The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1866-04-11

the Evansville Qnd. Journal, OF the ~ y
Many remarkable aud strange effects OF !
be grim Storm King in Illinois have !
rom time to time been recorded. Ac- ;
cunts have been given of the tearing up !,
{ the turf on the prniries Of that State !,
ut tie facts that We are about to record /,
ave no parallel in the history OF de- I,
~truction by the elements that We are
ware OF. ,
We were Yesterday visited by Mr.. VIM.
Brill, an old and respected farmer Of
Johnson county, Illinois, and one Of the
most extensive in that country, who fur
nishes us with succinct and detailed dcs-
Of a tornado that passed over
that neighborhood on the Goth, which
caused o terrible loss Of life, and the to-
Ial destruction Of everything in the line
Of its march, entirely uprootiag whole
farms, carrying away houses, trees, wag:
oDs aud everything above the ground and
bringing misery aud mourning into the
happy homes of many.
Mr.. Brill's farm house rests upon an
eminence sufficiently high to give him q
view of the section through which the
destruction passed, and on the day of tie
2Olh, he and his family had a perfect
view CT the sublime scene which the an
CRY elements were enactiog in the valley
only half a mile south Of his house. d
lie describes the appearance Of the
storm rs the most terrific ever Witnessed
or that the mind can conceive. A dense
blackuess enveloped the valley below,
while it was quite light on the hills
around, and this added to the disiinctness
Of the whole. The most terrific roar,
rvmbling and moaning filled the uir, and
the smell Of sulphur was very strong
The uuearthly noise seemed to drown the
voice of speakers close to each other.
As it advanced, apparently with the
moderate speed Of a locomotive, Mr. Brill
observed high in the air the most extraor.
binary spectacle of irse,, crushed houses,
wood, rails aud objects that appeared to
him to be horses and cattle, borne on the
storm in dense volumes Of dirt and dust,
all in the most inextricable confusion
The very heavens were filled with the
contents Of farms. Every object seemed
torn from the earth and folded upward
Splintered timbers were torn up and
heaved upward. Houses were taken up
bpdily and dashed overhead, and a per
feet desolalion spread over the valley.
The portion of the valley where this
tornado passed was in the neighborhood
Of Tobacco Post Office, and within a few
miles, if we understand him rightly, Of
Golcondl. The tornado mcv,d from
west to east, and appeared to keep in q
chosen path. The country is very bro.
ken, but those living in the small valleys
to suffer tho most.
AS the tornado advanced, the indica.
lions Of It's course were very deceptive
appearing to poin. in all directions. Tho
effect probably came from tie revolution
going on in volumes Of dust and sulphurii
smoke that developed everything In tn
valley, and which at times, seemed to r1l
and spread il all directions.
The whole country was inundated
aud The soil in many places washed dow
to the sub.s,ratum Of clay, ms though tn
clouds had burst and flooded the oar'h
with oceans of water at once.
The following i the list of lives lost
and total destruction as FAR as named I:
Joseph HARPER was mortall2 injured
three Of his daughters were killed out
right, aud five of his family of nine NOR.
tally wounded His home and ever.
object Of his place was, entirely carried
away, and Lothing has since been fount
Of anything, A wagon load Of -four nnt
meal in sacks was taken up by the tor
naGo, and no trace Of it afterwards wa
i. found. Thirteen thousand dollars il
money was also blown away with tn
house.
5 NJ, B payne's house was also taken u
, and blown to atoms. His stock of boots
shoes and dry goods was carried for mile
and scattered over the country. Ever.
thing totally lost.
Esquire Morley had nine ia his family
one killed, md eight supposed to be MOI
E tally injured. Houses aud everything o.
the place swept away.
John Jones lost a child Every thin
totally lost. ~
Jonathan Waters farm was LITERAL
torn up aud carried off. There is not a
object left.
Louis Nc Gowan's farm was also total
n ly destroyed. Houses, barns and every
thing gone.
7 Woodson Vests farm was entirely d,
9 stroyed. and every thing on it swept Of
f Orchards were pulled up by the roo.
and carried FIVE miles.
Every one who escaped destruction |
: the line Of the tornado, as well as tho'
10 who we're killed, we're blackcned,
'e though they bad been shot.
IS Mr.. Bill was one Of the fortunate fe
10 WIN lived of from the route ofthe torn
do, and thus escaped with a slight loss.
W. He Tells US that The scene after the to
lc nado passed over was one Of the mo
ie heart-rending it had been his misfortul
no to witness. Every farmer who lived
" the path Of the angry element is bom
P, less and totally broken up. Destructi,
O. is to be seen everywhere. Natchez MAJ
% years ago was no worse in its effect.
he The three daughters Of Mr.. Jose
u Harper, afterwards found dead, We
II, locked in each others arms.
ID Cows, hogs and farm implements