Sumter area, South Carolina Tornado
March 22, 1890
SOUTHERN STORMS.
Cyclones and Floods Continue to Devastate the
Land of Sunshine.
COLUMBIA, S.C., March 24.-[Special.]-The
fury of Saturday's cyclone was principally felt
in Sumpter [sic]. Every house was shaken to its
foundation, roofs were carried away, fences
demolished and trees uprooted.
IDA RICHARDSON
was killed by a falling house. Two men, names
unknown were fatally injured and many persons
were badly bruised and cut. The
MATHIAS
machinery depot was demolished and two large
sheds of the Atlantic coast line railway were
blown down, while the Baptist church, jail and
factory are more or less damaged. The bridge
over Broad river on the Spartanburg Union &
Columbia River at Shelton was blown off the
piers into the river and completely wrecked. An
unknown man standing on the bridge was carried
with it. In Chester county the tornado did great
damage. Several small villages are also badly
wrecked. At Edgemore the Dutch Reformed church
was blown down. At Blackstock, the academy
buildings were destroyed, one woman and several
children are reported fatally injured. In
Orangeburg county many houses were unroofed. In
this city the immense ventilating roof of the
penitentiary was torn from its position and
thrown down upon all adjoining building. It is
reported that the town of Prosperity has been
swept away but as the wires are down nothing can
be learned. Iron and twisted trees mark the path
of the storm, and it is feared that immense
damage has been done.
Omaha Daily World-Herald, Omaha, NE 24
Mar 1890
Transcribed by Linda
Houston. Thanks, Linda!
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