Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-04-20
For the True Democrat
Tornado in Conway County.
Springfield, April F, 1858

sSpTfnlHett, A pFi 1- 1ooo.
 Mir. EpIroR-Our little town has just wit messed one of those dreadful visitations, which in one fell moment lays waste the labor of wears. It looks as if the Arch Giant of De- solation had swept 1t with the besom of de- struction," and now lies in ruins. Saturday he 10th inst, was warm cloudy day, with occa- sional showers, and dark heavy masses of cloud passing Thus the day passed until about four o'clock, P. M., when the terrible lcarning of the approaching tornado was faintly heard in the distance. A sense of terror and utter hel bless ness came over aN as the dreadful roaring each moment came louder and iercer, increasing in violence as it came nearer, until it absolutely roared louder than thunder As vet no signs of the dread destroyer were visible, but in an in stant more the fiery livid cloud of blue, black, yellow and every other color came like whiz- zing bullet through the viewless air, bearing destruction on its wings, and leaving along its desolating course the tokens of its terrific power So rapid was its flight that an eye witness saw a scope of timber embracing some fifteen or twen- tv acres immediately south of the town go tC the ground simultaneously. The storm came from the south and passed directly through the centre of the town, leaving it heap of ruins vet bv some miraculous dispensation of Provi' dence, no person was killed or even seriously injured; although there were many persons in town at the time There are not more than one Il. L f.f Iir,rr were thrown prostrate-others unrooted and carried several feet from their foundations, and others wrecked and shattered 50 10 be useless Imm edatelv after the storm abated, there wa; to De seen the confused heaps of brush, logs house roofs, shingles, furniture, clothing, etc, scattered in every direction, where few min. utes before stood the town of ngheld- while the homeless, shelterless inhabitants were seen hunting in tree tops and under brush- heaps for their clothing The clerks office was un- roofei and the books, papers, etc., somewha damaged by the ran but fortunately none blow' away. WiIbarks' tavern unrootei, the win dows broken out. etc. The store house of WILL banks & Stell, urroofel goods greatly damaged also, the store house of Morgan < Moses blowr down, and goods damaged and destroyed. The old court-h house and two groceries-J udge Ha milton's house, and nearly all the buildings II town, excepting the blacksmith shop and two lawyers offices, were blown down. The sue ceeding day (Sunday) was busy day in Spring field The citizens went immediately to worl to fix up and recover their shattered homes |, protect their families from the inclemency of th weather All are now busy rebuilding anl clear ing up the rubbish, and striving bravelv to re pair their losses
 To the people of the country in the vicinity of Springfield, great praise IS due and gratefuily acknowledged for their generous offers of as- sistance in this time Of distress. We trust that a few months will entirely obliterate all trace. of the tsriLe destroyer, that in an instant mad our streets desolate; and in the midst of our ca lamities, every heart rejoices that 10 lives were ost amid the general destruction of property
 The babble of politics is no longer heard fl our rstreets-politicians seem to have been blowI away by the torna,io, but new crop of then will soon be on hand, in all probability.
 W. w. E.