The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-06-02
FARMER RELATES
STORMS TERR0RS
K. p. ELLIOTT TELLS OF HAVOC
WROUGHT IN HORRY COUN-
TY RECENTLY

inc death and destruction in is wake,
is here graphically described by R. P.
Elliott, a farmer living on the planta-
ton of E. NJ. Meares, apparently The
point of greatest damage.
81 was out in the yard" said Mr..
Elliott, shortly before the tornado
came. | am naturally uneasy upon
the approach of a storm and thought
if best to get out and look around 4
bit. My wife and two boys were in
the house.
at grew blacker ard darker until
it was almost rs dark as night, and
soon in the woods across tie field
behind the house | heard the most
harsh and shrieking noise | had
heard in all my life. l was too ter
rifed at first to know what was hap
pcning and almost believed Judgment
day was at hand.
~ ran to The house and shoated to
NY wife and children 70 come out.
We started Cor thc other big open
field across the road in front Of the
house. Just at that momcrt a Ford
car came into sight. The drivs"
seemed to be trying to outrun the
storm and was racing along ut a high
speed.
"'Get out! Get out" shouted, un-
dertaking frantically to wave him
down. At first ne paid no attention
to me, probably unable to understand
what l said for the noise in the woods.
Then he seemed to understand his dam
ger and scarcely waiting to stop the
machine jumped from it.
"By that time the wind was clear
ing the woods. 1t came shrieking
and whirling across the field, a cloud
of foliage, branches and dirt in les
embrace. My wife and children and
myself were in the big field across the
road by this time. We ran as fast
as we could, hardly knowing where
we were going or what we were doing.
We became separated and l tripped
and fell.
"The storm was upon US by this
time. The noise was deafening-a
chrashing, splintering, rending and
tearing filled the air. Boards and
planks, stove wood, bits of clothing
and all sorts of things sailed over
head. 1 tried to rise but the violence
of the wind hurled me to the ground
as if / had been fluttering autumn
leaf. My wife and children, too, were
down.
81 buried my face in the dirt, eX-
pecting each minute to be the last.
For the life of me l couldn't say how
long the storm lasted. My anxiety
and fright were such that l was un-
able to think. Then the storm passed.
Everything was quiet once more and
the stiffness seemed almost deathly
after the hubbub.
"What a sight greeted my eyes as
l looked around. With the exception
of the kitchen and dining room, my
home was a complete wreck-literally
twisted into bits. AS l looked upon
this heap of debris, thought of what
would have happened to my winfe and
children if they had been inside.
"They were coming toward me-my
wife and two boys-from their bur-
rows in the field and apparently un-
injured This at least was comfort
ing.
"The Ford car had been lifted out
of the road and dropped over in the
field. Part of Mr.. Meares's barn was
gone. An apple tree in the field had
been uprooted. Over in the woods
whence the tornado had come, well
defined path could be seen. The tops
of pine trees had been snapped, oaks
bent and broken and branches strip
ped of their foliage.
John Floyd's house just a little
way down the road was snapeless
pile of splintered timber. And from
it, I realized for the first time, came
piteous cries for help. 1t was Johns
wife. l could tell her voice.
"By this time people began to COL
lect. Some of them came from the
big house and some of them came
from up the road. We all went to
Mrs. Floyd's help. Pretty soon an
other wonan's voice started up and
somebody said it was Mrs. Sam
Jones, sister-in-law to Mrs. Floyd.
eve found that the two women
were pinned under a piece of the roof.
After while we got them out. They
were badly bruised up and about da-
zy from fright.
"Mrs. Floyd BEGAN to scream:
Where is my baby. Where is little
Francis. He was On the bed with