M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-06-14

compactly for a Western town, thil
beng one Of the comparatively olde
points, and founded in 1857. 1t haC
numerous substantial buildings, anC
others in erection, and three churches
The tornado came upon Camanche
about Z ?. M. An eyewitness de
scribes it in appearance as resembling
an inverted laycock, its broad point
sweeping the earth in its fearful march
As it came, q peculiar moaning sound
struck the ear, heard even at some
distance on either side OF the track.
Almost without warning it struck
the devoted village, and in track
about quarter OF a mile Wide the tor,
nadO passed across the very heart o!
the town, Human pen or tongue ut
terly fails to describe the scene of hor,
ror, of mortal peril and agony that en-
sued.
The air, darkened by the black pail
that trailed as a minister ofdeath from
the heavens, was filled with rushing
torrents OF rain, fragments of crushed
and shattered buildings, and cries and
shrieks and prayers for help. All was
over in less than three minutes, and
where, ere that brief interval, had
stood II thriving village, all was now
terror, desolatiOn, ruin. Not a single
business building ia the town remain
cd standing. The large three story
brick structure, the Millard House,
built and kept by II. G. Sessions, for.
merly of Erie, Pennsylvania, was to
tally destroyed, and rendered a shape
less mass of rubbish. In this build
ing quite number of persons we're
killed, though how many had not been
definitely ascertained. Three stores
beneath the hotel were destroyed with
their contents. Ihe three churches
Of the town were destroyed.
A noble brick structure, nearly com.
pleted for business purposes, three
stories high and one hundred feet front
by eighty feet deep, was also totally
destroyed. One correspondence.
Van DeVentor, Esq, Of Clinton, who
visited the scene on Sunday night
writes that scarcely a house is left in
an inhabi!able condition in Camanche,
and more than half the population are
without a place Of any kind to lay
their heads. They are entirely desti.
tute, without food, shelter or clothing,
except what they wore when they
rushed from the falling buildings to
save their lives
The tornado struck Camanche about
seven P. NJ, and passing across the
river strucb the opposite and smaller
town of Albany, in Whiteside county.
This has abouG 500 inhabtan is, and is
uf about the same age as Camanche
A bluff, a not very abrupt rise of about
fifty feet, extends along at the rear OF
the business part ofthe place. AS at
Camanche, the tornado passed thro'
the heartof the village, leaving scarce.
.y house uninjure1, and utterly de,
nolishing many Of them.
Mr.. Butterfeld, conductor of the
Dixon, al: lire, who reached this city
yesterday, was one ofthc passengers
On the Queen City. He descr bes the
scene presented as heart-rending. Mr.
llerrington, mail agent on the same
route, also went down from Fulton by
private conveyance. Other gentle.
men we have seen who visited the
spot.
All was the widest disorder, and
ehrieks and cries resoundcd in all d.
rections. Many were manned and
injured, and Of these the greatest
were womeD and children. Il
Parties of men Were exploring the ru.
ins with lanterns. Women were rush.
ing Igantically to and lro in trcnzIed
quest Of their husbands. Children
were wailing in fright and terror
Everything was alarm, anguish and
confusion.
Every thing was done in both Al |
bany and Camanche during Sunday
might to administer such relief as was
at hand, and early yesterday morning
special trains commenced running ev-
cry two hours oh the Chicago, Iowa
and Nebraska Railroad, bearing med.
icaI attendants, nurses and means of
reIet, and returning with loads Of the
sufferers to Clinton and Fulton, where
more could be dcne for their comfort.
The very surface OF the ground was
rent and torn, as by plowshares, along
the course OF the destroyer. One eye.
witness stated that the turf is ir spots
torn up. One man back Of Canaan
che, Oh the prairie, was blown from
his bed distance Of t,Uenty rods.
A. A. Tewill writes US from Ster.
ling:
In Coloma, four miles south of Iere,
Mr.. CogSwell is nearly killed. A
Mrs. Klnbell is in dying condition.
Her child was killed instantly. A
Mr.. Pike is dying, and his wife is
dead.
A. 49,, I -, H. l.. 49, FI.f -