The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1872-10-11
CAIRO BULLETIN.
THE TORNADO AT ASHPORT.
from the Memphis Avalanche,


We have already printed the particulars
| OF the destructive tornado Saturday night
18th ultimo. The storm crossed the river,
doing great damage to property ut and
near Asbport, on the Tennessee side
Several houses were blown down. They
| belonged, respectively, TO Mrs. Partee,
and John Conner, Jones Meadows, Hen.
ley and Evans. Among the wounded
we're Jones Meadows, quite seriously,
John Conner, with two of his children,
Mrs. Meadows, Mrs. Partee, and Messrs,
Evans and Henley, slightly. Forty men
went TO help the citizens VI Ashport re.
build. From the Ripley News OF the Sd
received last night--the following de-
tails were obtained:
Going from Ripley 10 Ashport, we
soon reached the steep declivity known as
the Bluff Picking our way down the
rough road, washed into deep gullles by
the recent rains, we slowly descended into
The dreary shades Of the bottom. The
devious path, miscalled q road, led Us
through gloomy forests whose silent OBJ
security klndled = feeling akin TO awe, as
we quietly rode Oh for miles this quiet
Ssbtsth morning. Giving loose rein to
fancy, We scarcely noticed the number Of
broken branches lying across and on
each side of the path, until the way was
completely obstructcd by fallen tim
Der. We had now arrived
ut the eastern confines Of
the terrible tornado which about o'clock
the preceding day had passed through this
section Of the county. Before US for
about three quarters Of mile lay 3 con-
fused mass OF fallen timber, crossed and
piled in every direction. Let the reader
imagine himself surrounded by these mon
archs Of the forest whose lofty branches,
waving in heavens sunlight, had stood
for ages, the mute monuments OF creative
skill. See them whirling their tall heads
round and round from side to side, Ms
they grspple with the terrible cyclone,
until shivered at the base, or torn up by
the roots, yielding to the irresistible power,
they fall with desfeniDg crash. In the
central part Of the hurricane not q tree
was left standing.
"At Asbport five houses were blown
down. Some Of them were completely de-
molisheo, not SO much, even, as the blocks
upon which the houses rested remaining.
several persons were considerably bruised
but none fatally injured. A gentleman
from Hales Point learned from . passen-
ger on boat that one third Of Osceols,
comprising the upper part OF the town,
was completely destroyed. Twenty per-
sons were missing q few killed and sew
eral wounded. 1t is reported that q party
of about thirty men went out from Osce-
ola toward Sandy bayou TO ascertain the
damage in that direction. They re-
ported that as far Ms they went
every house was swept away, and
not single person was found 10 tell
the tale OF disaster. From Osceols the
monster destroyer sped on the wings OF
fury across the river, to Divers place,
Cpsetting q few houses and killing one
negro, it comes on by the Emory place, in
a direction q little east Of north, 10 James
Jobnson's, laying PROSTATE . few more
houses and all the timber in its course.
Reaching Ashport, then running little
more to the east, striking the bluff little
east of Joe Pearsons, unroofng one room
Of Jack CARROTS dwelling and tearing
down fences and q few outbuildings, it
seemed TO have been satisfied with its
WORK Of ruin, for We cannot trace i, any
further.
A gentleman at Ashport states that he
distinctly SAW the hurricane approaching
at some distance. He could distinguish
logs, chunks, broken branches, and debris
Of various kinds in the mir. All at once
he experienced terrible shock, accompa-
MED by a tremendous roaring, crashing,
desfening sound, and became Immediately
obivious to all sensations. When con-
sciousness wss restored, he found himself
covered up by boards, sbou. thirty yards
from where his house formerly stood his
wife and children lying scattered around
him, but none Of them severely injured.
One man is reported to hsve seen a woman
in mid air, about as high rs the tree tops,
coming from the direction Of Arkansas,
and going east with unenvisbe speed.
THE amount Of damage in the ,struc-
ton Of houses, crops and stock, though
great, cannot as yet be sscertained.'