
beneath the debris. Professor Walker had
his arms Ind legs broken and can not live
| through the night.
Among the dead are:
| Ollie Paramour. CLAUDE Robcfts,
| Alicn Putnam. Albert Butler.
| Willie McMurray, Kenneth Boyntcn,
| Maude Johnson. Mary Wellons.
| The wounded are:
| Ernest Wellons. leg broken
| Dudley Killcbrew. both legs broken.
Professor W. A. Covington. internal in
| turtles. Will die.
Alton Carter. leg broken.
Ethel Carter. internal injuries. will die.
| Ben McMurlay. head crushed will die.
Bette Paramour. arm broken and hurt
| internally.
clara Roberts. shoulders dislocated
| Simon Sanders, leg broken. and hurt in
tornally. will die
| George Riley. arm broken hurt inter
rally.
Clara Thchpen. arms broken hurt IN
| ternally will die
The scenes around the building were most
| heartronding as mothers clasped the forms
OF their beloved children IN their arms
| needing not the bloody and mangled forms.
The rain began to pour In torrents as
soon as the wind passed Off and 900 people
were drenchsd to the skin while clearing
away the wreck.
Some remarkable escapes were related.
| One little girl almost suffoceted for want
OF air WAS lying under three Of her dead
companions whose bodies had formed
cover winch saved her from the severity
Of the blow Of the falling debris.
From the banks of the Chattahoochee
| river up from Apalatehicola. there is but
| one story OF death and destruction.
! Five miles below this city a family Of
negroes named Andrews huddled up In
their cabin and began praying for the storm
to pass over which strangely enough, II
| did losing its force at that point and
| now they are thoroughly converted. The
| storm came from the Gulf OF Mexico, FORM
ing on the western side and entering the
| Aralatchicola valley and traversing its
| continent streams 10 their source. The
Apalstchicoia formed by the conjunction
| OF the Flint Hnd tIe tha' @lEuofhls. me
| latter forming the boundary line between
| Georgia and Alabama. and the former e1-
/ tending up into the heart OF Georgia.
| II was In the tongue of the territory
within this circumference thfH1he strength
Of the storm was spent and most Of It be-
ing inaccessible Of communication, details
are hard TO obtain.
| From Athens county, Alabama. around
Abbevllle there come stories Of death and
,rr,cL hut M names have been reepiyld
| A family Of 1--WE are reported killed near
| Geneva
A second disaster. that Of floods, iv-now
upon the county. The rivers and creeks
are swelling with thr raipfall whirH al
mot resembles cloudburst In its copious-
ness. On bth sides Of the Chattahoochte.
south Of this place. the heles ar over
flowed. destroying all the winters stock OF
preparation. carrying sway outhouses ana