The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-29

Terrible Tornado-Immensc Amount or Pro- [
perfy Observation-Disclosures Incidents.
The Belleyille (ll) Tribune publishes an account
of terrible storm which visited st. Clair county on
the 10th instant. The first intimation OF the APP
preach of storm was given by the leaves and twigs
which filled the air, some OF which had come roni
considerable distance
The tornado it is supposed, originated in Missou-
ri, several miles below st. Louis, and crossed over
to the Illinois side. The first damage have SO
far heard that il did, is in the town of Waterloo,
Monroe county, where a brick house on the public
square, belonging to Mr. Colman, was blown down,
literally demolished. Large quantities of standing
timber and orchards were blown down, together
with fences outhouses, &c. 1t is also reported that
several persons were injured
All of the outhOuses, the stable and corn-crib, |
on the farm of James Glasgow, five or six miles
from Belleville on the Kaskaskia road, were blown
down and carried away; but the dwelling house was
not Injured. horse tied in the stable at the
time it blew down. but was not injured There was
quantity OF wool in the yard, recently sheared
piled up against the fence, on which were placed
some heavy boards to protect IL from the ram. rms
wool was not removed at all but the boards were
split and literally broken to pieces by the pressure
! OF the current OF air.
Here the course of the storm changed, and passed
| in sOutheastery direction. IL would descend to
the ground in whirs, scattering timber, &C., in
ry directions then, again ascending 1t would travel
for some distance without doing any damage until
| it again struck the ground.
On the farm Of Isaac Rittenhouse il Is said enough
timber was blown down to make three or four thou
sand cords of wood serious injury was also done to
| the orchards, fences, &c.
ON the farm of Fred. Merrill the storm was terri
BILE beyond description. II carried away and Destroy
ed everything within its reach for great distance.
This farm suffered more than any other witnin our
knowledge, the loss being estimated at about three
| thousand dollars. The house was two story brick,
comparatively new, with thirteen inch walls, stout
and substantial in every respect which was almost
entirely destroyed. At the time the family were in
the west Of the house, portion of one OF the
walls Of which remained standing, together with
bureau afordiDg the inmates some shelter from the
fury of the storm without. Alr. Ms wife was stand
ing and holding to the mantel-piece, when one OF
the walls was blown down. and she fell with to the
ground, distance OF some four feet, and was cover
ed up with the bricks and falling tnlbers. She re
ceyed several severe bruises and Commissions, but
none of O very serious nature. child three months
old, lying in a cradle, received no injury whatever
although surrounded by falling brick, timber, &C.,
large quantities of which fell on and III the CRADLE
breaking it to a very considerable extent small
dog, few feet from the cradle, was killed.
The harm, which was large one, heavy and well
built, was twisted out of shape-one end blown cut
from top to bottom-roof Off of main building, and
all of the shingles removed from the sheetng on
the shed part. Some of the rafters, sixteen to
eighteen feet in length, were blown distance of
about three hundred yards, and forced into the
ground, one of them SO tightly that it required the
aid of four men for considerable time to with
draw it. The gate posts were torn from the groald
and blown of. There was wagon standing in the
yard, the bed of which was raised off and blown
distance of about two hundred yards, and entirely
demolished. choice orchard, containing from
one hundred and fifty to two hundred trees, was
entirely destroyed all of the trees with the excep-
ton Of probably two or three, were uprooted, and
some of them carried distance Of two hundred
yards or more. The shade and ornamental trees in
the yard shared a similar fate. The smoke house,
which was full of bacon at the time, was raised
from its foundation and removed distance OF about
hundred feet and remains whole sd ane DAIRY
mashed into pieces. The fences were nearly all
blown down, not forty rods remaining standing on
the entire farm.
The storm then passed over to an adjoining farm
belonging to the Merrill estate, and occupied by
VIM. Henderlighte. The house was good sized one
built of large and heavy logs which was leveled to
the ground. Mr.. H., at the approach Of the storm,
was ut the front door endeavoring to close it, and
was blown through the house and out at the oppo-
site door, thence through the yard into the orchard,
blown down, and carried by thewind distance of
two hundred yards Mr. II. still cinging to it. He
was considerably bruised and mangled, but not Sc.
rously injured.
Mr. HIS wife, we believe, was unable to get out Of
the house, and was forced between the wall and a
doorthe door lodging against portion OF the Wal,
!. thus forming kind OF sheter-by which she was
protected from the logs and timbers falling around
!, her. She was extricated from her perilous
situation, and was but slightly injured.
A Mr.. Demar, in the employ OF Mr.. H., it is said
was blown distance Of some 200 yards across q
, meadow and was rather seriously hurt, having two
| or three ribs broken.
], great deal of damage was done to the orchards
fences timber, and houses Of other farms. The loss
, Of David Moore is set down at from two to three
/. thousand dollars. lie had brick house in process
OF erection, which was entirely destroyed. On 9
farm belonging to the brothers Pcarce, an orchard
of hundred choice trees of the Oldest in the
State, destroyed and three miles of fence were
blown down. The trees, though some of them were
nearly two feet and half in diameter, pulled
up by the roots and carried along by the storm
Shingles were found on a farm three miles distant
correspondent of the st. Louis Republican gives
some additional particulars
mile further 1t encountered the double log
. | house of Mr. Aaron Vickers, in which were Mr..
Vickers, his wife and child and three other persons.
The room they occupied was torn away to the foun-
dalton, and yet, marvellous it appears, they all
escaped without injury. 1t appears to the inmates,
to their best recollection, flor the tornado lasted but
a moment), that the house lifted up over their
heads torn in pieces in The air, and the fragments
! strewed in every direction.
Half mile further it lifted the roof from the log
house of Mr.. Hall into the air and carried it, no one
knew where, for its fragments had not been found
; tlirty-six hours AFTER
The new buggy of Rev. Mr.. Ely was blown several
hundred yards, and broken and torn into hundred
pieces. Rails from fences and timber from buildings
were thrown to the outermost verge of the track Of
the tornado, and driven three feet into the earth.
singular feature of this storm Is seen IN the zig
gag direction OF its track, making, in some in
stances, direct angles in its general course. Per-
sons within or near its track speak Of the sudden
appearance OF dense smoke or mist, and the dark
ness almost equal to night, that suddenly and
departed in few moments.
The damages to buildings, fences, orchards and
young timber (including Mr.. Ely's carriage) with
in two miles, may be safely estimated at not less
than 81 200 or 81 800.
Next day the citizens rallied from several miles
around to aid in repairing the fences and buildings
Native Americans and Germans were equally lbc-
raj and industrious.
GAMBLING AND MURDER IN MrssfssrPPI.-We
copy the following particulars of the shooting Of
Mr.. Fannin by NJ. J. Bunch, formerly citizen of
Memphis, from the Holly Springs Banner:-A gen.
tleman who came passenger on the stage Yesterday
fiom Aberdeen, Mississippi, reports horrible affair
which occurred there on he 18th inst. The circum-
stances related are as follows:-Col. M. J. Bunch
| ard Mr. Fannin, who was n sportsman Int atill