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Show ilDixie's Most Disasterous Storm Secured In 1862 Reports H. L. Reid BY H. L. REID Jlseventy-seven years ago, in 1862, one of the most disastrous storms recorded in Dixie history was in progress. The storm commenced on Christmas Day and continued "more or less for 40 days". The valleys and hills became saturated and the mountains filled with snow. Y A few quotations will reveal the severity of the storms. ? Because of limited space I shall confine myself this week to the story of the storm at Fort Harmony. Har-mony. "By the close of January, 1862, it was found that Harmony had (suffered from the effects of the prolonged storm. On January 4 the snow was eight inches deep. Snow and rain fell almost incessantly in-cessantly for 28 days. Fort Harmony Har-mony having been built of adobes had almost collapsed. The water in the underground rooms arose to a depth of three feet, notwithstanding not-withstanding their utmost exertions exer-tions to keep it bailed out. "Sunday, Jan. 12, the storm is still raging, spreading a mantle of gloom over Fort Harmony, the walls of which are crumbling, rendering the houses positively dangerous. "Friday, Jan. 17, 1862, the storm raged most vehemently. (Continued on page seven) Dixie's Big Storm (Continued from first page) About 1 p.m. John D. Loe's barn fell, tho south side having boon 7 washed out several days before. Parts of the wall of the Fort were constantly falling, and great fear was felt that the whole structure struc-ture would collapse. About midnight mid-night part of the south wall fell with an awful crash. When daylight day-light at length came the storm was still raging. j 7 '"Saturday. Jan. IS. 1S6J. John D. Loo. through the kindness of 9 William and Harvey A. Pace, also i 1 George W. Sevy. took three wagons with eight yoke of cattle to each wagon, as the road was so saturated in many places the wheels would sink deep enough to cause the axels to drag on the ground, and moved all the families from the Fort, except Sarah C. Lee and family, her house was considered safe and was the only place of refuge where all the families were sheltered the previous pre-vious night. John D. Lee was eight nights without undressing or putting on dry clothes. "January 30. 1S62. This morning morn-ing the sun was seen for the first time since the 4th instance, but j U at 1 o'clock it commenced snow-1 Jing again and continued for several days. i "Fridav. Feb. 7. 1S62. While the j last of John D. Lee's family were (preparing to leave Fort Harmony a sudden gust of wind blew down a partition wall, which in the fall broke through the lower floor, killing two of the children. Two 7 other children had a narrow escape from sharing a similar : fate". ! Next article: "Floods Along the j ' P.io Virgin and the Santa Clara", i |