The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-06-08
AN EYEWIA.I IS lEAL5
or THE GREAT DISASTER


This Is the story of how Death played
the leading part in the terrible tragedy
at Gainesville, as told by Rufus Cooper
colored. a tailor, who was an eye witness
and narrowly escaped serious injury At
the time of the interview 1t was very
evident that he had not YET recovered
from the terrible fright and shock. He
arrived in Atlanta late yesterday after
noon.
81 was in a little settlement OF the
town in which / suppose there were
some fifty houses. and when the terrible
tornado passed over the house which 1
occupied was one of the only thrtS left
standing started to go into church
and had opened the door to step outside
when it was slammed back on me with
such force as to almost fell me to the
floor. Immediately afterwards I looked
out of the window and the street was
black with the darkness of midnight.
THE storm came with terrific force
and so suddenly that there was no pre-
pairing for ii. So far as I am concerned,
I feel sure that the only thing that
saved my life was the slamming Of the
door that pushed me inside, for it was
impossible to keep ones feet in the street
after the storm struck.
"'rhe house in which I was shook like
thing OF paper and every minute threat
ened to be entirely destroyed There was
terrible roaring noise that I remember
made be think in some way of engines
starting out of the car shed in Atlanta.
This may seem strange. but l remember
perfectly that it came to my mind.
Then most awfu Of all was the noise
of the wild cries of human beings and
animals in their death agony that rose
even above the roar of the storm. Even
In those flashes of lightning it was pos
sibe to see some OF the victims thrown
high In the a. I'd | know there We're
very many il. ia nesville who believed
that the day of Judgment had arrived
and that the angd of death was pass
ing not only over the town. but the en-
tire world.
And when roof and the whole sides
of nearby houses came crashing against
the house where was 1t seemed as
though nothing could possibly save any
of us. The air outside seemed fairly
| alive with flying masses which we at
| forwards found to be rafters and beams
and trees and even great stones.
80 great was the terror to us all that
even after the storm had passed over
we seemed hardly able to move, and
| | am sure most of US expected a second
visitation But 1t was impossible to re-
main inside long with the agonizing cries
of those outside calling for help. | am
sure | can never forget the scene that
confronted me when l finally stepped out
side 1t is beyond me at this time to
| even talk about 1t. l only remember that
| the church which l was about starting
| for had been swept entirely away and
| that where but a few minutes before
there had been many houses only three
were standing | won't try to describe
| tho condition Of some of the dead or the
awful suffering Of some of the injured
| but l remember the most awful sight
| was the body of a white boy about four
Eteen years old whose head was COM
pletely severed from the trunk and could
| not be found anywhere
An Escape from Mill.
/ Engineer E. H. Gray, of the Gainesville
| mills where the storm first struck, was
! at his post and escaped uninjured. He
states that he had just blown the whistle
J as a signal for the operatives to go to
! work when he heard a distant roaring
+, sound and the next he knew the immense
! building was crumbling about him like a
| house of sand and the shreks of the dy-
| Ing were being borne through the rush
| ing air 1t was so dark that he had
| only a moment before turned on the cleo
| trio lights in the plant. He did not have
| an opportunity to see the approaching
was until he crowded out Of the debris,