The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1865-07-14
The Tornado In Vernon County.

As near as row can be ascertaiued, the
tornado that occurred in Vernon county,
Wisconsin, on the 2Sih of June. between
3 and 4 o'clock o. m. assumed its whr-
ing from about eleven miles, little south
of vest Of Viroqua. A man seated in the
doorway, saw a column commence rapid
whirl. In appearance, it strongly resen
bled smoke. Soon it became of such
startling dimensions, that he was so fear
full that The house would De swept away by
is advance, that he sought safety by hug
ging the ground aid clinging to sspling
Happily for the dwelling and its in
mates, it took another direction. lis
course was somewhat eccentric, though
making, generally, northeas, for about
three miles. 1t then seems to have come
IN contact with cloud making from the
North. They mingled ogether, the course
OF both being changed, darling to the east
like monster hungering for destruction.
Eight miles 1t swept onward, roaring
feal fully, now and then touching the
earth, as if sportvely testing its power,
here ard there rackiug a house upon its
foundations, crushing it as in a vice, or
sending 1t 10 atoms ; twisting, tearing and
leveing thicket or strewing a fence, till
within one-fourth of mile Of the village
of Virolua, it passed lightly over depres
sion of ground to the rise on the east,
there to let bose It's fury and begin its
ravages upon the little town.
Ii first struck large frame barn, lit
tie to the south of what is known as the
Court House Rock. lis heavy climbers
and foundation of solid masonry seemed as
rothiug. In al instant, the air was filed
with beams, boards and fragments. A
few steps distant was a large granary,
close by dwelling house all three were
whirled in the air at once, ningling their
fragments, then strewing the earth, leav-
ing sight that must be seen to be reallz>
ed.
Still continuing due east. it caught up
the houses and barns of DR. Dean and Mr..
Buckley, leaving them but waste. 1t
crossed the street sweeping the house and
stable of Mr.. Bennett tearing to pieces and
strewing the ground with the whole of the
buildings of DR.. WeedeD. His fercing,
his shrubbery, his orchard-aIl share lie
same fate,
Mr.. Gardner's house was seen whirling
upward, carrying the family, for forty feet,
then was crushed down upon its end, yet,
strange to say. no one was killed, though
Mrs. Gardner was Injured, perhaps fatally.
Thus it went on from house to house.
n bn e.,
Six were instantly killed or died within a
short time, while many were wounded,
battered and bruised.
par. less awfully destructive than The
main blast, was detached from it near the
Court House Rock, OF else formed indie
pendent of it, and passed up into the cen
ter OF The town, unroofing the Cour House,
upsetting and crushing the printing office,
and tearing to pieces house near it, 60
ing on, here and there, partially or totally
destroying whatever II struck, till finally
disappearing altogether.
The tornado, with accelerated power,
passed on, tearing everything in its path
A little over mile from town it struck a
school house, seriously irjuring the teach
er, killing six of the scholars, and hurtin Q
many more.
Its track heretofore, had been limited
to ne-fourth of a mile or less. Eight
miles east Of Viroqua, Lear where i; eros
sed the West Kickapoo, it has been esti
mated at nearl y mile in width. After
ward it is said to have separated into two
pats, apparently above the earth. Hence
forth, its track is unknown.
The visit was short. A few moments in
Viroqua-and what a charge One bv
one, graves have been dug; one by one,
thither have the dead been borne till, with
thirteen, there, in the little graveyard,
It's the last of earth Father, mother,
children, there they are, there they must
remain
Forty more are said to be under medical
treatment. Some, it is thought, may fol-
low where the others have gone. There
too. is the track where the Hurricane was
1t is perfect picture of desoIarion-'lis
black where shrubbery doomed and flow
ers shed their fragrance. A common is
where gardens were, hole where houses
stood; and all around lie scattered the
torn fragments of once happy homes!
The mex, day the people of Viroqua
and vicinity gathered together to see what
should be done for the relief of the suffer
ing. They finally concluded to organize
a Relief Society. A committee of five
was appointed to estimate the damage
done through the County, and to prepare
an address to The people. They were also
empowered to solicit contributions of all
kinds, and from all sources