Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-06-03
dirk and two girls; Byer and son, COL

dirk and two girls; Byer and son, COL
ored; Mrs. T. J. 1vey and Mrs Pass.
Besides these, eight men, six white
and two colored, were killed In the de-
molition Of Jos. T. Logan's store near
the Southern depot, and one man and
one woman met death in the store OF
George Jones, the woman being the
wife Of the proprietor.
Unconfirmed reports from White Sui
phur, seven miles from Gainesville
says that about twelve persons were
killed there. Their names are not yet
obtainable and hopes are expressed
that this report is unfounded.
The tornado did its appalling work
in such incredibly short time that 1t
Is difficult to get q coherent descr1p-
ton of it's character. 1t appears to
have swept down from the southwest
striking the Gainesville mills with a
roar like the report Of artillery. After
lifting two stories from this structure
it swept on to the northward, leaving
trail Of destruction along Summit
street, which is inhabited almost ex-
clusively by Negroes. Nearly 100 cot
tages of colored people on this street
were leveled to the ground, but In a
fortunate. circumstance the tenants
were all! absent, having left the city
in the morning to take part In Ne
gro picnic.?; =:
The furious wind next descended on
the plant,:of the Pacolet Cotton mills
at New Holland two miles from the
Southern station. This is one of the
largest cotton mills in the south, en-
ploying more than 600 hands. The
storm spared the Pacolet factory, but
entirely demolished 100 Of its cottages
standing near by and tenanted by Its
operatives, upward Of 35 persons being
buried in the ruins Of the cottages
Bodies were blown hundreds Of yards
and many Of them when picked uI
bore no semblance to humanity. The
trunk of one young boy was found
with the head decapitated as If by
the guillotine.
From New Holland the tornado
swept onward to the east Of White
Sulphur, a town of about 100 persons
The extent Of it's destruction there can
not now be definitely told, but reports
so far received indicate considerable
loss Of life.
The bodies of most Of the dead OF
the two cotton mills were fearfully
torn and mangled; the skulls Of many
Of them were crushed and the limbs
broken; some were torn and crushed
about the abdomen with the viscera
visibly protruding. The local physi-
clans, who gave first aid to the injured
say the sights were horrible beyond
description. The death list is expected
to be Of much greater magnitude by
morning, as nearly thirty are believed
to be hurt beyond hope of recovery.
Gainesville has only twelve local ply
sicians and their services were found
entirely inadequate for the situation
Surgeons from Atlanta and Other
points came, so that the number in the
city now is about forty and all possible
care and attention Is being given the
injured people.
At a meeting tonight Of physicians
news Japer men and citizens of Gaines
VILE, a relief committee was formed
with Jas. r. Gray, Of Atlanta, as the
chairman. Supplies will be rushed In
to the stricken city as rapidly as pos
sible. Gainesville feels able to take
care Of the immediate needs Of the suf'
fering, but unless supplies are received
much distress is likely to result, as the
families visited by death and mutila'
ton were almost without exception de.
pendent upon their daily labor for sup
mort