Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-05-25
THE GREAT TORNADO IN OHIO.

der and lightning and torrents of rain. The damage
done in this city by the blowing down and unroofng Of
houses is immense and will probably approximate $780,
| 600
large number of persons we're injured but far
/ ascertained but six persons were killed.
The roof of the new Commercial Office building was
blown off, portions of which were carried to the distance
! of an entire square.
part of the wall fell through JohnsOn'5 saloon ad-
joining nurng several persons who on the ground
! floor.
The steepe of St. Andrews church was blown off and
| fell through the roof.
Almost all the public buildings schOOlhOuses and
churches, besides large number OF dwellings I'M
! rooted or otherwise damaged
The telegraph lines in every direction we're Frustrated
Little is known of the damage in the country, but 50
far ascertaned 1t has been fully severe as in the
| city.
The Cincinnati, Hamilton and DAYTON Railroad was
covered with forest of fallen timber between here and
Carthage Village, and the country along the Little Mia
mi Railroad between here and Loveand suffered terribly
At Loveland the railroad depot and other baildngs
demolished as vas also the railroad shop at Law
renceburg.
| The Catholic Seminary on the hill beyond Brighton
was unrooed and otherwise badly damaged.
! The storm visited Cumminsvie with great fury. The
Catholic Orphan Asylum completely urrooied, and
the road between Cunmnsvile aud tie Brighton House
completely filed with trees torn up by the roots
The nurseries and gardens along the road suffered terri
| bly,.
The storm ragged with fearful violence along the river
The at the evec were however, properly moor
ed and weathered the gale.
! The steamer Virginia Home, when two miles above
the city, was capszed and the cabin parting from the
null ioated down the river In fragments There were
but three passengers on board all OF whom saved
Two of the were lost. The boat valued So
! 600.
At Spring Grove Cemetery the destruction to monu
ments trees and shrubbery was severe.
Along the Cincinnati, Wilmington and GAINESVILLE
Railroad, from MorowtOn to Circlevile, trees were
blown down by thousands and several houses de-
stroyed There great destruction of trees and
shrubbery and all along the Clifton avenues the trees
were uprooted
train Oh the Coyingon and Lexington Railroad was
thrown from the track, and the locomotive aud baggage
car completely demolished. The passengers escaped
injured.
heavy rain set in early in the evening, and contn-
ued till after midnight drenchiug the habitations a.
ready made rooes 0y the tornado which is conceived
to have been the disastrous known to the present
generation.
1t is impossible to all the damage that las
been done, but scarcely house in the city has escaped
uuniured.
No traces were seen of the storm on the Ohio and
Mississippi west Of Llwrencehurg. from that point
It's signs are seen on every hand
Northwest of the city, il appears to have extended
about seven miles in the line OF the Marietta and CincL
natl Railroad.
The tornado was very severe as far East as Chilli
cothe.
Trees were blown down in all directions, houses uu-
rooted and general destruction Of property apparent
in all quarters.
Great fears entertained for steamboats, and coal
boats on the river above here.
The storm along the river above and below was very
severe. At Madison, Indiana, six or eight houses
unrooled but no lives lost Three or four pairs OF
coal boats were sunk, and six men are missing.
The steamer Eunice was partly wrecked near Ghent
bio.
board together with quantity OF freight
The steamer Argyle lost her chmueys. Wharfboats
Patriot. Client aud CarIo.lton torn from their
moorugs, carried up the stream ard wrecked.
At New Richmond, OHIO several buildings were
rooted aud vast amount OF damage done to boats
and RATS. Six par Of coal boas in sight when the
on but nothing has been OF them since
All on board have probably persisted The railroads
have sustained but little damage and all in running
order.
The Cincinnati papers bring US extended details Of the
terrible hurricane The Commercial after noting slight
indications Of the approaching storm, saws:
The air suddenly grew dark AID presently a craggy
OF black aud G,hen clouds a,hcn, laced and
brstng with streams OF lightning rushing mp the sky
With amazing velocity So vivid and ncesslEt was the
play Of electricity that the storm-coud seemed like
magazine OF rockets exploding ald launching yOlrys OF
fiery darts in cherry direction. While the lghtuugs
flaming above the tempest was roaring below, and a. il
advanced, the CITY &4s ,sSskss Ia the white aud his
sig spray OF Tie rain.
