Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-11
A Tornado in Wisconsin.

A terrible tornado visited the village OF
VroQua, Wisconsin, on the 2Sth ult., and eX-
tended lts rayages over section Of country some
fourteen miles in length, and one fourth OF
mile ia width. The village Of VIoqua IS the
County seat OF Vernon County, and contained
about 1000 inhabitants. 1t Is the residence oil
quite a number Of Vernon ers, and we regrett to
learn that several Of them suffered severely by
this calamity. DR.. II. &. Weeden, from WI
Jamestown, had a child killed, himselt and vile
badly injured, and his fine house and barn en-
ttely swept away j, a. S5merJy, son OF
Capt oomeby Of this village, had his dwelling
house blown away, his printing off g pied, and
the contents Of bookstore distributed Tor miles
Mrs r. C. Bicce, also from Vermont, was serl-
ously injured
Below we give few extracts OF general IN
teres, which We copy from an extended account
Of the disaster published in the Lacrosse DEM
Ocrat
At four O'Clock black clouds rolling heavily
IN the sky betokened stolm. In few mo-
] menus Jho WIN oIlhuB hPt INV "'''iVN' '
dlately could be seen coming from the northeast
cloud OF wind, rolling at times close to the
earth, dust, sticks, etc h!hng the air. Az the
same time there appeared another cloud OF like
nature coming directly toward the village from
the wtSt. The fret cuIlaut was passing t0 the
southwest, and the points or ends met half
mile west Of the village, when IT seemed as II Il
mighty strife was cong on between millions Of
| D. emit tan 80 on
ran for their houses IN terrof-tho WhlrlWDd
with d shrek and howl kept on It's eastward
course, the larger current turning the smaller
one back the two going on together ia their
work OF destruction. In tD0 minutes It's fury
was spent at Nroqua and the southern poru0n
oil the place ( and tue most beautiful. Was mad
a scene OF wilder AMI more terrible devastation
than we ever witnessed before.
Over one hundred persons were hurt, forty oi
whom are seriously injured, ana about twelve
OF whom must die soon. Ia the school house
there we're twenty four children, ana the teach
er. Eight children were killed, and all more
or less cut, bruised or mangied
Those who have not witnessed the scenes Vi
; devastation can form no idea Of the terrible
power OF the whirwlnd. The ground ls torn
: as If pluughed. Huge rocks ten ieas square
a were nut gu q ul1thuGc VI III " NUS h0eA"h9
were raised from the ground, and hurled rods
away Huge oak trees were twisted from
? stumps like reeds, llmbets sixteen ieet long
we're hurled through the Git as though they
were feathers The scene Of desolatiln Is be-
: You'd description. The ground over Which the
Snrlwind passed looks as II a migh;y stream OF
A water had carried Lockwood over 1t. Houses,
outhouses. trees, shrubs fences, exc were swept
8 4 l... 4 10, l.t. t.rI
hand oyer lhe sTOt. Houses were lifted nun
bred feet into the alF-horses wer1 whisked OF
ike aWallOws-rucks were broken down Ike
. dry bread. lumber wagon WAS lifted from
e the front Of barn and set down unnluted be-
g hind IT, \ buggy 10 the barn was sucked
through the ruoi aud dashed 10 pieces against
the ground near By. A fence board from gar
0 den tence forty rods away, was driven into a
d house, one end of the board prorudng about
i've feet into the paror, trough the coilng
A pitch fork was carried halt a mile and the
eud vi the handle driven into an O4k stump,
II where i. was found. A store disappeared 50
e qulok no one saw 1t 20, and five thousand dol
!, lars worth u goods are not to be found mil
pond Fix miles east Of EnCqla was cmpued Of
logs and water, The Wnd dipped into the
loid. The mill Is goue-Ihe logs were wbiried
l. Over Tue COuutIJs
= Log chains, harness. dead hogs, pieces u l4r-
!. niture, broken plows aud other agricultural
n imp ements, leather beds badly ripped, picket
o lences rails fence posts, door frames, and barn
a umbers, dead chickens, calves, sheep aud cats
\. and all the things imaginable, hang in the top'
r Of trees, bushes, g. The scene Is one thai
beggais description, and ono which never wa'
equaled in this country. The air WAS filled
- wlth fragments OF houses, entire outhouses
z broken timbars, log chains, rocks, cellar walls
N stoves, flaming mills, hJes, poss, wagons, and
10 horses. People halt mile away, say the 81 'uC
h OF rum which swept on east was grand terrible
- awful, aad indescrlbaoly terrific.
IN People rau wild with terror Mon, womer
n and children, horses and cattle were nearly
10 frightened to death. The terror was ndescrlb
- able People thought death and the dua
10 destruction OF the earth had come and CAV,
re themselves up for Lust Had II been in the nigh
!, Imagination can only dwell on the scenes q
= horror the darkness would have augm nted
There was neither rain, thunder OF Lightning a
!" the tune, though it rainsi the night following
y, One hundred anl fifty persons were left wound
ne cd and entirely deStiiuts.