The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-04-19
The Gareaf Tornado.

Illinois and Indiana papers contain
copious details of fearful tornsdo,
heretofore referred to, which swept over
portions of those States on the goth ult.
1t seems to have risen in Southern H.
linois and spent its fury in the heart of
Indiana. In Moultrie and Douglas
counties, Illinois, one man was Killed
and twenty or thirty wounded. The
accounts of its rayagcs in johnson
county, Illinois, is very thrilling. The
tornado caused terrible loss of life,
and the total destruction of everything
in the line of its march, entirely uproot.
ing whole farms, carrying away houses
trees, wagons, and everything above
the ground, and bringing misery and
mourning into the happy homes ofmany.
A resident of the section through which
it passed thus describes the scene:
"a dense blackness enveloped the
valley below while it was quite light on
the hills around, and this added to the
distinctness Of the whole. The most
terrific roar rumbling and moaning fl
led the air and the smell of sulphur
was very strong. The unearthly noise
seemed to drown the voice of speakers
close to each other. The portion of the
valley where this tornado passed was in
the neighborhood of Tobacco Postofice
aud within few miles of Golconda.-
The tornado moved from west to east,
and appeared to keep in chosen path.
The country is very broken, but those
living in the small valleys seemed to
suffer most AS it advanced, apparently
with thespeed of locomotive, Mr.. Brill
observed high in the air the most extra
ordinary spectacle of trees, crushed
houses, wood rails and objects that
seemed to him to be horses and cattle,
borne on by the storm in dense volumes
of dirt and dust, all in the most mex
tricable confusion The very heavens
were filled with the contents of farms -
Every object seemed torn fiom the earth
and folded upward Houses were Ia
ken up bodily aud dashed overhead,
aud perfect desolation spread over the
valley.
As the tornado advanced the indica-
tions ofits course were very deceptive,
appearing to point in all directions.-
! This effect probably came from the reyo-
lution.going on in the volumes of dust
and sulphuric smoke that enveloped
everything in the valley aud which at
times seemed to roll and spread in all
directions The whole country was
inundated, and the soil in many places
washed down TO the substratum of clay
az though the clouds had burst and
flooded the earth with oceans Of water
at once.
Joseph Harper was mortally injured,
three Of his daughters were killed out
right and five Others of his family Of
nine mortally wounded His home and
every object of his place was entirely
carried away aud nothing has since
been found Of anything. Thirteen
thousand dollars in money was also
blown away with the house. Mr..
Bayncs hsuse was also taken up an d
/ blown to atoms. His stock Of boots,
shoes and dry goods, was carried for
miles and scattered over the country
Everything was totally lost. Esquire
Morley had nine in his family, one Of
whom was killed, aud eight are suppo.
scd TO be mortally wounded. Houses
and everything ON the place swept away
John Jones lost a child Everything
totally lost.
Besides those above mentioned, many
others had their farms completely des-
troycd Every one who escaped des-
truction in the line of the tornado, as
well rs those who were killed, were blac-
kcnod az though by SCOT.