The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-06-20
Some Particulars Of the Recent Tor
nAdO i'm Missouri.

non. JOnN u. McMlchael, OF the
Plattsburg Lerer, who arrived in the
city yesterday morning, relates some
particulars of the great tornado at
Richmond, which place he passed about
seven o'clock on Sunday evening. The
train on the St. Joe branch stopped
only twenty minutes at the Richmond
depot, but enough was seen and heard
from the citizents to excite the deepest
commiseration for the sufferers. The
path of the cyclone crossed the rail-
road track outside of Richmond. Mr..
McMichael saw several fine brick res
licences that were demolished; some
were unroofed and others had cor
ner blown of. The forest trees In the
vicinity appeared to be literally laid
waste. Large trees were seen torn up
by the roots, and some that were
left standing had their bark pealed off,
MIR. McMichael learned that twenty
dead bodies were found and there were
more in the ruins. There were not
less than fifty, he was told, who were
injured and crippled. One entire fam
lily named JOY were fatally injured.
The mother of Mrs. Joy came down on
the same train from Lawson with Mr..
McMichael, and was in great distress
of mind, she having been summoned
by telegraph. 1t was learned that Mrs.
Joy and their infant child were so bad
ly injured that all would die. They
were not yet reported dead. Mr.. joys
mother was killed outright. and Mr..
joy was standing over the cradle try
ing to protect his child from the falling
timbers when he was struck by mis-
sile which broke both his legs. Mrs.
Joy was badly cut about the head.
There was young lady, Miss
Couch, who came in from the country
to do some shopping, and, being caught
in the cyclone, was taken up in the air
and carried over the tops of two build
ings, and her body was torn to frag-
mentS.
A team of two horses and a wagon
were taken up and carried over a house.
and the animals were killed.
Judge Donaldson, prominent law
yer, was killed. He was going through
the gate which led to. his house, when
something struck him in the eye, taking
that organ clean out and cutting deep
cash through his brain. He survived
only few hours. His death is deeply
lamented.
One lady-a Mrs. Wilson, as her
name was stated-was blown over
housc-top, and she landed unllurt. Her
escape was little less than miraculous.
The track of the storm was only quar-
ter of mile wide. and it struck the
eastern side of the town, extending to
the ourt-House Square. The storm
cloud, it was stated, moved over the
ground and expended its force about
ten miles northeast of Richmond. Pa
pers from the Odd-Fellows Hall, which
was demolished. were swept Nv the
wind that distance; and it was also
stated that picture of Jake Childs of
The Richmond Conservative was carried
the same distance
Another curious fact mentioned was
that the entire contents of lumber
yard were carried away by the blast,
the boards shooting through the air
like arrows, so that not . vestige was
left in the undergrad. Mr.. McMich-
ael is satisfied that the peculiar locality
of the country has something to do with
the visit of the cyclone, as about fifteen
years ago there was similar tornado,
but not as violent as the recent one, and
in both instances other places in the
vicinity were unharmed.M1Missouri Re.
publican. June 4.