Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-06-08
FEARFUL DEVAsrATIOE BY A TORNADO
WHOLE VILLAGE DESTROYED.
FOURTEEN PERSONS INSTANTLY KILLED-FIFTI
PERSONS lNJURED-APPALLING DETAILS OF


WHOLE VILLAGE DESTROYED.
PERSONS slNJURED-APPALLING DETAILS OF
THE D-sAsTKR.
From the Chicsgo Press, June al
Through a gentleman who left Monmouth
yesterday morning, We learn many interesting
particulars OF the sad tragedy attending the
destruction Of the village Of Ellison, Illinois,
by whirlwind on the Both ult.
Fourteen persons were killed almost instant
ly, one less than we stated by telegraph, and
ten more, it was supposed, were mOrtally
wounded. OF these latter, two died next day,
three on Monday evening, making nineteen in
all
Among the dead are Mr. John Hand, bis
sol, about ten years Of age, and babe, the
latter Of whom it is supposed to have been
drowned. The whole family appear to have
been Whirlsd with the fragments Of their dwell
ling quite up into the air and deposited a con-
siderable distanse from where The house stood
near a slough. Mr.. Hand was carried about
fifteen rods, aad in his terrible flight received
frightful wound in his side from timber. He
survived till the next morning. Mrs. Hand had
her infant in her arms when she struck the
ground, but the conclusion compelled her TO let
( 90 her hold upon 1t, and it was tossed some
! distance into the slough, where she heard its
I cry, but owing 10 her severe injuries, was una
: bic to attempt it's rescue. There she remained
Z all night, her person partly in the water, and
I IN the course of its dreaTy watches the dead
i body OF her infant was drifted to the shore and
I sne had it in her arms when discovered in the
morning.
Another family named McWilliams suffered
! terribly. Miss Mary Ann Nc Williams, about
/ twenty-five her sister Harriet, aged about
sixteen, and her brother Thomas about four
teen, are among the dead, and the poor old
mother, eighty years of age-the only remain
l ing member Of the family, except come older
children who were living at a distance-wss
very badly injured. The boy Thomas was not
/ at first conscious OF having received any hurt,
and rescued the body of his older sister from
/ the ruins soon after the catastrophe, but be
was 90 badly injured internally, that be died
I the next morning.
4 W. E. Thompson, his wife and child, Mrs.
Brszleton aud her two children, q son and
! daughter, Martin WentwOfth, LsYina Lacey,
j Hiram johnson and child, end two other per-
I sons, whose names we're unknown to the in
formant, make up the list of the fourteen in
stantly killed, comprised in a special dispatch
to US from Monmouth last evening These
| embraced all the names OF the dead which we
have been able to obtain.
As near as can be ascertained in the confu-
sion which prevailed, about fifty persons were
very seriously, and many more slightly, injured.
I Among the Injured, was Mr.. Samuel Johnson,
merchant, VINO has one leg and three ribs
] broken.
Mrs. Ormaud, both arms broken, Mrs Shsr-
wood, cut aud bruised baaly-a splinter driven
I through her thigh. Miss Finlay, Mrs. ThomT.
son, and Patrick Shaw, stranger, who was
picked mp in the road, after the storm was ever,
were al badly injured.
The only physicians OF the place we're Drs.
l Hawley and YokO. The former was, with his
wife, among the more seriously injured, and
the latter, DR.. Y, was badly hurt. Both we're
thus incapscitated from rendering any assis-
tance to their unfortunate ielow-citizsns, and,
as the nearest point available, medical aid was
only procured from Monmouth after the delays
noled elsewhere.
as soon as ths first shock Of the calamity
had passed, and its extent began to be slized,
a special messeuger-Mr. McWhliams, q
brother Of the young lady and boy who were
kiued-was dispatched to Monmouth for asss-
tance, where he arrived at about O'Clock or
Monday morning. The sad news spread "a pic.