The force of the wind Was for this latitude alnlos,
uuexampled. In q few minutes immense damage was
done. Sreepes ptOsirated dwellings oyerthrowp
crushing the occupants in the ruins roofs wbirled on
high torn into shred5 and scattered far and wide shade
trees uprOO,ed twisted and broken bv hundreds signs
torn from their fas:enngs and shvered into splinter
chimueys beaten down; Windows burst H. carriage,
overturned; persons hurled from their feet and bruised
against the walls.
The Commercial here gives a long account OF hundreds
gIt.- a. IL.
sbruhbery swept OIL and other property destroyed The
following terrifying incident Of the tempest by the un-
roofing OF the 4h district choo house and the frenzed
children is given 10y the same piper.
The teachers saw the storm Gathering, and closed the
windows. The tornado swept mliy up from the valley
and struck the west gable of toe devoted house which
quivered like leaf At the Instant no spprehensions
entertained But the tempest as if maddened by
opposition came back with a fearful rebound and the
bricks began to rattle the shingles flew like hail stones
and in an instant the whole roof was lifted and swept
from the walls, ard dashed the opposite side of the
street Miss Rachel Medkrk, who taught the infant class
in the west room Of the upper story, meantime compre-
hended the danger, and with presence of mind and
heroic courage fed TO the schOoroOm door closed IT,
and placed her back against tokeep the frightened chill
dren from plungng in headlong confusion down stairs
But while the brave girl spraug to her duty she was
struck upon the head and face by falling bricks but she
stood Of her post while the blood streamed from her
wounds until the roof had taken lis fight and her room
was terrible scene Of confusion and devastation.
Il being impossible 10 calm the freuzed children Miss
Medkirk fed down stairs presenting herself pite-
spectacle 20 Mr. Sands the principal who till now
was gEOrant of the destruction above and demanding
his assistance sped back to her charge. Mr. Sands was
keeping the children in order down stairs but fastened
up and upon presenting himself in the ROOM the little
ones caspcd him boy the legs and body and cung to him
with the energy OF desparng terror shrekng TO save
them. Such Il scone could not he portrayed by human
language cloud OF thick dust was whiring in the
room; the tornado howled dismally overhead; bricks
and the debris OF the devastated building were nying
about like tennis balls and the poor children kept up AN
agonizng chorus OF shrieks That it was impossible to
determine the extent Of their misery. BY persuasion aud
earnest eXertion Of authority Mr. Sands and Miss Med
kirk restored Their charge to degree of comuosure
when he repaired TO the adjoining render Ike
assistance. Here also scenes Of wild disorder and
dismay, but the teachers-Mss Josephine Medkirk Miss
jackson and Mr. Goss-dischaged their trust faithfully
aud were enabled TO restore decree of confidence
to the terror-stIicken pupils.
Before the storm had settled. the facts magni6ed a
thousand fold reached the ears of hundreds of parents
who sped irantclly to the schOolhouse expecting to
fad their offspring buried in "a heap of ruins. The wild
frenzy OF mothers was described to by Mr.. Sands
something fearful. Some would snatch up anybOdy's
children, scan their features IL they would devour the
little ones, drop them if they did not recognize their own
ana rush through the mass of yearning hearts, crying
My cbId, my child or calling il fondly by name
Througs 0! them thrust themselves I'D the schoohouse
stairs and would not hear emonstrances or assurances
One poor woman, Mrs. Brown dashed through the
crowd shouting crafty for her Mickey Mr.. Sands
sured her he was safe. little urehn hard by nierposed
NO he amt, he's killed; | saw him dead The poor
woman gasped and seemed turned TO stone When she
found her hoy alive, bu wounded she almost fell in
swoon. Other aud similar incidents narrated by
eye"tnesses hut the reader easily imagine the ter
nib Of -