M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-06-14
from the Chicago Press and Tribune fJune .
Most DesOI;IfiHg Calamity.

L1.t-AppaIiing Destruction bg TorRq
do Great LossJ Life at he Wut-Ca
maaehe, Iora Destroyed ABUny Hhh,
side county, ia RUias-FearfM Loss o
Property and Lye-Houses, Barns, r. 4
Cars Demolished.
1t becomes our painful duty as Jour
nalists TO place in order such detail;
us we have received of d most appall
ing and widespread calamity, which
on Sunday evening passed over a por,
tion OF our own and an adjoining
State, the most destructive and fright
iul in loss Of life and property that has
ever visited the Northwest. 1t well
nigh realizes the worst we have evel
read Of those scenes of elemental strife
and devastation which have beer
deemed peculiar to the tropics. The
tornado in question will stand thus far
(and long hereafter, we trust,) with,
ont a parallel in the annals Of disas
ters, in our northern cline
From the best information we have
been able to collect thus far, the track
OF the tornado extends from Linn Co.,
Iowa, near Cedar Rapids, the present
terminus Of the Chicago, Iowa and
Nebraska Railroad, in a generally
northeast direction across Clinton
County, crossing the Mississippi at
Camanche and Albany-towns front,
ing each other respectively on the
Iowa and Illinois shOres--and thence
maintaining its course toward the cen.
ter Of the State, across Whiteside into
Lee County, its last ravage heai d from
up to present writing being near Lee
Center.
The entire distance thus traversed
is upward ofOne hundred miles, and
that fertile ard popnlous farming
region, dotted with thriving towns,
some Of which, as we have below to
record, fell in the path Of the destroy.
CT.
To trace the entire route, set forth
in detail the devastation that marks
this march of the fearful messenger of
i'll, the catalogue OLIVES lost, ,ofhomes
laid waste, would ill volume. 1t
will not be collected readily, never en-.
tirely; but enough will be placed over
against the date OF Sunday, June 3D.,
10 set forth reasons that have caused
it to be in each recurring June a sad
anniversary for thousands of bleeding
hearts throughout this region.
The tornado seems to have Lad its
origin, as above stated, in Linn Co.,
about sixty miles west ofthe Mississip.
pi river, about nightfall, its ravages be.
ing, as far as heard from, in the vi.
cinity Of Cedar Rapids. Thence it
passed in direction little north of
east, several times crossing the line OF
the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska r.
r. At Lisbon Station, sixty.tour
miles west Of Clinton, the depot struc.
lures were demolished, and train Of
ten freight cars standing on the track
were lifted bodily from their trucks
and dashed to pieces. Some Of these
were loaded with grain, which was
scattered broadcast for rods One
was loaded with lumber, which was
carried and dispersed mary yards dis
tant.
From De Witt, Clinton Co., L. I
Sheldon writes as follows: !
About six o'clock terrible hurri.
cane passed one mile south of this
place, taking everything in it's course.
The first house blown down was that
of VIM. Smith, who lost his youngest
child; then L. Lowery's house was all
blown away, and three injured; Hen.
ry Dwire's do, family saveI; E. G.
brakes do, family somewhatinjured;
Mr. Pearsol's house gone, himself and
wife badly injured, three children aud
mother SlightIy;M Mr.. Belts house gone;
Geo. Ame's house gone; son injured
slightly; Mr.. FulIer's house and barn
gone, his wife and child badly injured,
Mr.. Wolrod's house gone; there were
seven persons in the house, and six
persons killed; Mr.. WalIace'S house,
barn and corn cribs all gone; family
safe; Mr.. Hatfeld's house and barn
gone, himself and wife badly injured;
Mr.. Foster ald family, consisting OF
four persons visiting with him, weIe
all killed; five other persons about his
house were also killed; Mr.. Burnett's
house gone, and his Oldest daughter
somewhat hurt.
This includes the most of the dam
age for about seven miles in its track,
Beyond which we have but runners OF
disastrous effects. The whirlwind
seemed to commence about four miles
southwest Of here, and come direct
Tor our town; but as it was within a
mile Of here, it veered to the east, and
left US just outside of its vortex, and
Increased in fury as it went east, max.
ing 2 dull, but heavy roaring. Large
trees were twisted like pipe-stems,
and cattle, horses ard hogs--in fact,
anything that had life was killed OF
mangled. Some ofthe wounded were
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