The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-04-29
WEST PASCAGOULA
Visited by a Fearful Cyclone on the
Night of the 22d Instant.

A recent sad experience, entauing loss Of
life and destruction Of property, has utterly
disproved the hitherto accepted theory that
the Gulf Coast was safe from cyclones. At
West Pascagoula last Friday night within n
few minutes Of IL o'clock, one of those fearful
agents of destruction struck the beach near
the residence of Mrs. Kate Staples, some two
miles west Of the J.. 4 n. u. R. bridge that
crosses West Paacagoula river. After demol-
ishing Mr.. Staples wharf and bath house, and
scattering to parts unknown the wrecked frag-
ments Of a yawl and large skiG, the cyclone or
tornado, Ms it is otherwise called, shot off in
a northeasterly direction, and passing through
the Owens place, near by, denuded a grove of
magnificent and venerable oaks Of their
branches, as easily as If they had been so
many slender tw,gs, and then upset the house
occupied by John Seymour and wife, who,
though more or less bruised, escaped without
serious injury, but not without the loss Of the
greater part Of their household effects. Thence
rising upwards, the mass Of whifling air pass
ed over a thick grove of pines, ever and anon
descending, as If for %pastln'c, to snap off the
tops or tear to s~plin,ers the limbs and trunks
of every tree in its path, until 1t fell with all
it's dcmoniacnl strength upon the house and
grounds Of Henry Andrews, a respectable col
ored man living about a quarter OF a
mile south Of the railroad track. His wife
and children, thirteen souls in all, were asleep
ut the time, unconscious Of the terrible fate
awaiting them. In an instant, and before the
inmates Ind time to realize their condition the
cyclone with mad fury had struck with ire
sistible force and demolished the little DWELL
ing, nuthouses, fences, trees, garden and fields
-dashing everything to pieces and scattering
in the path Of the tornado the torn fragments
of lumber, timber, furniture, wearing apparel
Just arisen from her bed to shield her Younger
children from the rain which was pouring in
torrents, had barely time and opportunity to
clasp her infant babe in her arms, when she
felt herself whirled through the air, as if by
some invisible power, and carried of in the
midst of the flying debris Of what was once
her humble but comfortable home. Henry
Andrews and his step-son, William Marshall
most fortunately for them, were not at home
having attended a society meeting, but wer'
returning and were in hailing distance, wheI
the roar Of the cyclone and the screams Of tn,
women and children fell simultaneously upol
their ears. Making what speed they coul'
through the darkness, and guided by th'
groans Of the injured, they finally reached
the mother, who, battered and bruised, bu
still holding her infant, had been cast into
marsh some hundred yards from the house
the other members Of the unfortunate famll.
, were found near by. OF the thirteen innate
. -children and adults-two, both girls, aged
. and 4 years respectively, were tound dead
their bodies crushed and mangled. Auothe
girl Of IA years, died the following day, an
still another girl a few years younger, as ais
. the infant, are liable to die. Eliza Andrew
the mother, besides losing her teeth, is badl
5 battered about the face, and has a severe an
. serious wound on the knee. One boy, abor
U II years, received several dangerous cuts an
contusions about the head and body. The oil
" er children escaped with comparatively sligi
injury. The only beings who escaped ,nstaI
death-and their escape seems miraculous
were q married daughter and her baby. Thei
two were found sitting on the bare eronn
the whirlwind having lifted the house abol
!, and from them, leaving them safe and scun
RI All Of this was but the work Of an instant.
l.. Leaving the wreck Of Andrews house Il
70 tornado, continuing 10 northeast course sp'
" across the railroad, strcwiug telegraph pol
nj and wire along aud across the track, al
s. passed In the rear Of Charley Wiley's, al
10 colored, tearing down his barn, wood hou
ID and chicken. house. In the last was his vi
10 who had gone out to see to the safety Of I
Z, poultry. She was picked up BY the wir
IL spun around and finally landed 10 On adjace
10 field, but happily, without injury Of any O.
a. sequence. The colorcd Baptist church v
lifted from its foundations and placed dat
:" the ground, but not Otherwise dsmsgsd. ii
ing itself again, the cyclone pdsssd over ri'
- and marsh 10 Davis Island, where . "
:. swaih filed with uprootsd and broken IN
:" showed how the demon of distraction had
I. haustsd its remaining atrsae,h and fury.
- =Ths tornado crossed The railroad track
N : ~ minutes bsf0rs the arrival of tbs nor
h. id train (Kc. - which an this night b
:, ~ ~ late, and wbish, but far tie
engineer had a,aeksnsd stssd, 70
J have hesn dsrAilsd BY The tslsere
tribe for the DsxooRATsSTi
= rear Ia advaucc.