The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-06-08
A Terrible Tornado in Illinois.

The BelleVille (lllinois) Ir16une con-
tains the particulars of a very destructive
tornado which visited that county on the
10th May. An immense amount of val
liable property was destroyed. The
storm originated in Missouri and crossed
over the Illinois side several miles below
ST Louis. In Waterloo, Monroe county,
a brick house was blown down, as well
as four or FIVE other houses, together with
large quantities of standing timber and
orchards. The storm next passed over
the farm of Frederick Merrell, where it
was terrific beyond description, destroy
ing everything within its reach for great
distance. The house was a two story
brick building, comparatively new. with
I3 inch walls, stout and substantial IN
every respect, which was almost entirely
destroyed. At the time of the catastro-
phe, Mr.. Merrill's wife was standing and
holding on to the mantlel iece, when one
of the walls was blown down, and she
fell with it to the ground, distance Of
four feet, and was covered up with tho
bricks and falling timbers. She received
severe bruises and contusions, but none
of very serious nature. A child three
months old, lying in cradle, received
no injury whatever, although surrounded
by falling brick, timber, &c., large quaint
ties of which fell on and in the cradle,
breaking it to a very considerable extent
4 small dog few feet from the cradle
was killed. The barn which was large
one, heavy and well built, was twisted
out of shape-one end blown out from
top to bottom-roof off of main building,
and all of the shingles removed from the
sheeting on the shed part Some of the
rafters, sixteen to eighteen feet in length,
were blown distance of about three hun
dred yards and forced into the ground.
A choice orchard, containing from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred trees,
was entirely destroyed; all of the trees,
with the exception 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 similar fate
The smoke house, which was full of ba-
con at the time, was raised from its found
alton and removed a distance OF about
one hundred feet, and remains whole
The dairy house was blown into the air,
turned over, and dashed into pieces. The
fences were nearly all blown down, not
forty rods remaining standing on the
farm. Mr.. Merrill's loss is near ten
thousand dollars The storm then pas
sed over to an adjoining farm belonging
to the Merrill estate, and occupied by
Mr. 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 at
the front door endeavoring to close it,
and was blown through the house and
out at the opposite door, thence through
the yard into the orchard, where he seiz-
ed hold of On apple tree which was soon
blown down, and carried by the wind a
distance of 200 yards, Mr., H. still cling
ing to it. He was considerably bruisad
and mangled, but not seriously injured.
A 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. He had a brick house in pro
cess of erection, which was entirely de-
stroyed. On a farm belonging to the
brothers Pearce, an orchard of one hun
dred choice trees, one of the oldest in tho
State, was destroyed, and three miles OF
fence were blown down. The trees, tho
some of them were nearly two feet and q
half in diameter, were pulled up by the
roots, and carried along by the storm:--
Shingles were found on farm 3 miles
distant from the above. The double log
house of Aaron Vickers, in which were
Mr. Viokers, bis wife and child, and
three other persons, was destroyed. The
room they occupied was torn away to the
foundation, and yet, marvellous as it ap
pears, they all escaped without injury. 1t
appeared to the inmates that the house
was lifted up over their heads. torn in
pieces in the air, and the fragments
strewed in every direction. 1t lifted the
roof from the log house of Mr. Hall into
their air, and carried it, no one knew
where, for its fragments could not be
found. The new buggy of the Rev. Mr..
Ely, was blown several hundred yards,
and broken and torn into hundred pie
ces. A singular feature of this storm is
in the zigzag direction of its track, max
ing, in some instances, direct angles in
its general course. Persons within or
near its track speak of the sudden ap-
pearance of dense smoke or mist, and
the darkness almost equal to night; that
came suddenly and departed in few
moments.
The Momentuous Question.
well, Charlotte, now that you have