Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1879-03-25
the illinois Tornado.


A TOWN SWEPT by A CoRKsREw BREEZE-
ITS FRIGHTFUL DESTRUCTIVE FORCE
SEVERAL PERSONS KILLED.
Bunker Hill I'll dispatch to Chicago Times.
A most terrific tornado devastated the
country few miles southeast of this
place on yesterday afternoon. The
storm arose about o'clock, and at first
amounted to nothing more than an ordi-
nary thunderstorm, accompanied with
vivid lightning and heavy black clouds.
The tornado cloud first struck the ground
three miles south of this town, and trav-
e d ia southeasterly direction for
about five miles. At the beginding or
its career it merely tore down few
fences, porches, trees. etc., but increased
in fury and intensity as it progressed
At the farm of Mr.. Z Mcdonnell, near
ly four miles from its starting point, it
Frustrated the house and barn and out
buildings, fences, and about three han-
dred apple trees. Mr.. Mcdonnell, who
was upward of eighty years of age, was
caught from the ground, carried some
distance and hurled down again with
such force that he died very shortly at
terward. His son, John Mcdonnell,
was also lifted by the wind to the height
Of thirty or forty feet, carried about a
quarter of mile, and received severe
but not fatal injuries. Both men had
lain down at the approach of the storm
in order to escape its fury, but this
AvAnEp THEM NOTHING.
A short distance east of this il struck the
farm of Mr.. James Mcdonnell and here
it also destroyed every vestige of a build
ing. Mr.. Mcdonnell was thrown to the
ground and severely hurt by some fall
ing timbers. One of his children, IN
infant about year old, was blown from
its mothers arms and instantly killedby
its head being dashed agaiifst'a tree. AT
other farms in the vicinity several peo-
pie were very seriously injured, and ad-
ditional deaths may yet ensue. Four
farm-houses with all their out-buildings,
orchards, etc., were totally destroyed
Three other houses were very badly
wrecked, and several others to lesser
extent. After doing this damage the
tornado struck into the timber, where it
tore track half mile wide and near
ly mile long, leaving nothing standing,
and breaking and tearing up the heayi-
est trees rs If they were nothing but
weeds. The storm spent Its fury in the
timber and seems TO have
EXHAUSTED ITSELF
or left the earth at this point. A vol
ume might be filed in describing the Gu
rious feats of the storm-cloud. Huge
trees were torn out of the ground and
carried long distances, leaving holes
eight or ten feet deep where they had
stood. Ponds were instantly dried up
by the water being scooped up aud car
ried of. A boy was lifted up and car
lied nearly half n mile without sustain-
ing much injury. At several points the
tornado actually tore large holes IN the
solid ground and carried away the earth
that it had scooped out. The tornado
only extended over tract of country
five miles in leng h by about half mil
In width. 1t varied in intensity, anu
seemed to strike the earth, rebound and
then strike again. In appearance the
resembled Il large balloon,
with II narrow point near the ground,
and had n furious revolving motion. 1t
a peculiarly lurid appear
ancc, was accompanied by heavy thm-
der and lightning and some hail, bu
not much rain.