The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-06-09
Destructive TOrnadOes.

'"tulual evening, appears 10 nave COIL
menced its destructive course somewhere |
Southwest of St Louis. taking that city in
its range, and following the Mississippi
Eottom in north-casterly direction
through st. Clair county via Alton, &c,
spending its force in Illinois.
The Hep"bEcan thus describes the storm
III st. Louis.
The storm began shortly after six @ clock.
Presently, the sky brcamc overcast with
dense black clouds eddyng in the different
currents of air, and rushing together like
the shock o:armies." The thrnder burst
forth with great fury TIE lightning too
was incessant in lis play. 1t Leaned from
cloud to cloud, ana sprang III an instant
from the horizon TO the zcEi.n, clanhcring
up the heavens by Il beautiful Stai.G@se
only visible at the time. Then the whale
mass Of electric vapors seemed to unite IN
a radiant glare which d,zLlcd, giimmcrcd,
shool, and went oYt. The wind swooped
down IL fearful gusts, carrying before It's
irrssistibie fury, s. gns, shingles, dry
Goods loxes. and indeed Ill substances not
liked tightly to their places. \ hull fol-
lowed, and next the windows Of heaven
were opened wide, to let down torrents and
cataracts OF rain which seemed to descend
not in drops, but in pailsfull or by ting Lar:
;ci. Tn" thuuder and lightning still kept
on and fash and crash SucccelGd each
atLer with the greatest gapidity. Wo:ncn
and children we're STRICKEN with fright, and
/ thEre were stouter hearts, too, that AoolSed
As q vivid CLEAN; Of glittcring flame came
like Il rocket athwart their vision; followed
by q rumbling roar, culminqtipg in a ter
rife burst which shook tie very ground
| Immense damage was done in the city
by the destruction OF unfinished buildings,
, the filling of cellars, choking of sewers, &c;
but lives Were lost.
In It's course moth .G.t eastward, it
seemed to be more destructive. Its track
through st Clair county was marked bv
the dwelling Of all the fc'IceS, barns, and
houses il is way VI Alton it is thus de-
; scribed by the C5~r.cr.
Suddenly, about quarter Iast seen
the wild fury OF the Iprna!O broke upon
the city. Almost in an instant even ~
men SAID there It comes, /; was here in
- 81. IL aCst.GctIvcnesS. The wind furi-
o.js at first, Increased nIomeutarilv in
. strength. the rain came down in torrents
doors Iicw open, shutter, were torn off,
signs were flying III the ali, here and there
betated men and boys were hurryng for
.i,I '.,'., ''iI ''.' 10 'it SIri1'
and then in a few moment. more The LaiI
Ike shot from million muslet~ AMI balls
from twice million rifles, came rafting
in an Instant rbon.s,.s Of ,,,,.S 81 c '.,.
maxim. Windows. in a breath. Ike the
wall OF a bomLeriei city; While through
al, Il IL -
al, Inc am .l'' E"tl Of t' I,n m, 4l';cH ears
and m eyerv Lrarf WAX, IL,n,|IT and .I,5,.
pa;Lizi4g feeling for the rs yet unknown
sufferers.
~ '''.>'''''''''' % property AZ A4'oh
- -'--,-->. ',r-' - -''y''
y ''lo',7 ''-' .-''o '''-'''''' o'''',''"7 'e>
royed was the German Catholic Church.
yorth $1,000. the Episcopal Church. 2
handsome new structure LI,iIr ~ o co... If
........I .r.
,'.',' ''.0 1)'','.-''' ''''O'3 = .'S"
brick Du.D-inE, lAto which i-e Qiice had
been removed but week bcl.re. Th,-
iu;1Iin., ,.r,.-.s ero;r.. and stool. ana
~ ;-..--. !. .,.I
''-'' - '0'' ''-' '''--. -0H'
must DC al least Fo,"J'- Inc Ht,1a'''f" OIL
lice was moved into the building Oh Sat
,,r,i,, ~ MS .l-, the Gcr,o,, L;,l.~,..
49,, ~ '-'0'' o.
-
'''' -''.'AA"' ., - MIA - ~
ms eo'iI''Iei'c'0' III 'he F-''''''! Oh ,e'''I
i''i''7' III iowa, ana swept LAST AZ IT,
80 '''1 I-7..,7 ''i'' i''i''o-' - '''' -
Lee 't-t iNy ms was attended not on!
with fearful destruction OF property, but