Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1860-06-14
From the Lyons City Advocate-Extra
The Terrible Tornado.

The Terrible Tornado.
ILL, ENTIRELY DEsTRoYED--FRom THIRTY TO
FIFTY PERSONS KILLED, AND ONE HUNDRED
WOUNDED.
MONDAY MORNING, June A, 1860.
II becomes our painful duty to record the
most distressing calamity that it has ever fallen
to us to witness--the effects of the 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 rending
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 hum
dreds of our citizens were on their way TO the
scene OF disaster, both by land and on the
steamer Queen City, which Capt. Bristol i'm
medlatey put in sailing order.
We were among the first to arrive at the
scene of disaster, and our pen fails entirely to
depict The sight that met our view. We found
the town, as the messenger had reported, lit
orally 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 Willard House, occu-
pied by II. g. Sessions, formerly of Erie, Pa
not have been more effectuahy destroyed had
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 old, were taken out of the ruins
dead. Mr.. Sessions and bis son, Arson, are
both badly hurt iBwardly. A younger son has
his left arm broken, and several cuts about the
head and neck. A daughter 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 uninjured, and many Of them swept entirely
away. Every business building in the place is
destroyed, including the large brick block re-
Gently erected. About sixty feet of this, inclu-
ding the cupolo, is destroyed aud the remain
der is nearly all unroofed. Front street pre-
sents a scene OF ruin seldom witnessed; every
building on il is either unroofed or entirely de-
stroyed. The dwelling and store of Mr.. Wal
dorf, three-story brick, is entirely destroyed,
and the family buried in the ruins. Mrs. Wal.
dorf 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. m.
Soon after arriving OF Camanche, we learned
that the town Of Albany, on the opposite side
of the river, and about one mile above Canaan
che, had been visited by the tornado, and was
about as badly rdded as Camanche. Upon the
arrival Of the Queen City at Camanche, she
Immediately put back to Albany, to learn the
truth of the rumor, aud found that scarcely a
building in that town was left unnjured; but
from what we could learn, the loss of life was
not so great as at the former place. Those
who returned reported twelve killed. Two
churches were blown down entirely.
] The gale commenced about o'clock, p m.
Its course was from the southwest to the north
east, and we may hear of further raysges in IL
linos. 1t is rumored at Camanche that the
farmers had suffered severely, southwest from
there, by having their buildings and fences de-
stroyed. and stock killed IL was also stated
that large raft was passing Camanche a; the
time, and that every man, numbering apparent
ly about twenty, were swept off into The river.
u The condition of The survivors of these two
towns is such as demands The warmest sympa.
thy and aid OF every one in this community al
well as elsewhere. Many are left without
; house above them, and scarcely garment e
wear. Their dead are to be buried, and then
wounded cared for, and it is the duty Of every
: one, so far as is in his power, to minister L
: their relief, for who can tell how soon we maj
need like services We hope also that thu
towns round about us that have escaped tht
terrible disaster, will ut once take active meas
ures to do something toward relieving the dis
tressed ofCamanche and Albany. The loss o
!. property in Camanehe alone cannot fall shor
of $250,000 or $500, 000-n fact, whaieye
the town was worth, less the real estate, i
: gone, and it will be seen at once that aid mus
come from some source to prevent those tina
are left alive from suffering.
L rErnno f,a (bfcaoa psesa ~ lima hfh
From the best information we have been abb
Z to collect thus far, the track Of the tornado ex
! tends from the heart of Linn county, Iowa
! near Cedar Rapids, the present terminus Of tn
i Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad, in
!. generally northeast direction across Clinic
II county, crossing the Mississippiat Camaneh
! and Albany--towns fronting each other respe,
/. lively on the Iowa and Illinois sho:es-an
\ thence maintaining its course towards the Gel
q ire of the State, across Whiteside into lie
j county, it's latest ravages heard from up
4 present writing being near Lee Centre.
a. The entire distance thus traversed is u
n wards OF one hundred miles, and that throue
IA a populous and fertile farming region, doit,
h with thriving towns, fell in the path of the d
- stroyer.
y Al Camanche So persons were killed, 1:
wounded, and 10 are missing at De Witt
persons were killed; at Union Grove IL;
ng Mechan csville l6, and New Lisbon 10, MAXI
NJ in all l3l killed. 125 wounded, 10 missing
ils Lisbon train OF ten heavily laden freight ca
~ were lifted bodily frem d railroad track a
'er dashed to pieces.
liz ~-----------
he A WoRD IN TiME.-ln the --- Conf
he. ence. when Elder P was Presiding Ed
las theirs were three brothers, all preachers; q
,ed not generally considered very bright.
til bad been examined, and had gone out for
nee Conference TO pass upon him.. Elder p /,
tits presiding officer. rose TO give his opinion
- I" Brethren said he, "lhese S----s, all
Iise them, are ~ell-ineaniDg men--ihey're q
Christians; but there's no mistake about
isds they have all of them got very soft place
II their heads, somewhere" Turning his hea
Il little, be met The indignant eyes Of the 4