, 1863-04-24

Great Destruction of Property and Loss
Of Life.
From the Grundy County Herald a?d ]

This county was visited on Saturday after
neon: by most fearful tornado, which burst
in all its fury over the town If Mazon carry
ing destruction ard loss Of life in Its wake.
II storm, when it first CAME up, was Thought
net to be Of ascrions character, and its dread
full force Was not anticipated bnt a few mo-
mcnts before it burst III all its tullncss upon
its victims. The storm was not accompanied
By severe thunder and lightning, but hail fell
In large quantities aud with great force, some
Of thu stones being US large rs hens eggs.
Previous to the storm, the atmospheric appear
cd warm and snltry, and an unusual stiffness
prevailed. As it approached, its true charsc-
ter became more apparent, but such WAS
its suddeness, that no time was left
10 prepare for safety. The storm.cloud
se:ted q tlunnellshapcd appearance It sud
denly swoopcd down to tile earth, and seemed
| to 1cyolvc like i wheel, crushing and tearIn.
10 atone, everything in its progress. Nothing
could Withstand its devastating force-the
la'gtet and strongest houses, yieldinga Us ready
| to its force, as the merest skeleton. In It's
course, houses were torn from their founl1a.
| items, taken into the mir, and then dashed to
tie earth and scattered into fragmeuts-,he
| largest forest trees were 1oosed from their
muGrlpgs md thrown into the alr--horses,
cattle and poultry, we're thrown from their
tett and scattered promiscuously about the
q. n.lds-~bcds, chairs, stoves and other house.
held fixtures, were carried . distance Of half i
mlle-and other evidences Of the fearful
strength Of the storm given,
IAe first we hear Of the storm, was in the
ton OF Norman, where fences were prostr.l-
ted. From thence Its course can be plainly
tIEced, until 1t reached the residence Of Mr.
Viner, in the town Of Macon, where It's terri
bic foIce was first felt.
Mr.. Hiner's house was raised from It's fonud-
alton ard carrieda few feet. as the storm
burst upon tue house, Father Viner and bis
wife attempted to escape to the cellar His
wife succeeded in getting there, bu. the old
gentleman was caught between the moving
building ard the foundation and crushed to
death. His litelcss body Was taken out after
| the storm.
We next hear Of its destruction at the home
I OF Sam. Sinclair. 1t crushed In the Vest cnd
| Of the bnildiDg aud then tore out the East
crd, md completely cleaned the house Of It's
contents. None Of the family, singular as it
may seem, were injured.
The next in it's course, was the residence
| OF VIM. Fuller. The house was moved about
se;en feet from the foundation, and the win
dcws and doors blown out, but no injury to
| any Of the inmates. The roof was also taken
The house Of Owen Murray was unroofed,
| as WAS also his barn. Other damage WAS done,
but not Of serious nature. 1 tenant house
| on this farm, occupied By Stephen Keith, had
| all the windows, doors and partitions torn out
| Of II, still it remained upon its foundation
,
or four in number, were huddled together in
| the hall, and amidst all the destruction, were
uliinjured. large bridge near this place,
IVES completely torn to pieces, aud tho lumber
carried for hundreds Of yards. Alvin Frary,
with his horses and wagon, were near the
bridge. The wagon was broken into ato1ns,
and the horses carried into the slough, but nc
| particular injury Done them. Mr. Frary nil
racu1ously escaped DEATH It is said il Ia i'm.
possible to find piece Of the wayon half =
foot in 1eDgtl-tho axletrees were broken into
sEau pieces, and tile wheels made into kind
irg wood.
The storm showed its most fearful force at
TIE house owned bJ James Mckeene. This
building was about forty.dre feet square, and
built Of the strongest material The tornado
struck the northwest corner, and carrying it
from its foundation It took it into the air.
and then dashed it to atoms on the ground
Where What Is lett Of it Is a perfect wreck.
Mrs. Wood, her three children, and two ladies'
were in the house at the time. Two Of the
children were in bed and the other somewhere
about the house. Mrs. Wood seized the two
children IN the bed, and escaped from the
house with them. Tho two ladies were up
stairs and when the house was tore to pieces,
they fell through the floors, and escaped with
bnt slight injuries. Tho missing child, after
| IL. storm nd passed. crawlcd out from under
the rubbish. apparently uninju1ed, although
| 1t is miracle that it should have escaped.
4 lady by tho name of Catharine MuTry was
| injured slightly. The barn, one Of the lar
| Eest in the county, about G0x7O feet, was COM
pletely demolished, with everything in it, with
| The exception Of horse, which came ont uu-
| scratched. 4 new carriage, Just brought home
| ard placed in the barn, was broken to atoms.
| and the parts scattered to the flour winds OF
| heuytn." 4 stove and some bedding we're
taken up and carried to the timber over half 4
| mile distant.
The house Of Camrfle1d Meyer, WAS IN.
| rooted. the south sits.. and end torn out, and
| the building lefta perfect wreck. There were
| several persons in the family but none In
| jured but Mrs. Mover, and her not severely.
| Her life was saved by being protected by q
| straw bed. At this point large apple orchard
| IVES tom up. and the trees, very large ones,
/ car1icd great distance.
| In the Village Of 8lazon no particular dam
I age was done, Eaye the tearing out OF windows
ard doors, and breaking down Of fcuces.
The tornado next passed into the Macon
Timber, where over forty acres we7c blown
down, among which were many trees ct giant
proportions. The storm seems to hare hero
| spent It's force, as the last traces Of its fur
were seen Just outside Of the timber, where It
unroofed the barn Of Oliver Booth,
Above NC hare given all the information We
could gain. The people were in such state
OF excitement that they hardly knew, thcm-
selves, what did transpire. But sufficient is
given to show that the tornado was one OF
awful force, and while We mourn the death of
rather Hlner, as he is flmillatly called, and
see the great and fearful destruction Of prop
erty, We arc thankful that no greater loss Of
II was sustained. 1t Is miracle that Others
we've not killed.