The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-04-22
AsDESTRUCTIVE TORNADO
1T LAYS A TOWN IN RUINS.
And Sweeps Over the Country, Leaving DeSOls-
tlOn In Its Path Great Loss OF Life and
PrOpertyTerrble Force Of the
Wind-Remarkable Phe-
nOmena.

Marshheld, Mo-, was blown down by terrific
wind storm last evening and then burned. result.
ing in fearful loss Of lite. The telegraph wires
are all down and nothing direct from the scene
Of the calamity can be obtained at present, but
the facts will be got at the earliest moment posi-.
BILE.
From passengers who passed through Marsh
field on the st, Louis & San Francisco railroad at
$50 last night, few facts concerning the terrible
disaster are glesnes. A man who came to the de.
pot at the edge of the town while the train was
there reported that at $3.50 o'clock furioSs hur.
ricane struck the place and leveled all that part
Of the centre square fat to the ground The de-
bris Immediately took FIRE in several places and
the flames could he seen at some half dozen
points by passengers on the train. Forty dead
bodies have been taken out and many more were
supposed to be buried in the ruins or bur" ed up.
There were also many living still imprisoned In
the debris Of the falling buildings. All the ply.
sicans of the town were killed excepting two,
and there was great need of doctors to attend the
wounded, of whom it was said there we're some
two hundred. A relief train with 20 physicians
and nurses and full supplies left Springfield,
Mo, this morning for Marshfeld, and will prob
ably arrive during the day. The storm was gen.
eral in Southwestern Missouri, and other places
prObabl y suffered damage, but as telegraph wires
are all prostrated, no advices have been received
Violent hail and rain accompanied the wind.
A telegram from Springfield via Vuita and
Kansas City to G. W, Rogers, General Manager Of
the st. Louis q San Francisco railroad saws a
hurricane passed few miles south of Springfield
about O'Clock last night, doing an immense
amount of damage and killing great number Of
people Fifty deaths are reported on James river,
six miles south Of Springfield and great many
NuutnnV NRaavn a aI,, -
Conway, fourteen miles this side of Marshfeld, re.
ports arriving there from Springfield at II O'Clock,
and says he found terrible looking country
from North View, seven miles west Of Marshheld,
to the latter point Trees three feet through are
torn entirely out OF the ground, telegraph poles
twisted of and every thing wrecked The town
Of MaTshheld is destroyed. Brick as well as frame
buildings were destroyed. We did not see more
than half dozen people as we came through the
town. The place seemed deserted. The doctors
and nurses who came on our train from Spring
field, about twenty In number, went from the de
pot alone to hunt up the people, there being no
one at the depot to receive them.
A special to the Post Dispatch from Lebanon
says the tornado which caused such frightful
havoc at Msrshfeld last night passed entirely
through Greene and Webster counties, following
the course Of the James river in nOrtheaserly
direction. It struck the st. Louis and San Fran
cisco railroad In four places and left 1t near
Franks Station, one hundred and ten miles this
side Of Marshfeld, The latter place presents a
terrible appearance, there not being more than
dozen houses unharmed In the entire town. The
Court House and many other buildings took fire
ant the scene and effects were Of q most dreadful
character. Atone house two children were found
dead and another badly mangled, but still alive.
The parents could not be found. In another case
a woman was lost entirely, and seems to have
been carried away bodily. No details OF the
calamity have yet been received The force OF
the wind stripped the bark from the trees and
lifted others entirely out OF the ground and tele.
graph poles and wires we're carried hundreds of
rods and tied and kn0tted among the limbs of
the trees as though they were cotton strings.
