The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-06-09
Terrible Storm in Illinois 81 orty or Fifty
Houses Destroyed---Fitty or Sixty Pe0-
PIE Killed and Wounded.
J jacksonville, H.. May %, 1850.

tAO 4AIAACu dHU WUuAUCu,
Jacksonville, H., May 81, 1850
Yesterday evening terrible storm aud
tornado passed over a portion of thi.
County (Morgan), doing much damage
both to life and property. We have not
receised full intelligence respecting the
damage done, but hasten to send you
what we have already learned. We will
send further particulars tot orrow, if We
learn anything new concerning it. The
storm appears to have originated in the
southeast and proceeded to the north
west. The damage done is as follows:
A house belonging to Joseph Fry, "a
bout eight miles southeast of here, was
destroyed, and the tenants wife, Mrs.
Richard Rout. child of Mr. George
Vanzant and Portuguese boy, were all
killed. The child, We understand, was
found in cistern.
A house belonging to Mr.. Bedford
Brown, was blown down, and his son
Samuel killed. A house belonging to
and occupied by Mr.. Barnabas Barrows
vas destroyed, and, We are inforued, two
Of bis children are missing.
A house about nine miles south OF here,
owned and occupied By Mr. Jesse Henry,
was blown down.
A house southeast of here, belonging
to Jacob Samples, was destroyed, and
bis son-in-law, a man named Thomas,
killed. A man named Jonath Carlyle
was also killed, and bis house torn down.
We have heard of several others being
killed in that neighborhood, but as yet
have not learned who they are. OF
course, fences. barns, horses, &C., are in
the same category.
Very many persons have had their
limbs broken. Several horses have been
killed by the stables falling Cd them
Fences are SO sadly used up that in some
places it is impossible to 6ud rail where
the fence was. Those persons We men
toned as being killed were literally
to pieces, so as scarcely to be
We are very fearful that
when all is know fully, it will be even
worse than anticipated.
On the Great Western Railroad cars,
which were standing on switch, were
run off and turned over on the track, so
that the train coming here from Spring
field was delayed until midnight. The
rain fell in torrents all over the country,
and was accompanied By thunder aud
lightning.
The day before yetterday storm pass
ed over Springfield, during which the
end of a double dwelling house vas bad
ly torn by the lightning. Fortunately
no lives were lost. that part OF the house
which was struck being unoccupied.-
The other half was occupied.
We also learn that the station house at
Bement, on the Great Western Railroad,
cast of Decatur, was blown down.
Jacksonville, H., May, % 1859.
We regret to say that the disaster
which we mentioned to you yesterday as
having happened to many OF the residents
of this county, is even worse than We then
believed it to be. We have not yet re-
ceiycd full particulars concerning the a.
mount of damage done by the storm. but
enough to know that it was the most ter
rible one that ever was known in this
part of the country. Iu addition to those
we mentioned yesterday as having been
killed, we have learned of two more, viz:
the mother of Mr.. Carlyle (who was kill
ed) and the wife Of Jacob Sample. Sew
eral persons who were injured are not ex-
pected to live. la all We have learned
of ten or twelve having been killed.
We can give you no better idea of the
severity OF the storm than by stating
few of the many terrible things tha; hap
pened On Mr.. Jos. Fry's place, every
house, barn, furniture-were torn
into shreds; the fence scattered for miles;
fifteen horses were killed, beside the hu-
man beings We mentioned yesterday.
seventy hogs. several head of cattle, and
all bis fowls. Even the rats about the
premises did not escape. The wagons
we're blown to atoms, spokes knocked out
of the wheels, and even the tires bent.
This is bat one case 10 many. Several
others suffered in the same way.
The house OF William Mcdonald, south
of this place, was torn into atoms, not
ten feet square Of the house or barn re-
u maning; and, singular 20 say. himself,
wife aud children escaped with their lives,
though they were badly bruised. At the
place Of MIR. Barrows, of which we spoke
yesterday, in addition to'the destruction
to life aud property, be lost Que hun
dred and ten hogs out OF ole hundred
and fifty.
A horse was found in the neig ghbor-
hood dead, with rail run through
him lengthwise, so that both ends were
visible. Another horse was found dead,
with bride and saddle on, bot the RI
der OF owner has not yet been found
1t is feared that he has been destroyed.
Those persons who were killed were
badly uiaugled +; in some eases the cloth
ing was entirely stripped oil the bodies,
and u mot instances the bodies carried
long distance.
All this gay appear to your readers to
4