The state herald., 1897-03-26
CHILDREN CRUSHED.
TERRIBLE CYCLONE IN THE
SOUTH.


TERRIBLE CYCLONE IN THE
SOUTH.
An Academy at Arlington. Georgia Demol-
ishcd with Loss of Eight Lives-Floods
Follow the Hurricane.
New Orleans, March 22.-Thc Times
Democrats Eufala, Alabama, special
says: This city was swept by n cy-
clone this morning, in which death and
disaster played Il dreadful part
Hourly the record becomes more ap.
palling. For several days there has
been summer mildness all through
southwest Georgia and southeast Ala
bama, and the country tributary to the
Chattahoochic river. Yesterday the
thermometer went up to eighty and the
air was as oppressive as ever 1t felt
during the July solstice. With the COM
ing of night the skies We're beclouded,
and rain began to fall about midnight.
Toward morning the lcaden skies and
increasing wind told of II storm, which
soon came along with terrific and
wrenching force. When the storm
struck, shutters, roofs, etc, gave way
anu Ipl lNV tHtlC was NNiioi 'i'
desolation, when the cyclone passed off
to the northwest, courshlg along the
Chattahoochc valley.
The reports soon coming in told OF
terrible devastation. The town of
Blakeley in Georgia was almost lifted
out of existence. and people seeking
refuge indoors were as badly knocked
around by cracking and falling tim
hnI.l n . Nprn ihpGn an thn ntIt siln who
We're unable to dodge fence rails and
flying missiles.
The most shocking storm of all, how
ever, was that which visited Arling-
ton, Early county, Georgia. 1t was
about s o'clock when the pupils of the
Arlington academy began To assemble,
and there We're about fifty present
when Professor Covington. noticing the
coming storm, called them in for shell
ter. On and on came the storm, with
roaring sound, increasing until 1t
lifted two cabins across the way into
midair, crushing them into splinters.
The sight of this so aifrighted the
children and they clung pitcously to
Professor Walker and Professor Cow
ington. who vainly tried to quiet them.
A cracking noise was heard and the
shutters and swinging doors were
wrenchcd from their hinges. Then
came twisting and carecning and
the north partition gave way, falling
with deadly effect upon group of
children who were clinging to the pro-
fessors. The doors and windows gone,
the storm shricked through the rock
ing building. and the little ones,
thrown to the floor, were crushed un-
der flying and falling debris. The
cries of the wounded, the grOans of the
dying, are described as heartrcnding.
The people of the town, regardless of
the wrcckage OF their own homes. ran
to the school where they knew their
children We're, only to find many dead,
others wounded and pinioned beneath
the debris. Professor Walker had his
arms and legs broken. and cannot live
through the night.
Eight of the children were killed out
right and ten others so severely in
jurcd that some of them may die.
The scenes around the building were
most hcartrcndlng. The rain began TO
pour in torrents as soon as the wind
passed or, and hundreds of people
We're drenchcd TO the skin while clear
ing away the wreck
Some remarkable escapes We're relat-
ed. One little girl almost suffocated
to death for want Of air, was lying un-
der three Of her companions, whose
bodies had formed buffer, which
saved her from the severity OF the
blows of the falling debris.
Along the bank Of the river mp from
Appalachlcola there il but one story
Of death and desolation. The storm
came from the Gulf OF Mexico. and. en-
tcrlng the Appalnchicola valley, trav-
vcrscd its coniluent streams TO their
source. The Appalachicola Is formed
by the conjunction OF the ChattahoO-
chile and the Flint the first of which
up TO West Point forms the State boun-
dairy line between Georgia and Ala
hama. and the second divorgcs north
eastcrly into the heart Of Gcorgin. 1t
was in the tongue of the territory
within their circumference that the
strength Of the storm was spent, and
most Of this is not accessible To tcle-
graphic communication. aud details
are hard To obtain.
From Henry county. Alabama.
around Abhcyvlllc, there come stories
of death and wreck. but no names
have been received. \ family of five
We're reported killed near Geneva.
y second disaster, that OF floods. Is
now upon the county. The rivers and
creeks are swelling. and on both sides
OF the charlottesville, south of this
place, the fields are ovcrilOwcd. de.
stroying all the winters work. carry
Ing AWAY 0uthousos ana cabins and
floating on stock.
Late tonight news comes In Of the
drowning Of family OF eight persons
on the Alabama side of the river In
Henry county. Richard Manson. with
his wife and six children. lived In n
cabin on the river bank ut the crossln.
of the Central railroad from Columbia.
The water rushed In, surrounding the
cabin, aud nll We're lost.