Everything possible ts being done to assist and
succOr the wounded. not only at Marsbfeld, but
at other places Physicians throughout the
country are llOCking to the points most II jured,
aud doing all they can to alleviate the suffering
Doctors went from Springfield to the James river
country, six miles south as we'll as to Marshfeld,
and scores lOf kind hearted people have volun-
teered as nurses Captain Rogers, General Mana
ger of the ST. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, is
sepding special trains witt relief wherever any
good can be done and all are doing everything
possible to aid the injured and dying
The storm that WI cked Marshhed and caused
such a destruction of property in other places in
Southwest Missouri last evening, struck this city
about 1880 o'clock and while 1t did no serious
damage ii shook things up considerably. large
number of trees fences, signs and chimneys were
blown down, and numerous houses more or less
injured, The wind was very strong and almost
q deluge OF rain fell and some hail.
THE MARsHFIELD HORROR.
st. Louis, Mo-, April 19-The telegraph com.
munication with Marshheld is restored tonight
but only one wire is working and the prospects
Of getting the full details of the ravages of the
storm are very poor. Captain G. W. Rogers, gen.
eral manager of the St. Louis & San Francisco
Railroad, has just received the following from D
Il. Nichols, assistant superintendent: Advlces
are coming in constantly from different parts Of
the country showing that many were killed or
injured in the remote districts. It Is believed
that many farmers families have been destroyed
and not yet reported. Seven of the wOun ded on
the James river died this afternoon and five at
Marshfeld. At the latter place all is confusion
and the people are In such an excited state that
1t is almost impossible to get any Ineligible re
port Many families are homeless and have
taken refuge In our depot and the empty cars
standing at the station. The front room OF the
courthouse are still standing and have been
converted into mOrgue. The school ilding
Is used for hospital, Up to p. m, they have q
death list of IS and prospects of increasing it be-
fore morning. Many are yet missing and mum.
Der of people have been buried Of whom no re
cord has been kept Eighty.five of the wounded
are in the school house. great many cOlored
people are killed or injured, but no list of them
has been prepared.
Only IA buildings are left standing, and there
is not house IN the town but what was more or
less injured Large numbers OF citizens from
Lebanon and Springfield are doing all they can
to relieve the suffering A carload Of provisions
was sent from Springfield to day and contribu
ttons are coming In from all towns along the
line OF road. Clothing of all kind is needed bad
ly, as many families have lost everything they
had in the way of wearing apparel, and were left
with only what they had on.
child was found at Marsh6eld lodged in the
crotch OF q tree 30 feet above the ground and was
but slightly hurt Four hundred dollars was
raised to-day at ROla for the sufferers at Marsh
field and twelve doctors aid nurses left there for
that place to night,
DETAILS OF THE CATASTROPHE.
st. Louis, April l9-The first dispatch direct
from Marshheld was received late to Onight by the
Globe Democrat and gives the following descrip.
ton Of the storm 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, Greene and
Webster counties destroying everythg in Its path.
way, eveling houses, barns, mills and timber, It
struck this town about $50 o'clock. Eye witnes.
seB OF the approaching storm say It was fright.
full looking black cloud lined with feecy white,
funnel shaped and moving in the manner Of a
screw propeller. It moved with wonderful ve.
locity, literally destroying and blowing away ey.
erylhing in Its path, which was about half mile
wide at this point Large sized trees were twist.
ed of, telegraph wires Snspped and the bark was
literally peeled from the small trees, houses were
blown from their foundations, and cattle, hogs,
sheep, horses and poultry whistled into the air
and were carried a great distance. The noise of
the storm, the crash Of falling houses and cries
and screams Of terrified people, made scene of
horror that beggars description. What was a
beautiful, peaceful, quiet town Of 800 people, "a
hours ago, is nova waste of desolation. Out of
zoo dwelling houses not more than 20 are left
slandtng, and but few OF those remaining are un.
injured or the business houses around the
pubic square, all but three are utterly demolish.
ca and their contents blown away, burned or
badly damaged. About O'Clock a freight train
from Springfield brought about 500 people with
PROVISIONS and medicines for the wounded. As
rapidly as the bodies of the dead and wounded
prepared for interment.
The wounded were conveyed to the only avail