The Empire County argus., 1856-07-19
TERRIFIC AND Disastrous ToRNADo.-The San

TERRIFIC AND Disastrous ToRNADo.-rhe San
Antonio Texas Herald says:
ave have an extra from the Dallas Herald, dated
May 9th, giving full particulars of terrible storm
The storm commenced just before sundown, within a
mile of Cedar Hill Two clouds were seen to come
together at that point one from the north and the
other from the SOUTH and engage in angry contest
for the mastery Neither being able to gain the as
cendancy they became blended into terrible whrl-
wind, which descended with such force and violence
to involve the earth in darkness, literally plough
ing up the ground and pcketng it with fragments of
broken timber. The Herald says, everything on top
of the ground was blown away, and posts and tim
bers fixed on it, torn up and blown away or torn to
pieces. Even the grass on the prairie was shorn Oft
as with fire "a scythe
The fury of the storm, as it approached Cedar Hill,
was first severely felt at Mr. Ropers, whose house
was unroDfed. 1t then swept away the residence of
VIM. Z. Hart at Cedar Hill, injuring him severely.
The dwelling and storehouse of Mr.. Berry was dashed
to pieces MIR. Berry and Henderson Hart took ref
uge in Berrys house just in time to be in it when it
was dashed to pieces. The very foundations of these
buildings were removed; and the foundation timbers
and the mutiaed bodies of the dead were scattered
about in every direction. All the goods in the store,
except few heavy articles, were blown entirely
away. A piece of silk, doubtless from the store, was
found the next day in the vicinity of Cedar Spring,
on the side of the river twenty miles from Cedar Hill
the premises of Mr.. Tucker, near the White Rock
Creek, 25 miles from the place; and another hat has
been found on Rouletis Greek, upwards of 80 miles
off. Other articles have been found nearer to the
scene of disaster.
In BeTys family five persons were killed; Mr..
Berry, his wife, child, Mr. Dickson, clerk in his
store, and negro woman None of the family are
left to mourn. Berry's skull was broken and his
brain scattered on the ground. Mrs. Berry's face
and body were frightfuly acerated and the other
bodies much bruised. Mr.. Dickson fled from the
house, and seeing that he was about to be carried
away, seized post fixed in the earth, around which
he was whirled, until he was tied fast to it by his
clothes. The post was torn up and driven by all
fury of the storm to the ground, and whirled about
with the body Of the unfortunate young fastened
to it, until every bone in his body was broken, and
his flesh dreadfully manged When found, he was
so securely bound to the post that he had to be dis
engaged by cutting his garments.
MIR. John Hart and family were the next sufferers.
HIMSELF wife and child were killed. being all the fam
lily, we believe. The body of Mrs. Hart was shock
ingly torn and mutiaed. The little child was car
red several hundred yards, and its head was trans
fixed with splinter. 1t was not found until the
next day. Mrs. Allen, wife of Jacob Allen is the
last in the list of fatal casualties. We have not
learned the particulars of her case. Every house in
the little village razed to the ground and except
small portions of the foundations of some, blown
aWay."