", and the whole town was soon astr. Doctor
, Hamilton, OVsrteel, McDhl and Young, a
once volunteered their services, and BY Sly
o'clock they, accompanied by six teams anC
: about Fifty men on horseback, proceeded to tbs
scene OF the disaster, which they reached sbou
ten A. n. The wounded, meantime, had beer
conveyed to the neighboring farm-houses, b
; the uniBjlred, and there the physicians hasten
= ed to minister 10 their relief.
e brief description Of the locality visited b.
this fearful disaster Will be Of interest to thi
better understanding Of the same. Ellison is
village in a township OF that name, lying du,
= south of the line Of the Chicago, Burlington
aud Quincy Railroad, the nearest station o.
which, Young America, is five miles distant
Monmouth, the county seat Of Warren county
is twelve miles to the northeast, and Galesburg
. Knox county, is twenty-five miles nearly north
east, and the Mississippi river is about sixteeI
, miles west
The small stream known as Ellison creeE
! traverses the township in a direction a littlt
E north OF West, and becomes a tributary to tht
q Mississippi. The village was farming com
2 nunitg and one Of the older settlements Of thst
5 section. Tne larger share Of the structures
{ some sixty or seventy Ia number, that consti
8 tuted the village, were ranged on a single
8 straight street, running in a direction almos
Z east and west, being the main country roaI
running to the Mississippi and Burlington
a | The road crossed the creek about half a mil
: from the village, the stream turning more Z
: the westward north of the road crossing. Be
: tween the village and the stream was belt o
I Z timber Of oak and walnut, consisting OF larg
trees. This timber occupied the intermsdiat
= space of half a mile between the village an
r the stream, extending close to the vicinity O
!. the village. The surface is level prairie theme
extending TO Monmouth, dead level, and in
clear day the Ellison timber can be seen skirt
ing the horizon from Monmouth.
+, In this belt Of timber the FIRST traces Of th
q desoIating tornado appear. Saturday and Sun
: day seem to have preserved very nearly 10
7. same characteristics Ia the vicinity Of TIE il
n fated village as in this region. Sunday wa
showery throughout the day. As the afterDOo
u waned, giving the appearances as noted q
If Monmouth, BY our intelligent informant, th
n sky to the southwest had a most threatenir
:, appearance. A heavy bank of elOhds Of ink
biackness seemed to rest upon the surface
le the prairie. In the language Of John MeWi
N liams who is elsewhere referred to as Telati'
= Of several Of the victims, and as active in b
: exertions for the relief Of the survivors, th'
seemed to sweep the very prairie" Mr.. M
70 Williams noted the approach OF the stor
le from his farmhouse, about mile north Of Il
street.
He saw two thrsa.eningly black cloucs NEE
a apparently about mile West Of the viilag
,s with the widest cOmmotion, and move on {
- wards the village. The utmost alarm hll'
n the minds Of his own family, and OF those
II adjacent farmhouses, but how much less thi
the sbisct terror Of the villagers, who sal
but not in season to avoid, the destroyer bea
70 ing down upon them. Than to those dead, q
y dread Angel never came in a more fearful fort
y than to the spared victims Of the casualty, n
he the hour Of their own deeease can scarcely
4 AuNLt awful
y, The track OF the tempest must tell The res
ne The tornado struck the village about half-ps
ne five O'Clock, and during its continuance no IA
ca fell. The houses were frame structures. The
81 was a large tavern stand and three store
cd those of Samuel johnson, joseph Knowles a
ed another. The appearance Of The dwellings a
ag structures after the passage Of the whirlwInd
T. described BY one eye witness as If one shou
e tear TO pieces and scatter lumber yard"
~ roofs and walls, and the various sractur
there was seen in many instances scarcely
2 trace. as If giants hand had reduced and to
w them to sbreds and spIinters. They lay scs
tered over tie fields. Here piece OF brok
furniture and there a shattered door, and
Nv yond an undistinguishable mass OF timoers
in boards. ioor beams, ceiling and rafters- Ev
ng the bodies Of some Of the sufferers were 10
BY TO pieces
II As an evidence Of the fearful force Of
b, tornado, it is mentioned in the telegraph n.
ie our special reporter, last evening, that OF