Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-03
BY FRED SEAEEER

BY FRED sEAEEER
"It is indeed difficult to attempt to
describe the horrors of being in a
cyclone such as the one that passed
through West Point last Sunday aft
ernoon. Webster failed to invent
words to fully cover a description
of such a trying time; in fact, one
must go through it to appreciate just
what it means.
"You have no doubt heard heavy
loaded freight train from three to
five miles away approaching at
midnight hour when everything was
calm. At first you could barely hear
it, and then it, would get louder and
louder as it neared you. Then with
a roar and numbering noise it would
shoot by and then the noise re-
versed until it was again out of
sight.
But, believe me, there never was
a freight or even a fast express
train that travelled the speed of that
wind Sunday. 1t was more like light
ming when it comes to speed
1.-THE atmosphere became close and
sultry, the heavens became dark, and
then it lightened up to a golden
| shade, and then you could hear the
roar; vet no one thought for a mo-
ment it was more than an approach
| ing automobile. And the strangest
| part of the storm was the failure
| to hear any thunder. There was
neither thunder nor lightning.
"West Point is my old home town
| and went down Saturday afternoon
to spend the weekend with my rela-
| tiVes and old friends. I was at my
/ sisters home when the storm passed,
| and which was right in its path. To-
| gether with my sisters, two nephews
and niece, we were all in the sitting
| room. About 3 o'clock we noticed it
was getting a little cloudy, though
| never thought much of 1t and that
| perhaps we would have a shower, but
| instead it grew darker and darker
and then lightened UP to the golden
shade as above described. If it had
been at night I believe it would
have looked more like fire. Then
came the roaring noise, and then the
| storm:
Feeling Indescribabls
sThe double doors to the front hall
was open and by locking them, and
with the force Of my two nepheWs,
| George and Shaefer Heard, and my
| ~~>N~-
aged to keep them closed, while all
the other doors and windows were
locked and closed.
"Then came the crisis. The Win
dows were blown in, the chimneys
fell, the columns supporting the We
randa were blown away, immense
trees fell upon the house and the
house rocked and reeled. I called to-
gether the entire family and while
all huddled together around the hall
door pleaded with our Heavenly Fa-
Their to save us. There are no words
to describe the feeling at this mo-
ment, perfectly helpless and with
but One to call upon. We thought
that every second, not minutes, but
seconds, we would all be lost.
at lasted about three minutes, but
I must say it seemed like three
hours. The storm then proceeded on
it's journey, wedding down every
thing in its path. AS above stated
the wind part of the storm remind
ed me of a fast express tram pass
ing a nonstop station, but instead OF
seeing it you heard it and when 1t
had passed it was all over and gone
81 then walked out on the front
porch to see just what, and how
much damage had been done, ano
was attracted by the voice of lady
calling for help. At this moment II
began to RAIN and such rain nave
never seen before. My nephew anc
myself ran around the corner In re-
Spouse to the call by the lady anc
found their home complete WrecH
We picked up three Of the small emil
dren in our arms and carried them &c
; some of the neighbors whom were
more fortunate in their loss, while
half dozen other men with saws
and axes cut timbers apart TO res
cue the older members OF the tamlly
There was no one killed IN tne
house, though one of the little girls
suffered a broken leg, and other
members of the family were badly
: bruised and cut On the next bloch
} was the Presbyterian church, com
nlete wreck. and where Mr.. Ison
Stanley lost his life and Mr.
ferguson was badly injured. The
l elders of the church were hav'
ing a meeting there, planning the
future of the church, or rather plan
: ming to erect a new church. Ihere
were about eight in the party ane
the remaining six were spared, whlcf
> escape was indeed miraculous, as the
church was wrecked to the ground.
"Then to go up to the business sec
ton of the city and to see the de
struction and toll of death wa!
. simply heart-rending. In the death o.
= Mr.. L. D. Askew, West Point los
one of it's best citizens. Mr.. AskeW
. was president of the board of edu
| cation. q deacon of the Bapt1s
church and prominent in every cause
J. for the good of the town. When XIII
= ed he was no doubt filling pre-
: scription for the sick or doing
, good turn for some one. Rolan.
Horne and Blake Henry and other!
that were killed l did not know.
; "Had the storm happened the day
/ before and at the same hour ther'
| would have been not less than wv
t lives lost as it was estimated
crowd of from 5000 to 5000 people
from the surrounding country wa'
. in town.
West Point P1ucky
"And right here 1 wish to sa!
: West Point is without a doubt tn
4 Quickest little city in the entir'
south. And there are no better cit1
zens to be found on the top side O.
the earth. Come back? Why inside o.
I two months no one will ever know
that a cyclone had been within 1
I hundred miles of the town. By
o'clock the next morning, I venture
to say there were from 500 to LOO
laborers and teams on the job NOV
I ing, and clearing the debris of thu