Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-06-05

DE WITT, CAMANCHE AND ALBANY TO.
TALLY DESTROYED!l
SEVERAL HUNDRED LIVES LOST
MANY WOUNDED.
Great Destruction Of Property!


Great Destruction Of Property!
The last few weeks seem to have been par
,icularly prolific Of hurricsbes throughout tbs
entire country. But sho4 time since one d
the most terrific winds on record visited the
Ohio River, carrJiog destruction in its track
We have hitherto been siDgnlarly exempt bu.
! it is now cur painful duty TO rccord another
! instance Of destruction within our own State
yet more terrible, ii possible, than the vista
| tion upon our sister States.
| The cities Of Camanche and Albany. We
learn from an eyewitness were totally de-
stroyed on Sunday afternoon last by whrl-
wind and it is reported thai Dewitt also is ell
/ tirey destroyed. The lacts, as far ss we are
able to learn Them. are IS allows:
The early part of the afternoon Of Sunday
had been remarkably sultry, scarcely a breath
of sir moving, and when the clouds began 10
gather, the people Of ihe ilkistei towns, little
! thinking of the ruin SO BON to burst upon
them, r.joiced in the prosHct of a refreshing
shower. At about seven O'Clock huge black
cloud Of peculiarly omino,f appearance was
seen to raise in the NorthlW lWest and bend its
course toward Camanche, land soon another
! IS dark but equally strange looking cloud
arose in the Southwest. and also moved to-
words Camanche-meeting at a point on the
Mississippi River some distance below Canaan
che; whirwnd was formed, which produced
a water spout, the appearance af which is de-
scribei AS having been inexpressib!y grand.
The whir then appears to have crossed the
river to the Illinois eide, cutting wide swarth
and clearing up before il houses, trees and
whatever opposed its progress. After waver-
ing for some moments it changed its course,
and in moment burst upon Camanche and
Albany, two towns situated nearly opposite
each other, on the River. The destruction
here was terrible. In Camanche every build
ing including the residence of Horace Antho-
ny is said to be in rains, and of the well built
town of Camanche bat two shattered buildings
remain.
As soon as the news Of the disaster reached
Fulton, Clinton and Lyons ferry boat was
chartered and several h ndreI persons, among
them several physicians. supplied with nee. ssa
res for the relief of the woui ded, immediate
ly proceeded to the scene oil the terrible mis-
fortune.
At eight O'clock yesterday niornir e. the
time when our informant left thirty three dead
bodies, together wit abou. seventy wouadei
persons had been taken from the ruins at Ca
-uranche. In Albany tire vleeai ainutnberre eigh4,
with about thirty wounded. In both plac 8
many mole are missing, supp sed to be among
the killed. One raft lying at Camanche is sup
posed to have lost its entire crew-numbering
seventeen men. They were at supper when
the tornado struck them, and when it was
passed not man was to be seen aud no yestige
OF them has yet been discovered. Another
tenaniess ait also foated down the river yes
terday morning. What has become of It's crew
no one knows.
Among those reported dead in Camanche are
Isaac Park, Mr. Gotfried Westphal, wife and
four children. and the daughters, and grand
son of Mr. H. G.. Sessions, Who himself
seriously, If not fatally injured. Mr.. S. Har-
vey. son-in.law ct Mr. S.. is also among tie
dead.
Among the buildings destroyed was the Mil
lard House large. four story brick structure,
the large brick store occupied by Westrhal,
and the entire block of brick AMI frame
buildings, of which it par, the ware
house of j. W. Waldorf. the steam saw mill
of II. Anthony etc.. etc.
The Mudgett House was partially destroyed,
but the large brick structure in course Of con-
struction by Mr. Waldorf escaped with the
loss OF part of the roof. Its good fortune is
attributed to the fact that no windows ha yet
been put in and less surface was therefore pre-
sented to the wind. The ferry boat was liter
ally torn to atoms.
In Albany the destruction is summed up by
saying that but tw houses remain standing
The news from De Witt is yst very meag gre.
A person, however, arrived at Camanche early
yesterday morning, not knowing Of the disas-
ter there, asking for medical assistance, and
stating that every house in the town was blown
down.
News also arrived Of terrible devastation on
the prairies between Camanche and De Witt,
and among it report that Ar. Hatfield, one
of the Oldest settlers Of Clinton county. had
been carried away and himself and family OF
seven killed. It's said that over ffty turner's
and families persisted
Some Of these stories are doubtless exageer-
atious, lat least we trust so) bat enough is
certainly known to place it beyond doub.
that the tornado was by far the most destruct-
i've of any which have ever eccrfred in the
West
INCIDENTs.
From Mr.. D. G. Aldrich, OF Wyoming, Iowa,
Who was upon the ground yesterday morning,
and who called upon US last evening, We learn
some Of the incidents of the terrible ca.astro-
phe:
Mr.. Brooks. one Of the few survivors, rays
he can liken the sound of the tornado as 1t
approached, only t. that Of an earthquake.
the whole earth trembling terribly.
In Camanche mother was discovered ly-
ing dead with her little infant in her arms, up.
on whom no visible injury could be found-the
breath of life having departed from both.
Another mother, was found lyiug- dead with
her two little cnes By her side-all three cold
and stiff.
A woman, the top of whose head was COM
pletely severed, was found lying by the side Of
II 4