The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-04-20
Last Nights Dispatches.
THE sToRM's WORK.
Further Particulars of the Destruction of
Marshfe1d, Missouri.

| ST. LOUIS, April 19.-Last night
storm did no serious damage in this city
but caused general shaking up.
A special to the Post Dispatch from
Lebanon, says: 'The tornado which
caused such frightful havoc at Marsh
field last night passed entirely through
Green and Weber counties, following the
course of the James river in a northeast
erly direction. 1t struck the st. Louis Il
San Francisco railroad in four places and
left it near Franks Station, 100 miles this
side of Marshfield. The latter place pre-
sented terrible appearance. there not be-
ing more than dozen houses, unharme
in the entire town. The court house and
many other buildings took fire and the
| scene and effects were of a dreadful char
acter. At one house two children
were found dead and another badly
mangled. In another case a woman vas
lost entirely-seems to have been car"
ried away bodily. No details of the cal
amity are yet received. The force of the
wind stripped the bark from the trees and
lifted others entirely out of the ground and
telegraph poles and wires were carried 100
rods into the woods and tied and knotted
among the limbs. and trees like cotton
strings. Everything possible is being done
tc assist and succor the wounded, not only
at Marshheld but at other places. Ply
siclans throughout the country are hockinc
| Ing to the points most injured and doing
all they can do 60 alleviate the suffering.
Doctors went from Springfield to the
james river country, six miles south
to Marshfeld. and scores of kind hearted
people have volunteered as nurses. Cap
tain Rogers, general manager of the st.
Louis San Francisco railroad, is sending
special trains with relief where any good
can be done, and all are doing everything
possible to aid the injured and dying
| Telegraph communication with Marsh
field was restored to-night, but one wire is
| working and the prospects of getting full
details of the ravages of the storm are
very poor, Capt. G. W. Rogers. General
| Manager of the St, Louis & San Francis
co railroad has just received the follow
ing from ID, FL. Nichols, Assistant Super
| intendent:
Advlces are coming in constantly from
different parts of the country showing
many killed or injured in remote districts.
| 1t Is believed that many farmers families
have been destroyed and not yet reported
Seven OF the wounded on James river died
this afternoon and FIVE at Marshneld. At
the latter place all is confusion and the
people area 10 such an excited state, it is
almost apostolic to get an intelligent re.
port. Many families are homeless and
have taken refuge in the depot aud empty
cars standing at the station. The front
rooms OF the Court House are still stand-
ing and have been converted into a III orgue.
The school building is used for hospital.
Up to Z P. III. they haye death list Of
seventy eight with prospect of increasing
it before morning. Many are yet missing,
and number of people have been buried of
whom no record is kept. 1t is impossible
to get list of the dead
a child was found at Marshfeld lodged
IN the crotch of tree thirty feet above
the ground but slightly hurt.
-Four hundred dollars was raised to-day
at Rolla for sufferers at Marsh6eld, and
twelve doctors and nurses left here for that
place to night
At Gray's Greek, four miles from JEFF
ferson City, seven houses were demolished
and several OF their inmates injured. A log
house was blown into a deep cut on the
Missouri Pacific road at this point, and the
passenger trim from the west ran into it
demOlIshing the engine and severely
wounding the engineer, James McCourt,
and james Murphy the fireman.
special from Galloway county, says
last night, doing an immense amount of
damage to farm property, besides destroy.
ing number of houses. At New Bloom
field Mrs. Moritz was killed by a falling
house, and negro girl was killed by
lightning,
4 special from California says a terrific
storm visited the southern part of Monile
county last night, doing great injury to
property and killing and wounding a num-
ber of persons. The storm first struck
the little town Of Barrettsvlle, destroying
almost every house in the place 1t then
passed down the valley toward Nordmore,
demollshlng nearly every building in its
track. A large number were killed, but
their names have not been ascertained.
Between twenty and thirty were wounded
MARsHFIELD, Mo. April 19.-This town
and county were visited by one of the
most destructive cyclones on record last
evening. After passing through several
miles of country in Christian. Green and
Webster counties, destroying everything
mills aud timber. Ii struch this town at
$50 O'Clock. Eye witnesses of the
approaching storm say it was frishtful
looking black cloud, lined with feecy
white, funnel shaped clouds and moving
in the manner of screw propeller. 1t
moved with wonderful velocity, literally
destroying everything IN it's path, which
was about half mile wide at this point.
Large sized trees we're twisted of, tele
graph wires snapped and houses were
blown from their foundations Cattle,
hogs, sheep and poultry were whirled iu
the air and carried great distances. The
noise of the storm, the crash of falling
houses and the cries and screams of the
terrified people made a scene that beggars
description. What was beautiful peace
full town of 500 people twenty four hours
ago, is now waste of desolation. Out
of 200 dwelling houses not more than
twenty are LETT standing, and but few OF
these rem naming are uniniured. OF bust.
ness houses around the public square all
but three are utterly demolished and their
contents blown away, burned or baby
damaged. As rapidly as the bodies of the
dead could be extracted from the ruins
they were prepared for interment The
wounded were conveyed to the only avai
liable structure left standing, the public
school building, which was not badly
damaged. 1t was turned into hospital
There are now 6ity wounded In the build
ing under the care Of noble women from
Lebanon aad Springfield. who are doing
all in sheir power to alleviate their suffer