The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-06-24
CYCLONE TOUCHES DILLON
Southeastern Suburbs Brushed by
Oklahoma Twister Early Sum
day Morning.

Residents in the southeastern SUI
burbs were rudely awakened from
their slumbers about 1880 o'clock
Sunday night by cyclone of no mean
proportions that felled trees and de-
stroyed small outhouses. The twister
came from the west and followed close
on the heels of one of the most ter
rifle electric storms that ever visit
ed this section.
1t was about 1880 o'clock Sunday
night when those who had been
awakened by the mighty peals OF
thunder and vivid flashed Of light
ming heard low rumbling that in
creased in intensity as it approached.
With the exception of the thunder
and the pattering of the huge rain
drops on the house roofs there was
stiffness that was almost oppressive.
There is no sound on earth that re-
sembles the approach Of cyclone ana
those who had passed through SUCH
experiences before knew what
was coming. But there was no time
for action. Before one could get his
wits together there was mighty
roar, followed by the falling OF
boards and the swaying Of houses,
and almost as quickly as 1t, came the
mighty body of wind had swept on
leaving a mass of wreckage In It's
wake.
A cyclone comes in the form OF q
funnel-shaped cloud with the small
end of the funnel pointing toward the
earth. It is a whirl wind Of immense
proportions and greatly multiplied
destructive powers. 1t travels at the
rate of fifty to sixty miles an hour
and bounces up and down like a rub
Der ball.
Fortunately for those in its path
Sunday nights cyclone happened TO-
be above the house tops when 1t
passed over Dillon. Only the small
end of. the funnel touched at spots.
If it had descended to the earth the
destruction of life and property would
have been appalling.
The greatest damage was done to-
trees and small outhouses. A barn on
Dillon Mill village was blown down
and Stephen Proctor's automobile ga"
rage was scattered over a wide area.
Mr.. Proctor's automobile was In the
garage but strange to say 1t was not
even scratched. Heavy sleepers tWen-
ty feet long were picked up oooily
and thrown on the opposite side OF
the car. Passing out of town the cy-
clona went in the direction of the
race track where it blew down lot OK
fencing and destroyed several small
buildings. After passing over the race
track it swerved to the left and went
into a pine grove on w. Murchison's
land where it uprooted trees ana
snapped off tops like pipe stems. The
twister spent its fury in Little Pee
Dee swamp.
Dozens of Chinaberry trees in town
varying in size from three to sixteen
inches in diameter were blown down
or twisted into an unrecognizaole
mass. Chicken coops were smashed
into kindling and next morning the:
streets Were full of fowls wandering
about in a strange and beWllderea'
manner.
In the southern part of town tele-
phone and electric light poles were
snapped clean at the ground and 1t
was late Monday afternoon before the
current was turned on. Many OF the
phones are still out Of commission.
Accompanying the cyclone was one
of the heaviest rainfalls in the history
of Dillon. The rain fell in torrents
and if it had continued for any great
length of time the streets would have
been completely submerged. 1t was
the first time Dillon has ever been
visited by a cyclone and those who
passed through it say they would not
have another such experience Tor MIL
lions 1t was terrifying while 1t last
ed.