Connecticut western news., 1875-04-09
A MISSISSIPPI TORNADO.
Five; Persons Killed and Twenty ,s Seriously @ s Tniuped. E

4 3 NS A Injured. B IsSA-E
 Although much has been published re- garding the destructive tornado which passed over Mississippi, much of it's his tory yet remains to be written. In the main the hurried reports sent to the press are correct, but=stil the half has not been told. There are 8 greater num- Der of houses destroyed than has been reported, and then the partial damage to others will swell the total damage toza large amount. In Rieni and vicinity, fair estimate of the loss will approximate $1OO,O00. The hotel, Methodist church, and the stores escaped with but little in jury, but most of the best dwelling houses and churches are totally destroy ed also the colored population suffered severely, losing churches, schoolhouses, and fifteen or twenty dwellings. Per sons outside the track of the storm rep resent it as being terrific beyonddescrip- tion. The whole clements at times seemed one solid sheet of flame. Balls of solid fire would increase to great size, then burst, presenting the appearance of shower of fire. But few of the suffer- CTS discovered the approach of the storm until about the time it came upon them. The roaring was indescribable. The earth shook for miles on either side. The track of destruction was about 8 quarter of mile wide, though much damage was done outside of this limit. Where the main force travelled every thing was utterly demolished, save now and then the wind whirling around would leave tree standing, and, intwo instances, the ;whirls passed around houses, leaving them seeures but clear ing away the outbuildings and every thing else in it's circle. Large trees were twisted out of the ground and carried away !; tombstones of solid marble. were broken, and marble monuments destroy ed. Large houses were literally blown into splinters; upper floors and ceilings, and sometimes lower floors, were carried miles away boards, shingles, and frag7 ments from town are said to be scattered twenty. to thirty miles distant: /" The effects in the way of literal destft1etion cannot be exaggerated. In this immedi- ate vicinity there were twenty-five white families and fifteen .colored families, comprising total of more than two hun dwellings, destroyed, and strange to say, I but four were instantly killed, and only one-Mr. M. B. Armour since died
 
 others were seriously hurt, and hopes are now entertained that even the worst may recover. Frss ..-s.:: ,f.,sT .sst- gfs,o1
 The force of the storm lasted only from three to five seconds of time. ' I felt about three to five waves or whirls, and all passed on. First my house moved directly north twelve feet; then bursted, flying right and left, sections of the walls falling in or rising into the air, and the fury was past, leaving myself and family on the floor with some bed ding and a variety of rubbish, all mixed up promiscuously. -Farnitufe all blown out and broken, yet none of us danger ously hurt. Dr. J. M. Bynum's resi- dence, with about six rooms, compara- lively new and strong frame house, was blown clear to the floor, and the floor removed several feet, leaving the whole family unhurt. Judge Arnold and many others fared similarly, as regards both houses and families. M. B. Armour's residence was also large and good house. iSills, floor, and all were moved, carried over bent down trees, ten, feet above the ground, and torn to pieces, leaving the sills at about one hundred yards distance. The husband, wife ands six childrenswere scattered and left from fifty to one hundred yards, where they were afterward picked up more or less injured some of the children slightly, and the wounds of Mrs. A. only as yet proving fatals The foorjof the room in which H. T. Johnsey and his wife and two chil- dren were sleeping was blown one hun dred yards,s and the sendsgof the sleepers stuck deep in the ground. Mr.J was thrown out on the ground and badly hurt; his wife, with the babe in her arms, was thrown into the yard on a feather bed, and, what is more astonishing, lit tie Charley-the .sbig baby ''--who was sleeping in his little crib, was found lying on the bed beside his mother, and his little crib thirty yards further down the hill, bursted into fragments. The wind was followed by heavy rain, which did great damage to scattered goods, books, etc, and caused great suffering to the houseless people.