The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-11-28
A Terror in Tennessee.

nesseo vas swep. Last night by tho
most destructive tornado ever known
in the State. More than fifty persons
wero killed and hundred more injur.
ed, while the damage to houses. tim
i5c7 aud other property VII. reach large
figures.
The storm entered the State from
Northern Mississippi and swept across
in northwesterly direction. Great
damage is reported from the counties
bordering OF Mississippi, and further
on, Columbia, in MGurey County. is
the heaviest sufferer. Layergne, MOL.
ensyillc and Gallarn also felt the
winds force, the storm finally losing
its force against the Cumberland
Mountain range.
Columbia's casualties number TWEEN
ty-fve dead AMI fifty injured.
TIE path Of the storm is about. fifty
yards wide and was through the north
Western suburbs Of tbs town. iu It's
path everything is completely wreck.
ed. Not even the iron and stone fen.
ces Of the arsenal grounds are stand
ing.
The houses Of Capt. Aydelot, the
Ferrells and other large residences
were demolished.
With the exception Of these four
houses the storms path Was through q
section Of the town populated chiefly
by negroes aud the poorer classes, and
the houses wero mere novels. It is
estimated that $50 Of them were total
ly wrecked and o larger number dam
aged.
The suffering Of the people, render
ed homeless and bereft Of all their
goods, is pitiable.
The number of houses destroyed in
the Nolensville neighborhood is six
teen. There were two deaths.
All Of the sixteen houses were to-
tally destroyed.
Mr.. Hampton had $40O in money
and this was blown away and only a
part recovered.
The baby Of Jim Christman, color
ed, reported lost, was found 300 yards
from the house at 10 o'clock lying
near branch uninjured. One of the
family dogs was lying by his side.
At Lavergne, sixteen miles south
of here, on the Nashville, Chattanooga
and st. Louis Road, the velocity of
the wind was marvellous and, flom
the best reports, lasted only about
twenty seconds. In this short time
about thirty five dwellings, were turn
ed into kindling wood. The loss of
life is small compared with tho mira
culous escapes made. The wind made
swath about two hundred yards wide
through the middle of the town. The
Lavergne High School and the depot,
the two largest buildings, were laid
Hat on the ground. The loss Of these
twe buildings ;s piaoed at $1,000.
.'he railroad lost four section houses,
each valued at $500. The victims of
the tornado are: George Robertson
and his six-months.oli child.
Mr.. Robertson's house, which is a
very strong log structure, was in the
middle Of the path ef the storm and
was laid fat on the ground. At the
time Mr.. Robertson and his child had
retired and his wife was sitting near
the bed sewing and before the latter
could even warn her husband death
had claimed them.
Mrs. Robertson's escape was mar
vellous. When found Mr. Robertson
was pinned across the back by large
timber and a great scar was on the
tack Of His neck. No marks could be
discovered on the body of the child.
Both are thought to have met instant
death.
In almost every home there were
several injured.
In Williamson County great damage
was done, but the town of Franklin
escaped with comparatively small loss.
Houses and timber in Summer
County also suffered considerably, but
first reports sent out from Gallatin
were exaggerated.
Great suffering is being experienced
by those deprived of homes at Law
ergne and Nolensvillc.
The rise in the Cumberland River
at Nashville is the most rapid known
in twenty. five years, the water having
climbed twentv foet IN .ho ,on