The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-04-14
THE wHIRLwIND IN OHIO.

very particular account of the effects of O
disastrous whirlwind which passed through
Urbana, in Ohio, on the 22d ult., from which
we make the following extract:
! "From the best information that has
been obtained the Tornado, that, on Mon.
day last, swept through this beautiful and
| flourishing village, with such desolating
| fury, commenced about six miles in south.
westerly direction from this place. II
would seem that two powerful currents o.
all from the Northwest and Southeast, en-
| countered each other, and after short
struggle for the mastery, united their
forces and shot off in northeasterly di-
rection, with rapidity that nothing could
ontstrip, and fury that nothing could
withstand. No serious injury, as far as we
have learned, marked its progress, until il
in its course. The width of the current
was not more than one hundred yards. 1t
passed about half past one o'clock, P. nj.
I and did not continue more than one minute.
The first buildings il struck, Rfter reaching
the village, was a brick tenement occupied
5y Mr.. Richard Baker, which was pros
trated."
Here follows a list of the several build
ings in the town which were destroyed or
injured.
The whole number of houses inhabited
that were more or less affected by the gale,
is thirty-one; and the entire number OF
buildings injured and destroyed in the Vii
lage, is seventy.
"From the houses that were overthrown,
nearly every article of furniture and cloth
| ing was swept away, and scattered along
the path of desoation, as far as it has been
traced. Mr.. George Bells large family
Bible (for instance) was found fifteen miles
Northeast cfthis place.
sit may well be supposed, that amidst
this scene of desolation and ruiz, there
were many narrow and hairbreadth escapes
of property, life, and limb. Such, indeed, is
the fact, and would to God there had been
more. The dwellings, of Mr.. Chaplin, Mr.
Jer. Matthias, and Mr.. James Hunter, stood
nearly unframed, though every thing i'm
mediately around them was laid in ruins.
Mr.. R. Harvey's house, in which also
lived Mr.. ]. Ross, was totally destroyed.
Mrs. Harvey was severely bruised, and one
of her legs fractured-she is, however, in a
fair way of recovery. Mrs. Ross, her sis
ter, was standing in the porch, on the south
side OF the house with her infant in her
arms-they were both thrown 25 or 80 feet
north, over the foundation of the house into
the street, and both escaped injury. Mr..
Charles Mathias's wife was sitting with her
child in her arms, when their brick house
fell; and it is truly extraordinary that,
amidst such a mass of brick and other
matter, they should have received little or
no harm.
d,ua 80 A.. D.II
merchant, was among those that were to-
tally destroyed. Indeed so entire was the
destruction, that part of the stone founda-
lion was rent from its bed. 1t was here
that the tempest exerted its most fatal en-
ergies. In the house there were at the
time ten persons: Mrs. Mary Bell and her
five children, the eldest girl about 10
years of age, the youngest an infant of nine
months; Mrs. Nancy, wife of Robert Bell,
with her daughter Jane. aged near years |;
her little son William about 2 wears; and
also Mary Smith, daughter of VIM. Smith
whose wife is sister of Mr.. R. Bell. Of
these, Elizabeth s. Thomas and Robert,
children of George Bell, met with an imme-
diate and fearful death. Elizabeth, the
eldest, was dashed against the farther fence
of the burying ground, and was taken up
lifeless, with her face much dis6gured, her
body bruised, and her arm broken. Thorn
as, years old last January, was found ten
or t,Celre rods from the house with his head
and face most shockingly bruised and
mangled; Robert an infant was found near
a fourth Of a male from the house, with the
back of his head dashed to pieces-they
were all consigned to one grave on Tues
day. Jane was found eighteen or t,centy
rods from the house, with her skull badly
fractured, and her body injured-her spirit
had not taken final departure; surgical aid
was resorted TO, but in vain she expired
yesterday morning, and the ground has
just closed over her mangled remains.
Both of the Mrs. Bells were very dan
gerously wounded; but Mrs. Mary B. is in
a situation that almost forhids the hope of
recovery. Mrs. Nancy D. is doing well,
and bids fair to recover.
S. Mr.. Smiths little girl, Mary, was much
lacerated, and her skull slightly fractured
Her recovery, though doubtful, is not des-
paired of. The remaining three children
were all injured, but not dangerously"
NEW PHILANTHROPY March %