The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-03-12
THE HOUSTONIA TORNADO.
4 village Destroyed by Hurricsne-A
Railroad Train Blown from the Track
Several Persons Mortaliy aud Others
severely injured.

severely injured.
Prom the sads'ia MOI Democrat, 2ith.
AT i:lO p. W. yesterday a dispatch was
received at this office relating briefly the
terrible calamity which Is given below.
About the same time other dispatches
were received and the news circulatei up
on the streets, creating the widest excite
mcnt and sympathy for the unfortunate
people of lIoustonia. In short time SUI
perintendent Cummings, with his charac-
tcristic energy. had a special train at the
depot. Mr.. Cummings also summoned
medical aid, and several physicians accom-
panied him. In company with about fifty
Others, n reporter of this paper proceeded
to llouStonia. An hours ride brought
us to the
STORM STRICKEN TOWN,
which presented a scene that baflled de-
scrption. The business portion of the
city was in ruins. and the smoldering fires
marked the sites of what a few hours be-
fore had been the largest stores in the
town. The country people had rallied in
large numbers. and teams were busily en-
gagged i'm transporting 10 places OF safety
what had been saved from the wind and
fire.
The depot was almost an entire wreck
the southern portion or ticket and tele-
graph office alone standing. The north
ern part was torn wide open. the walls
down, and the goods covered with the de
bris of the roof. TO the right of this,
AN ENTIRE TRAIN OF CARS.
some twelve in number, were blown from
the track, and lay piled up in every con-
ceivable shape. One car was blown sew
enty feet. Two cars were literally torn
into kindling wood by the force of the
hurricane.
Where an ice-house had stood, a short
distance 10 the left of the depot, nothing
remained but the ice, piled up In regular
blocks, just as IL was put in. a livery
stable was pile of hay and boards. with
dead horses in front, and wounded ones
attempting to rise from amid the wreck.
Little knots of people were gathered to-
gether, talking i'm low tones over the dis
aster. while others we're so excited they
could give no coherent account OF the
affair.
AS il was nearly dark. and the confusion
and excitement great we found IL exceed
ingly difficult TO get any connected ac-
count of the disaster; for different persons
Were differently situated, and the expert
ence Of one was different from the other.
We give to our readers the following as
the most lucid account concerning
THE APPROACH or THE TORNADO.
Mr. Sellman. farmer living on the
edge of Houstonia, says about 3 p. m. he
saw a small white mass of fog or cloud APP
preaching from the direction of Knob Nos
ter. Ii seemed very small Mt first. but
grew rapidly In size anG appeared TO
shoot out long rapid-like columns from its
sides. which seemed 10 lick up every thing
within reach.
liz moved with lightning speed. passing
between the houses of Joe Higgin' and
Clay Gibson. missing both, but taking up
Higgins School-house. and scattering IL
like chaff in the air. Ii also struck the
Gibsons' ice-house. and completely de-
molished il. Further on in it, course il
took up the smoke house OF MIR. jenkins.
slightly grazing the corner of his dwell
ing. but doing no damage. 1t then pur-
sued northeast course, and moved in the
direction of Houstona.
The people there were all engaged in
their usual ayocations-the stores were all
open, men working in shops. and in the
various dwelling houses the inmates were
pursuing their domestic duties unmindful
of the terrible calamity which Wa coming
down upon them With the lightning
speed Of the storm-king's blast.
The whistling OF the dense mass was the
first notice Of its approach, which was
observed By few. A flock OF geese was
caught up in the vortex, and whirled
around until stripped bare of their feath-
ers. This rotary motion was kept up un-
ill the tornado burst like thunderbolt
upon the business part of the town, and
in an instant it was leveed to the ground
and the air was iilled with the flying frag-
ments OF buildings, merchandise, etc.
A MOST APPALLING SCENE
ta.le us.l.f 10.
struck the town, happy In its apparent
security, like bosom OF destruction, and
in the twinkling of an eye il was gone.
leaving wreck. ruin and disaster In it
path. One brief instant, and the houses
crashed like eggshells, the air was filled
with hoT rible blackness and roar that
seemed to rend the earth.
When the shock was over, fearful
scene unfolded itself. There. prone upon
the ground. lay the business portion of
the town. Men were cry ing beneath the
ruins, which were piled on top Of them.
for help; fathers, sisters and brothers
were running hither and thither seeking
for their relatives. and the whole face Of
the town had altered in an instant.
To add to the excitement, Porter's store
Tor rather the wreck Of it) caught fire,
and the flames speedily consumed the de-
bris and tie stock it covered. Fred Will
sons store. adjoining, was blown against
Porter's, and II, too, was consumed with
all its contents.
THE WOUNDED.
Mr.. w. III. Porter was found under the
debris Of w. A. Porter's store. Those in
the store heard the storm coming, and
they tried to get out Of IL before the blast
came. Mr. w. II. Porter ran out of the
front door, and turned The corner Of the
store but just as he did 20 the building
fell upon him, and buried him beneath its
ruins. When he was extricated II WAS
found that his back was broken. his leg