The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-04-10

the distinctness of the whole. The most ter
ri6c roar, rumbllng and moaning filed the
air, and the smell of sulphur was very strong.
The unearthly noise seemed to drown the
voice of speakers close to each other.
As it advanced, apparently with the mod
crate speed of locomotive. Mr.. Brill OBJ
served high in the air the most extraordinary
spectacle of trees, crushed houses,w 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 in
extricabls confusion. The very heavens were
filled with the contents Of farms | Every OBJ
ject seemed torn from tho earth and folded
upward Splintered timbers were torn up
and heaved upward Houses were taken up
bodily and dashed overhead, and perfect des.
olation spread over the valley.
The portion of the valley whore this lorna
do passed was in the nsighborhood of Tobac-
90 Post office, and within few miles, if we
understand correctly, of Golconds. The tor
nado moved from west to east, and appeared
to keep in q chosen path. The country is
very broken, but those living In the small
valley seemed to suffer most.
As the tornado advanced, the indications of
it's course were very deceptive, appearing to
point in all directions. This effect probably
came from the revolution going on in volumes
of dust and sulphuric smoke that enysloped
erything in the valley, and which, at
times, seemed to roll and spread in all direc-
tons.
The whole country was inundated. and the
soil in many places washed down to the sub.
stratum of clay. as though the clouds had
burst and flooded the earth with oceans of wa.
ter at once.
The following Is the list of lives lost and
total destruction so tar as named:
Joseph Harper was mortslly injured, three
of his daughters were killed outright, and
FIVE others of his family of nine mortaliy
wounded. His home and every object of his
place carried away, and nothing has since
been found of anything. A wagon load of
-four aud meal in sacks was taken up by the
tornado, and no trace of it afterward found.
Thirteen thousand dollars in money was also
blown away with the house,
NJ B. Bayne's house was also taken up
| and blown to atoms. His stock of boots, shoes
and dry goods were carried for miles and scatter
ed over the country. Everything totally lost.
| Esquire Worley had nine in family one killed
| and eight supposed to be MORALLY injured
Houses and everything on the place swept
away.
John Jones lost child. Everything totally
| lost.
Jonathan Waters's farm was literally torn up
and carried off. There is not an object left.
| Louis McGowan's farm was also totally destroy
ed. Houses, barns and everything gone.
| Woodson Vests farm entirely destroyed,
and everything on it swept off.
| Orchards were pulled up by the roots and car
ried five miles.
| Every one who escaped destruction in the line
| of the tornado, well as those who were killed,
| we're blackened as though by SCOT,
Mr.. Brill was one of the fortunate few who
lived off from the route of the tornado, and thus
escaped with slight loss.
He tells US that the scene, after tie tornado
passed over, was one of the most heart-rending it
had ever been his misfortune to witness. Every
farmer who lived in the path of the angry ele.
meuts is homeless and totally broken up. Des.
truction is to be seen everywhere. He is OF
opinion that the hurrican, at Natchez, many years
ago, was no worse in its effects.
The three daughters of Mr.. Joseph Harper, af
terwsrd found dead were locked in each others
| arms.
Cows, hogs and farming implements, in some
cases, were found at great distance. OF course,
nearly all live stock in the line of the storm was
destroyed.
This tornado, in less force, visited many parts
of the country, being what is known as the
| 'equnoctial storm" but its violence in johnson
county is without parallel. Were such tor
nado to pass over city built like Evansville
there would be cause of mourning indeed.