Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-06-16
THE TERRIBLE TORNADO.
The Towns Of Camanche, Iowa, and Albany, III,
Entirely Destroyed-from Thirty to Fifty
Persons Killed, and One Hundred Wounded.


From he Lyons City Adrocdte-Ertra.
MONDAY MORNING, JUNE 4, 1860.
1t becomes our painful duty to record the
most distressing calamity that it has ever fallen
10 10 20 witness tho sass+- nc tho tornado. and
the consequent loss of life and property.
Last evening, about o'clock man came
from Camanche, about nine miles below this
city, on the Mississippi, with the heart rend-
ing intelligence that the town had been visited
by tornado, and that many of the citizens
were buried in its ruins. The alarm spread
from house to house, and in very short time
hundreds of our citizens were on their way to
the scene Of the disaster, both by land and on
the steamer Queen city, which Capt. Bristol
Immediately put in sailing order.
We were among the first to arrive at the
scene Of the disaster, and our pen fails entirely
to depict the sight that met our view. We
found the town. as the messenger had reported,
literally blown to pieces, and destruction and
death scattered everywhere within the sweep of
the devastation. The first pile that met our
eye was the ruins of the Millard House, occu-
pied by II. G. Sessions, formerly from Erie,
Penn. This was three-story brick hotel, and
it could not have been more effectually destroy
ed had a barrel of gunpowder been exploded
within its walls The inmates were all more or
less hurt. Mrs. Davis and her child, little
boy four or five years DID, were taken out of
the ruins dead. Mr.. Sessions and his son, An
son, are both very badly hurt inwardly. A
Younger son has his left arm broken, and several
severe c1ts about the head and neck. A daugh-
ter of Mr.. S. was the only one that escaped
without serious injuries. One man was taken
out with both legs broken, and otherwise hurt.
From this we proceeded TO look about the town,
and we found that hardly house was left un-
| injured, and many of them swept entirely away.
Every business building in the place is destroy
ed including the large brick block recently
erected. About 60 feet of this, including the
cupola, is demolished, and the remainder is
neery all unroofed. Front-street presents a
scene of ruin seldom witnessed; every building
ing on it is either unroofed OF entirely destroy
ed. The dwelling and store of Mr.. Waldorf
three stroy brick, building is entirely demol-
shed, and the family buried in the ruins. Mrs
Waldorf and one child were taken out dead and
two children rescued alive, and, strange to say
unhurt. Mr. Waldorf had not been found when
we left, at O'clock A. NJ.
Soon after arriving at Cananche, we learned
that the town of Albany, on the opposite side Of
haa been Tisite i; s1nf ~ On 9n@ mile above Camagche,
as badly ridded Camanche. Upon the ar
rival of the Queen City at Camanche, she i'm
mediately put back to Albany, to learn the truth
of the rumor, and found that scarcely building
in that town was left uninjured but from what
we could learn, the loss of life was not so great
as at the former place. Those who returned
reported IL killed Two churches were blown
down entirely We did not visit Albany, and,
consequently can speak only from report with
reference to it. Amid the great confusion that
prevailed, it was almost impossible to obtain any
correct information. We could not learn the
names of those who were killed, but shall gather
the full particulars for our regular issue this
week. The house of o. Mcmahon, banker, of
this city, was entirely demolished, but the fam
lily escaped without injury
/ The gale commenced about I O'Clock p. NJ.
Its course was from the southwest to the north
east and we may hear further ravages in Illinois.
1t is rum ored at Camanche that the farmers suf-
fered severely, southwest from there, by having
their buildings and fences destroyed and stock
killed. 1t was also stated that large raft was
passing Camanche at the time and that every
man. numbering apparently about twenty, were
swept off into the river
Ihe condition OF the survivors oi these twe 1--WE
ond ali of orerv ono in his com,m,'n;,; as vel
, as elsewhere. MANY of them are left without
a house above them, and scarcely garment to
wear. Their dead are 10 be buried ana thell
S wounded cared ior' ana II is the duty OF ever!
one, so iar as Is IN MS power 10 minister te
e their rehei' lof VINO can ,eil now soon we una.
need IKE service. we nope 'hat all VINO pos
sibiy can, VIII go there to-day ana assist IN at
tending their wants; Every man VINO WILL car
lind work there to do' In helping TO restore or
: der, and to erect temporary ouiidings Tor th'
i hundreds that are destitute OF place wherein t'
: lay their heads. Ciothing OF all KINDS VIII un
doubtedly be required ana many other neces
: saries for the benefit OF those who are badl.
S wounded.
t We were glad to see the physicians OF Lyon
d and Clinton all here and working with rlgh
$ good will, as well as other citizens oil the two
places. we hope also that the towns roun'
0 about us that have escaped the terrible disaster
: VIII at once take ac!lve measures 10 40 some
: lmhg toward renewing tne us"esSeu re- .. VI Uaui
: anche ana Albany. me loss Oh propery o od y
Camanehe alone cannot ia'l snort Oh Sioo'ou
:, in iaet, Whatever tne Town wa WAS worln' iess IN
: real estate, is gone anu II VIII oe seen AZ one
i tnal ara must couG .oI; i;, Sone c souiSe 10 pre-
d vent 'hosc 'iat aie iei' "iiNe iion' su"o''"S
r. rrLo Cl,;oooo pseoo and T.;J,,,,,e hr;noe cori