The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-01-06

FS lfroTn the PadEcah Tribune, December 291
e a correspondent w rlting from Wingo. De-
cember y, saysa terrible tornadoswept over
that place and surrounding country last Sun.
day. We copy his letter entire # 5ss ,.3
Some time last spring year ago there
was storm passed through and over here
that destroyed everything in It's course. It
was some half or three fourths of q mile
wide. II blew houses, fencing, and timber
down, doing several thousand dollars dam
age. almost breaking some people up. Yes.
tefday another storm passed over the same
ground that did more damage, If possible,
than the first. Up to the time of this writing
we have heard from five or six miles of the
country 1t passed over, and 1t did not leave a
building standing in many places. The storm
passed through about o'clock, and at
your correspondent, in company with a
friend, mounted our horses and rode to the
scene of destruction, and we are willing to
confess our eyes have never witnessed such
visitation of Divine Providence before.
The first thing that attracted our attention
was the timber blown in every direction.
] think two thirds Of the large timber
in the section we passed over was blown
down. In some places where just a few
hours before dwellings and outhouses stood
they were all blown down and scattered in
every direction. We saw men, women, and
children crawling over fallen timber and rub
bish, making their way to their neighbors
who were more fortunate than themselves
for protection from the falling torrents.
Fortunately, we have not heard OF any one
that was killed by the falling houses. We
saw one Lighthouse that was blown down TO
the ground that had ten or twelve persons
in it, and none of them were hurt. There
did not seem like there was place 10 the
bouSe large enough for person to stand not
covered with timber. The loss in tobacco
alone in the sections we have heard from
cannot be less than fifteen thousand dollars,
while we have no means now of estimating
the damage to other property.
Mr.. l.. Berry, Of Benton, Informed the
Ne,os of yesterday evening that the house Of
County Judge Nicholas Darnall was literally
torn to pieces, but no one was hurt.
A young mau by the name Of Buck Mathis
and another young man were caught in the
storm, and fearing the timber Started through
field to avoid it; but just as they got into
the edge Of the field large tree was blown
down, falling upon Mathis aud killing him
and bis mule instantly. The horn of Ma
this's saddle was driven entirely through bis
neck. His companion escaped.
A little boy, son Of Isaiah Gordon, ran into
q tobacco.blrn to get out of the rain. The
barn was blown down on him, and he was
crushed to death.
A widow lady, whose name we did not
learn, who lived near Mr.. Phil. DarnalFs,
had one of her children dangerously hurt,
and the others were seriously hurt.
A terrific tornado passed twelve miles east
of Hickman, KY, on Sunday evening, sweep
ing down whole forests in its pathway. The
force of the wind was so great that persons
can now walk over the trunks of trees where
before was dense woods. Twelve dwelling
houses and barns were blown down. Some Of
them were shattered into fragments, the In
mates barely escaping with their lives. The
worm-fences, from the bottom rail, were all
| lifted and blown away.
at May6eld two persons were crushed to
death under the ruins of houses. A negro
was killed outright at another point. A
man named Chuchs and lady named Miss
searcy were killed. Her sister was badly
crippled. The hotel at Reelfoot Lake wa;
blown down, the guests barely escaping
Some were badly bruised BY flying timber
Death and destruction left their trace along
the entire track OF the tornado, which made
noise heard for miles.