Washington telegraph., 1856-05-28
From the Dallas CTexasl Herald, 18th inst.
THE TORNADO


particulars of the frightful Tornado that re
Gently carried desolation and death to th
village of Cedar Hill. and neighborhood
In the limited extent to which it prevailed
this frightful tornado, in Its destroying fur,
and terrible power, exceeded anything c
the kind of which we have any account
The tornado at Natchez many wears ago
and that which visited Vicksburg som,
eight or ten years since, destroyed NOR,
life and property only because they hat
more material to operate upon; but we ar,
of opinion they were neither of them s,
terribly violent and furious as that which
literally swept the village of Cedar Hill from
the face of the earth.
The storm commenced about one hour b,
sun. 1t appears that
1.-TWO gathering clouds, like meeting armies,n
one from the north and the other from the
south, came in contact about mile south
of Cedar Hill. and strove for the mastery in
one of these terrific elemental contests that
strike the beholder with awe and terror
So equally matched were these opposite
forces that neither could gain the complete
ascendeney. and the contending forces were
blended into a terrific whirlwind, which
"Issued forth with sudden burst
And hurled the whole precpitated air
Down in torIent.o
Those who saw it at this time represent the
clouds and sorms as descending suddenly to
the ground, involving the earth in the dark
ness of night Tornadoes generally tend
upwards, but this especially at first, rushed
down, with all its power AID fury towards
the earth, so much so that the ground was
literally ploughed up and picketed with
spars and fragments of timbers torn to pieces
by the wind Fence rails were broken and
torn into splinters wagon-tyres broken and
twisted into fantastic shapes wheels torn
to pieces, and the axles twisted or broken
off. Large new ploughs were carried half
mile, broken into fragments; every thing
on top of the ground blown away, and posts
and timbers, fixed in it. torn up and blown
away or torn to pieces. Even the grass on
the prairie was shorn off as with fire or
scythe.
The fury of the storm, as it approached
Cedar Hill, was first severely felt at Mr..
Rape's, better known as the old place of U.
Bagget, Mr. Rs. house was unroofed 1t
then swept away the residence of VIM. c.
Hart, at Cedar Hill, injuring him severely.
The dwelling and storehouse of Mr.. Berry,
partner of NJ. NJ Miller of Pleasant Run,
was dashed to pieces. The storehouse was
deserted by its inmates. Mr.. Berry and
H. Hart took refuge in Berry's house just
in time to be in the house when it was
dashed to pieces-killing all the inmates
except II Hart, who is dangerously wounded.
The very foundations of these buildings
were removed and the foundation timbers
and the mutilated bodies of the dead were
scattered about in every direction. All the
goods in the store. except few very heavy
articles, were blown entirely away. A
piece of silk, doubtless from the store, was
found the next day in the neighborhood Of
Cedar Spring, on this side of the river, 20
miles from Cedar Hill. A hatbox, con-
tanning one hat, fell the next day on the
premises of Mr. Tucker, near White Rock
creek. 25 miles from the place and another
hat has been found on Rowlett's creek, up
wards of 80 miles off, Other articles have
been found, nearer the scene of disaster.
In this family (Berry's) five persons were
killed-Mr. Berry, his wife, child, Mr..
Dickson, clerk in the store. and negro
woman. None of the family are left to
mourn Berry's skull was broken and his
brains scattered on the ground. Mrs Ber-
ry's face and body were frightfully lasce-
rated, and the other bodies much bruised
Mr.. Dickson fed from the house, and seeing
that be was about to be carried away, seized
a post fixed in the earth, around which he
was whirled until he was tied fast to it by
his clothes The post was then torn up and
driven by all the fury of the storm to the
ground, and driven about with the body OF
the unfortunate young man fastened to 1t
until every bone in his body was broken,
and his flesh dreadfully mangled. When
found he was so securely bound to the post
that he had to be disengaged by cutting his
garments.
Mr.. John Hart and family were the next
sufferers. Himself. wife and child were
killed, being all the family we believe
the BODY of Mrs. Hart was shocklngly torn
and mutilated The little child was carried
several hundred yards, and its head was
trans6xed 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 par
ticulars of her case. Every house In the
little village was RACED to the gronnd. and,
except small portions of the foundations OF
some, blown away.
FURTHER PARTICULARS AND INCIDENTS.
Fortunately, the track of this frightful
tornado was narrow, extending in width on
ly a little upwards of 100 yards. 1t ap-
pears also to have been erratic in its course
1t proceeded in nearly north direction
until opposite the Methodist Church, where
it suddenly wheeled around and pursued a
southwest course and afterwards appears to
have taken nearly easterly. direction.
The killed were shorn of every particle
of clothing and SO besmeared with mud as
to be undistinguishable. one from a4o'ner'
Everything in the store of Miller q berry
and in the dwellings of families. go0as'
clothes furniture, &C.. is entirely lost Ihe
trunk of Mr.. Berry. containing several
Al oHoh Ia