The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-07-12
The Viroqua Tornado.
The La Crosse Democrat has lengthy and
graphic account of the Viroqua tornado, from
which We copy the following extracts:

The viroqua Tornado.
The La Crosse Democrat has lengthy and
graphic account of the Viroqua tornado, from
which We copy the following extracts:
THE sToRM-coURsE AND DURATION.
At four o'clock black clouds rolling heavily
in the sky betokened q storm. In q few mo.
ments the wind sprang up, and almost immcdi-
ately could be seen coming from the Northeast
cloud Of wind, rolling at times close to the
earth, dust, sticks, etc, filling the air. At the
same time there appeared another cloud of like
nature coming directly toward tho village from
the west. The current was passing to the
southwest, and the points or epds met half a
mile west of the village, when it seemed as if
a mighty strife was going on between millions
Of invisible spirits in the two currents. People
ran for the houses in terror-the whirlwind
with shrek and howl kept on its eastward
course, the larger current turning the smaller
one back, the two going on their work of
destruction. In tro minutes its fury was spent
at Viroqua. aud the southern portion of the
place, (and the most beautifully was made q
scene Of wilder and more terrible devastation
than we ever witnessed before.
The first house struck was that Of VIM.
Vought. which was totally destroyed. Before
attempting to depict scenes or itemize incidents
we give =
LIST OF THE KILLED.
]. G. Barstow and wife, whose house was
crushed like An egg shell, and themselves so
injured that they both died in an hour.
A three year old child of H. G. Weeden was
found dead in the ruins Of his house, which was
demolished.
Lydia Gillett, killed while shutting door
The house was carried some ways and dashed
to fragments
Wife of Mr.. Dean and her daughter, Mrs.
Moon, were killed; Mr. Dean seriously injur.
ed.
Eliza Derby. girl twelve years old.
Two children of James Daniels.
Two children of James Cook.
One child of Nelson Rhodes.
Mrs. Good, killed.
SEVERELY WOUNDED
Mr. and Mrs. Drake and son Phincas. Mr..
Drake is eight y-four, his wife seventy six and
Phineas thirty five years Of age. We doubt if
either of the three are alive now.
Mrs. Decker, thigh broken.
John Gardner's wife, seriously injured.
A servant girl working for w. s. Purdy,
fatally injured.
}. NJ. Bennett, leg broken.
Mrs. J. Buckley. seriously hurt
Mr.. Dean, badly injured.
Dr.. Weeden and wife. badly injured.
Peter Hays, wife and four children, badly
wounded.
Mrs. w. s. S. White, daughter and grand.
child. fatally injured.
Q. c. Smith, injured seriously.
Mrs. X. Z. Bierce, seriously injured.
J. Dawson, badly injured.
Besides these there are others wounded, but
their names we could not learn in the limited
time set apart for this purpose. Dr. Tinker in.
formed US that over one hundred persons were
hurt, forty Of whom are seriously injured, and
about twelve of whom must die soon.
IN THE SCHOOL HOUSE,
there were twenty -four children, and the teach.
er. Eight children were killed and all moro or
less cut, bruised or mangled.
THE STORM.
Those who have not witnessed the scenes of
devastation can form no idea of the terrible
power Of the whirlwind. The ground is torn
as if ploughed. Huge rocks ten feet square.
were hurled distance Of forty rods Dwellings
were razed to the ground, and hurled rods
away. Huge oak trees were twisted from
stumps like reeds. Tmbers sixteen inches
square and sixty feet long were hurled through
the air as though they were feathers. The
scene OF desolstion is beyond description. The
ground over which the whirlwind passed looks
as if mighty stream Of water had carried
hoodwood over it. Houses, outhouses, trees,
shrubs, fences, etc , were swept away. as if God
had in His anger rubbed His hand over the
spot. Houses were lifted a hundred fee:
into the air-horses were whisked of like
swallows-rocks were broken down like dry
bread.
Among the wonderful incidents we give
specimen or two from the Democrats account:
The dwelling Of John Gardener, a large
twostory frame house, was whrled up in the
air. An oak tree standing near by, sixty feet
from the ground to its top, was stripped Of
every leaf, and resembles dead tree A
gentleman saw from the lower part of the
town, out of the course Of the storm, the house
OF Gardener rise into the air. till its lower part
was far above the top Of the oak tree. 1t came
down-the corner struck in the garden some
ways from its foundation-it was whirled up
again higher than before, and came down the
second time striking on the roof, dashing the
building to atoms. A large portion Of the
ruins were carried away. Mrs. Gardner was in
the house all the time with an infant in her
arms. She was taken from the ruins badly in.
jured, tchile the infant ,oas unhur!
Mr. BENEFITS fine house was blown in every
direction; some of the ruins fell in the cellar.
Mr.. Bennett was hurled into a corner of the
cellar, and little girl was blown in beside
him. A few seconds after horse was blown
in upon him, breaking his leg. The horse
struggled to get up, but could not, and lest in
struggling it might kill him and the little girl,
Mr.. b tried to get knife from his pocket with
which to cut the horses throat and so quiet him,
when two more horses were hurled in on him.
he was got out with lcy badly broken. The
little girl was badly injured.
When the blow began, man had just started
from store to 60 home with team and wagon.
tie was hurled from the wagon, falling in the
brush thirty rods south. The wagon.box has
not yet been found. The running gear was
broken and scattered in every direction. The
horses we're those thrown in upon Mr. Ben
nett. t.Et1 .a.a .a- -.
The N. Y. Herald says; President Johnson